Millions of people worldwide have Jürg Braunschweiler on their feet, because they wear On sneakers. The Swiss mechanical engineer is the inventor of the striking sole that also won over Roger Federer. Thanks to a good product and clever marketing, the brand became a global player in the fiercely contested sneaker market in no time; last year’s IPO is said to have made the three founders triple-digit millionaires in a flash, with On valued at 10 billion US dollars.
And Jürg Braunschweiler? He first licensed his product to On, then sold the patent in 2016 – for five million francs, according to “Bilanz”. But money was never his main concern; what counts is tinkering, experimenting, creating. “My father was extremely inventive even as a young man. He was constantly drawing, trying things out, inventing machines – it’s his passion,” recounts Eric Braunschweiler at the flagship store in Zurich-Wollishofen. The 76-year-old has only recently left working life – without melancholy, for he knows his legacy is in good hands: his 37-year-old son Eric, who studied economics in the USA, runs the jointly founded company GNL and is working with a second patent of his father’s.
A Sole from a Garden Hose
In the 1990s the small family lived in Florida, the state where Jürg’s wife Patty grew up. Here he had the idea of a shoe sole with exceptionally good cushioning. His first attempts came from a garden hose, which he cut into slices and glued one by one onto a running-shoe sole. The beginnings were sobering – the loops came off after a few steps – but the ETH engineer persevered and improved his invention, until it became the now-legendary On sole.
He then developed this model into a shoe whose sole differs both visually and functionally. Unlike On, GNL models are made not for running but for everyday wear. On soles have hollow loops that move in only one direction – sensible for runners, who go forwards. With GNL, the stud is closed and the cavity surrounds it – invisible from outside – so it moves in every direction. GNL stands for Glide’n Lock: a gentle, gliding feeling on landing and then a powerful push-off. “The sole isn’t expressly meant for problem feet, but it takes many health aspects into account and aids regeneration,” explains Eric Braunschweiler. Now athletes rely on it too, such as the Swiss national ice-hockey team, because they recover faster.
You wouldn’t guess this therapeutic focus from looking at the collection – deliberately so: “Our shoes shouldn’t look like health slippers or jogging shoes, but be simple and elegant. You can wear them with jeans or with a suit.” Eric Braunschweiler, of course, wore GNL at his wedding. The understated yet distinctive design is the work of Swiss designer Manuela Menzi, a graduate of Central Saint Martins College in London. Production takes place in small family businesses in Italy and Bulgaria that father and son know personally.
Corn Leather and Algae
Besides the social, the ecological idea matters too. “You can’t develop a product that’s good for people without regard for the planet,” says the young entrepreneur. GNL has just launched a 100 per cent vegan and sustainable line: uppers of corn leather, lining of recycled polyester, soles of recycled rubber and algae. And if the cushioning fades after long wear, GNL shoes can easily be resoled.
Any regret over On’s phenomenal success story? “Not at all,” says Eric Braunschweiler. “My father is glad his invention struck such a chord. With GNL we follow our own path. We want to operate internationally too, but first to build our brand properly in Switzerland – with a quality product firmly rooted locally.” Showroom and shop: GNL, Renggerstrasse 60, 8038 Zurich; further outlets and online shop at gnlfootwear.com.
This article appeared in MEN issue 1/22 (May 2022).
