Common Projects is the sneaker-head's worst kept secret despite it being that rare 21st century business: a brand that is completely against branding. You won’t find Common Projects campaigns in magazines and it doesn’t promote itself through classic social media channels. However that hasn’t stopped the widespread obsession over this elusive label – now considered the Holy Grail for celebrities and fashion arbiters looking for footwear that emits a quiet confidence. The fan club is a veritable list of today’s most influential musicians, from Drake and Kanye West to Nick Jonas and Frank Ocean.

Founded by Flavio Girolami and Prathan Poopat in New York in 2004, the two creatives united when neither could find a pair of sneakers to complement their understated style, or which felt sophisticated enough for formal events. Under the adage of “form follows function,” Common Projects distils the sneaker to its purest essence: American silhouettes with Italian craftsmanship, essentially "blank" sneakers designed in subtle variants of monochrome that fit in every wardrobe.

Each pair is hand-stitched with Italian leather at a dress-shoe factory in the Marche region of Italy and is signed off with the golden, ten-digit factory demarcations stamped across the ankle that denote its colour, size and style. But this anti-branding, ersatz logo is no longer anonymous, as today the subtle glint of gold across an ankle is a badge of honour for those who favour minimalist elegance.

Deputy editor of British GQ Bill Prince says, "Common Projects created – and swiftly cornered – the market for the ‘stealth sneaker’ by producing a low-profile shoe that fitted perfectly beneath a tailored trouser or (artfully) distressed jeans. The sheer ubiquity of the many copycat designs goes to prove what a game-changer it’s proved to be."

Common Projects’ current collection offers trans-seasonal styles that are low key enough to last a lifetime. The cult-favoured low-top silhouette, Achilles, is now available as a lace-up in muted pastels: mint green, rose pink and powder blue. There are also iterations of street-style favourites: all-white slip-ons, and the hi and low-top in black leather with an ivory sole. Fashion director of Esquire Catherine Hayward is a fan of Common Projects on both men and women, and lives in her white leather Achilles sneakers. She says, “their low-key, minimalist aesthetic works across all wardrobes. I like to see them worn on men with a smarter, cropped trouser for a sporty take on formalwear. They’re also useful for calming a busy outfit – as there's so much colour, print and embellishment around at the moment.”

In the case of Common Projects, the quietest voice is certainly most compelling. We’ll let the sneakers speak for themselves.