Victoria: Spanish sneaker craft since 1915

Victoria is now available at SportFits, and in full breadth: from the timeless Classics through the 110 Anniversary Edition to the Barefoot collection. It brings a brand into the range that ties together craft, sustainability and Mediterranean lifestyle.

In 1915 Gregorio Jiménez set up a shoe workshop in a small village in La Rioja, in northern Spain. He named it after his wife: Victoria. That local workshop grew, over the decades, into one of Spain's best-known sneaker brands.

In the 1950s Victoria introduced vulcanisation, a process that bonds the sole permanently to the upper under heat and pressure. The result was a tough, flexible canvas sneaker that became the emblem of a whole generation in the 1980s. The V logo has been a registered trademark since 1985; the design patent dates from 1977.

One detail still sets Victoria apart: the faint scent of strawberry that clings to many models. It goes back to the post-war years, when recycled car tyres served as sole material. The shoes were perfumed to mask the smell of the rubber, and the habit stuck.

International expansion began in 2004. Victoria now exports 75% of production to more than 50 countries. For its 110th anniversary the brand built up its presence in Barcelona, including a store of its own.

Victoria makes up to 80% of its collection in Spain, across the two historic shoemaking regions of Alicante and La Rioja. Vulcanising has been done pair by pair, by hand, for more than 60 years: each shoe goes through its own step in which the natural rubber sole is fused to the canvas under heat.

That bond lasts considerably longer than a glued one. Vulcanised shoes are more flexible and more durable. Short transport distances within Spain keep the carbon footprint down as well.

Victoria splits its range into several collections, each with its own character. The span is wide, from classic canvas sneakers to sustainable eco models, but the thread running through it stays the same: Spanish craft and that iconic V logo.

Victoria treats sustainability as part of the brand philosophy rather than a marketing trend. Its initiatives run under the Dear World label, covering everything from material choice to packaging.

The main measures: the canvas upper is 100% organic cotton, grown in Spain. Soles are made from plant oils instead of mineral oil. Packaging is recycled and recyclable. Some lines are fully vegan, with soles based on plant-derived raw materials.