shoe collabs
The fashion world has form when it comes to exciting partnerships, with a host of stellar collabs already announced for 2022. Now some of the top footwear brands have joining forces with designers, artists and even hit TV shows to create new collections. From Manolo Blahnik teaming up with Birkenstock on the shoe of the summer to Loewe’s chic new running shoes and Bridgerton-inspired stilettos, these are the key new designer shoe collabs to know about this season.
Manolo Blahnik x Birkenstock
Available from 24 March
Manolo Blahnik and Birkenstock have teamed up to create the ultimate summer sandal, bound to be spotted everywhere from Glastonbury to St Tropez this year. The capsule collection features Birkenstock’s instantly recognisable Arizona style in fuchsia, blue and black, as well as an update of their classic Boston clog. Each of the styles has been given the sort of glamorous makeover you’d expect from Manolo, embellished with crystal buckles and picked out in sumptuous jewel-toned velvet with French piping.
The Spanish fashion designer has long been a fan of the brand, revealing: “Birkenstocks have been in my wardrobe since the very beginning (of time!) – I have loved and worn mine for many years. I am thrilled that we have been able to collaborate, fusing the Manolo Blahnik aesthetic with the everyday comfort of Birkenstocks is simply wonderful!”
Malone Souliers x Bridgerton
With the welcome return of Bridgerton to our screens at the end of this month, the world has gone Regency mad, with a plethora of themed events and collaborations. Case in point, this latest partnership between designer shoe label Malone Souliers and the hit Netflix show, which sees a 14-piece capsule collection of shoes and accessories, all inspired by key Bridgerton looks.
Expect dramatic styles worthy of Daphne Bridgerton herself, including the Maureen, a classic pointed pump in duck egg blue jacquard with yellow and pink roses, and the Sonia, a dramatic feathered sandal in electric blue. “I’m a huge fan of Bridgerton,” explains creative director and founder Mary Alice Malone. “It revisits the past with a sense of revolution and joy, which is exactly how I approach shoemaking. This partnership has been fascinating from a design perspective, allowing us to embrace the pomp and unabashed splendour of Regency fashion.”
Loewe x On
Swiss performance running shoes brand On was created by an ex-runner to revolutionise the sensation of running, designing a special sole made for soft landings and explosive take-offs. The result is a shoe that makes it feel like you’re running on air – hence the fact that their trainers are referred to as ‘Clouds’. Now the sneaker brand has been given a fashionable new update courtesy of Loewe.
The pair have joined forces to combine On’s trademark technologies with Loewe’s artisanal process, creating a capsule collection of shoes and athleisure pieces for men and women. Designed for outdoor adventures, the pieces include ultralight, breathable T-shirts and wind and waterproof track pants, as well as Cloudrock hiking boots and Cloudventure running shoes, all picked out in chic gradient ombre shades.
Tschabalala Self x Ugg
Harlem-born artist Tschabalala Self is no stranger to fashion collaborations, having joined forces with the likes of Yoox and Louis Vuitton in the past. Now she’s teaming up with Ugg to present a capsule collection featuring custom designs created as part of her Performa Biennial performance art piece, Sounding Board, last year.
Marking her first foray into footwear, the ten-piece collection features a range of bold designs in eye-catching patterns and colours, ranging from bright yellow and turquoise marble ankle boots and ombre pink sheepskin clogs to black and red colour-blocked Sixties-style high-heeled boots. One of the major features of the collection is her riff on the seams that run down the back and sides of most classic Ugg styles, which echo her own use of stitching and collage in her paintings.
Marni x Veja
Let your feet do the talking with this latest collaboration between eco-friendly trainer brand Veja and Italian fashion house Marni, which perfectly marries art and sustainability. The B-Corp brand has taken Marni’s emphasis on handcrafted pieces and run with it, adorning REACH-compliant leather sourced from Uruguayan farms with vibrant doodles.
In keeping with Veja’s approach, each pair has been assembled by hand, with soles that have been composed of recycled rubber and rice waste and leather tanned in Brazil using a process that reduces water waste. Available in the brand’s highly popular V-10 and V-15 high top styles, only a limited number of these socially-responsible trainers are available, so you’d better act fast if you want to snap up a pair.
Balenciaga x Crocs
Balenciaga has never been a label to shy away from a challenge, and their latest collaboration has got the whole fashion industry talking. The French fashion house has teamed up with Crocs to create a high fashion take on the world’s most practical shoe, which includes pairing the brand’s trademark rubber clog with a stiletto heel.
Alongside the brilliantly named Crocs Madame heels, which are available in black, white, bubblegum pink and bright green, you’ll also find chunky heeled rubber boots, slide sandals covered in flowers and a souped-up Hardcrocs sandal embellished with BB-logoed silver studs and hardware. If their previous sell-out collaboration in 2018 is anything to go by, these new styles are set to prove just as popular.
Ganni x New Balance
Available from 13 April
Not content with dominating the world of Scandi-cool ready-to-wear pieces, Ganni has now turned its hand to footwear with a brand-new collaboration with New Balance, marking the first time the two have partnered together. For the project, Ganni has chosen to refresh the iconic New Balance 2002R sneaker – a firm favourite with the Ganni Girls of Copenhagen, who can often be seen pairing them with their spring dresses.
Available in two colourways – a Noughties-inspired light grey and mint green – the runner-city trainers have been created to meet the New Balance green leaf standard and focuses on environmentally conscious materials, with the majority of the shoes made from recycled content. “The NB 2002R style really fits into the Copenhagen way of dressing – we’re always cycling and running somewhere,” says Ganni’s creative director Ditte Reffstrup. “This shoe is the perfect mix of function and fashion.”
Le Monde Beryl x Cloth Collective
London-born brand Le Monde Beryl – which draws inspiration for its elegant footwear, accessories and furniture from the cultural patchwork of the Silk Route – has collaborated on a limited-edition shoe collection with the UK-based environmentally conscious fabric studio Cloth Collective.
Working with 100% compostable textiles, Cloth Collective founders Charlotte Lawson Johnston and Katherine Preston have developed a range of plant-dyed natural linens in shades of cork and lilac especially for the collaboration, applying them to several of Le Monde Beryl’s most popular styles, including their Regency Slipper and Knot Sandals. The new collection is in keeping with Le Monde Beryl’s less-but-better mindset, which has seen them work with some of the world’s finest craftspeople, including Fortuny and Bevilacqua.
Gabriela Hearst x Clergerie
Uruguayan designer Gabriela Hearst and French shoe brand Clergerie have teamed up on a collaboration that has sustainability at its core. Launching a capsule collection that reinterprets Hearst’s most recognisable sandals with signature Clergerie elements, the emphasis here is on the beauty of artisanal craft and the importance of natural materials.
Developed with David Tourniaire, a master shoe designer from Romans-sur-Isere (once known as the epicentre of shoe production in France), the chic range of sandals and brogues use raffia that is hand-woven by traditional artisans in Morocco and cork, a low impact material that is harvested by shaving the trunks of trees rather than cutting them down. Assembled in France, the limited-edition line is available from Gabriela Hearst’s flagship Mayfair store on Brook Street.
Main picture: Loewe x On
