The Rafter Club, the men’s footwear brand that pulls inspiration from the creativity, technology, and passion that goes into the design of basketball sneakers to reimagine traditional dress shoes, has officially launched. Rafter combines high-quality Italian materials and craftsmanship with bold modern design to meet the needs of today’s modern consumer.
Men’s dress shoes have been the same for 100-plus years while options for women’s dress shoes are infinite and always evolving. Men currently buy sneakers they love and dress shoes that just get the job done. Rafter is aiming to innovate an archaic industry by bringing the emotional connection and self-expression that people have with basketball sneakers to formal men’s attire.
While premium sneakers are trending on the market and are occasionally worn with suits, they still lack high-quality materials and are made with rubber soles – keeping them inherently casual. Rafters are not premium sneakers, but rather a new kind of dress shoe. They are handmade with the finest Italian materials, including blake stitched leather outsole with a heel that keeps them appropriate for any formal context.
The Rafter Club Founder, Evan Polivy, grew up obsessing over the NBA, and truly understands the powerful emotional connection of owning a pair of basketball sneakers. He noticed that every time a new basketball sneaker came out, it was always trying to push the envelope by introducing new functionality, textures, materials and color combinations. Polivy recognizes the continual innovation and this deep connection between consumers and products that he doesn’t see anywhere else. He wants to bring that level of expression and connection to formal men’s attire.
Polivy comes to the table with experience in brand development and has helped build dozens of apparel companies. His clients rely on his knowledge of the fashion landscape to help fill voids in the market. Polivy is an expert when it comes to designing a unique world around his clients’ products that consumers want to connect with. Polivy is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. His education and 10-plus years of branding experience has helped to build his ultimate dream world of luxury basketball.
The Rafter Club is a men’s footwear brand that pulls inspiration from the creativity, technology, and passion that goes into the design of basketball sneakers to reimagine traditional dress shoes. Rafter combines high-quality Italian materials and craftsmanship with bold modern design to meet the needs of today’s modern consumer.
