“The year was 2012. We decided to leave our careers in traditional advertising agencies in the market to design a method that could connect a brand to its values and essence. We had no doubts that the method would be the basis for the foundation of School SS99®.

 

We were at the 30's, and the needed to connect our own essence to a work model that we believed in came like a hurricane in our lives and was fundamental for the development of the hole process.

 

In New York, we saw ourselves over maps and more maps to design a methodology that could transform brands into people and, as a consequence, have their own lifestyle.

 

As eternal fashion students, we understand that we should anchor our method by seeking the essence of a brand from its founders and, then, through a study of trends and behavior research, we would find the attitude and positioning to be adopted in absolutely all points of contact.

 

It was becoming very clear to us that a relevant present is made when the past and the future co-exist. And the same should happen with brands. There will be no idea of transgression without a tradition. And notice this was crucial for the development of the methodology.

 

Understanding essences, and building maps of the future for so many different truths, also made us understand that each brand has its particular way of communicating, and it must express this "way of being" in all possible ways, whether in the way of act, speak, think, dress. Everything must be connected, transforming into a single lifestyle. After that the brand will be truly able to communicate with its consumer.

 

The inspiration for the name of our office could not come from any other universe, if not from fashion. We were inspired by the 1999 Spring Summer show by english designer Alexander McQueen. This show was very remarkable, as it uses a traditional media, the catwalk, to, more than communicate, but share its feeling, in this case, the industrialization of art.

 

“School” obviously comes from school. Nobody forms a communicator, you have to study every day. We believe that with each client we meet, at least one learning will be accumulated.

 

One of the main lessons we learned from Alexander McQueen's legacy is summarized in one of his quotes: 'You have to know the rules and then break them. That's what I'm here for: to demolish the rules, but keep the tradition.' That was the quote that inspired us and still inspires us today. Even 10 years after we founded School/SS99, it serves as a guide for us to take our professional and personal lives forward.