Case Study | A Stitch in Time - VEJA & The Sashiko Gals Collaboration

Most collaborations today are just noise. A marketing push, a hashtag, a fleeting moment on social. But every now and then, a project emerges that reminds us what collaboration should look like: thoughtful, rooted in culture, and built to last.

VEJA’s limited-edition partnership with the Sashiko Gals collective is one such example. Only 10 pairs of the Panenka sneaker were available at Dover Street Market Ginza, Tokyo on March 28–29, 2025.

Each one uniquely hand-embroidered using sashiko — a centuries-old Japanese stitching technique traditionally used to repair and reinforce garments. The collective, based in Ōtsuchi (a town in northern Japan deeply impacted by the 2011 earthquake), is made up of 15 women aged 40 to 80, who’ve turned their craft into an act of resilience, preservation, and community support. In this era of high-volume product drops, this is low-quantity, high-intention design.

A reminder that collaboration is not just about co-branding — it’s about co-creating with purpose.

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