The amazing story of Las ojotas de Messi: Leo’s message that saved a project

On December 28, 2021, Jianzi’s life changed forever. Lionel Messi, who was just the world champion, shared on his Instagram An image that would change plans in the family business.

The captain of the Argentine national team posted a picture with his wife, Antonella RoccuzzoGirlfriend Luis Suarez And the wife of the Uruguayan footballer, Sophia Balbi. On his feet, Messi wore personalized Bagunza flip flops, a special gift the family sent him in 2021.

Also read: Lionel Messi pissed off a fan who asked him to autograph his national team shirt: the comical reaction

“On December 28th I woke up and had 50 messages from journalists and producers. I did not understand anything. I was with my family in Mar del Plata to spend the New Year and suddenly everything changed, ”Luciano Gianzi, co-owner of the Flip Flop brand recalls, TN.

After Messi shared the photo, Bagonza quickly posted that they were the owners of the design the Ten were wearing.That night, 20,000 people walked in to buy slippers. We sold 20,000 pairs in one day,” Luciano revealed.

creators of Messi slippers(Model called MESS10) An Argentinian family of Nestor Jianzi, his wife Roxana, The couple’s three children: Luciano, Emiliano and Mauro.

The eldest of the two brothers recounted the event that led to that photo and the capture spread in their networks, with A message sent by Messi himself on December 6, 2021.

Leo is sending us a private message on Instagram. We couldn’t believe it. Not only did he thank us for the slippers and boxes, but he also asked us for more for his children and Anto”, noted Luciano, who when he gave the shoe to Messi included a handwritten message, as he attached his Instagram account.

In that chat, the Rosario footballer wrote: “Hi Luciano, is everything okay? I’m LeoI wanted to thank you for the slippers you sent me. They are very good and the box is amazing too. I wanted to know if you could make some for my kids and roses from paris for my wife. The sizes are: 33″, 29″, 26″ and Antonela 35″. The sizes that fit me well are 42/43″.

“We only had 1,000 pairs in stock and this was an old model for us, designed during the Copa America 2021. It was something unexpected and we still can’t believe it. We can’t figure out why all this is happeningLuciano said.

The family had to return from their vacation and on January 2nd they went to work to meet the thousands of people who had bought their skis through the site.

“The suppliers did not have fabric and we had to hire 40 people to deliver each order. We just finished doing this in the middle of February. Fortunately, this allowed us to expand, increase the product line and prepare for the next summer, which for us begins in August.

The barbecue that changed the life of the family business

The Gianzi family has been in the shoe business for 12 years. However, in 2020 they decided to start producing custom skis. Bagunza took the field in 2021, with two models, ahead of the Copa America.

The Jianzi brothers are invited to the AFA estate in Ezeiza (Video: The Jianzi Family).

“At a barbeque with friends, we thought of sending Messi a pair of sandals. as a gift without looking for anything in return. And we started thinking about how to get them to get to him, ”Luciano recalls.

The first contact with the environment in the Argentine national team seemed to pave the way. However, since they only had gifts for Messi and Rodrigo de Paul, they put their thumbs down. “They told us the players were friends, a big family. And that was all or no one.”Keep Luciano.

With the hours counted It occurred to Mauro to contact an old family friend who had a direct connection with De Paul’s aunt. “A few hours later we were with Emiliano at the door of the AFC, handing over the boxes to him and Messi,” said Luciano.

Over the following months, the family checked both players’ nets if they had used boots. They knew they had it and they loved it, however Until Messi posted the photo, they had not been seen wearing it.

Exports to Canada and imminent decline in Spain and the United States

After posting Messi’s message I Requests came in from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, India and Mexico. More than 200,000 messages on Instagram congratulate us. Celebrities ask us for flip flops. “It was crazy,” said Luciano.

“Now we are exporting to Canada and soon we will do so in Spain and the United States. We’ve been in talks to take the boot there for two months. And only Messi announced that he would play for Inter Miami. “It never ceases to amaze us,” the businessman recounted.

“In a few days we send the goods. The idea is to enter the spearhead which is the Argentine national team and that people know that other than this model we have 10 more pagonzas, which are not sports. Our challenge is to start being known for pagonza and not for being Messi’s slipper.

“Many believe that with my family we are provided financiallyEven my friends think so. In fact, the opposite is true. We never stop investing. If all this hadn’t happened, I don’t know what would have happened to the brand: We had to cancel debt and maintain a great structure. We are very far from salvationLuciano completed.