Starting Five: Product Highlights [March 23]
Merrell 1TRL, Vein, Kiko Kostadinov, Y-3, Ronnie Fieg, adidas & Clarks Originals
As the winter frost starts to slowly melt away in the lead up to spring, we look to footwear from eloquently layered chunky executions like the Vein Covered Boots, to highly considered glue-less innovations like the Y-3 ITOGO, each silhouette brings a unique attribute to the table, readying you for the sunnier months ahead. Here are five footwear offerings we’ve been thinking about…
Kiko Kostadinov Tonkin Boot
The London based, Bulgarian designer and creative director of Asics Sportstyle is known for his experimental and often complex design aesthetic. One of his latest footwear experiments is the chunkily proportioned “Tonkin” Boot. Here, the “Tonkin” Boot is found in a monochromatic “Charcoal” colorway (though it is also available in dark red and grey iterations). The style features Bovine Leather uppers and a layered two-strap system. With pebbled leather heel counters that continue upwards into a pull tab and find themselves merging with the wavy rubber toppling of the midsole, the silhouette has a robust balance in it’s hierarchy of elements.
Available here
MERRELL 1TRL Black Hut Moc 2 Pack Loafers
MERRELL 1TRL represents a new premium footwear collection from the brand, consisting of elevated products that “challenge the traditional perceptions of the trail footwear aesthetic”. A packable iteration of the Hut Moc 2, this pair can be packed down, zipped together and clipped onto bags for easy transportation.
Designed to be a slip-on construction with a collapsible heel, the shoe is both easy to put on, yet rugged and secure enough to be worn on the trail. The silhouette is completed with a bungee lace with toggle closure, 100% recycled mesh wrapped insole, and breathable mesh lining. The style also sports a BLOOM® performance midsole foam (which is made of 10% algae biomass), features a FloatProTM Foam midsole and outsole grade EVA for weight saving grip.
Available here
Vein Black Covered Boots
Built on the ideology of “structural expressionism”, Vein designer Koki Enomoto encapsulates this nuanced design approach with his first foray into footwear. These black covered boots showcase a highly considered and harmonious combination of a multitude of structural elements. Featuring a bungee-style lace-up closure, an ankle high panelled nylon taffeta and rubberised toe/heel caps, the robust boot also sits atop a luggy Vibram sole unit to complete the structural melange of elements. The custom hardware both elevates the branding of the silhouette, as well as adds a utilitarian tactility to the boot. We’re looking forward to seeing how Vein’s design language continues to evolve with (hopefully) more structural expressions in the near future.
Available here
Y-3 Itogo
Earlier this year, the legendary Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto and adidas released their eagerly awaited Y-3 Atelier. The platform has been created to reinterpret iconic models from their archives with more contemporary construction methods. The first product to be birthed from the atelier is the “ITOGO”. A combination of the Japanese word for “Thread” - “Ito” - and “Five” - “Go”), the “ITOGO” is made from only five components; elastic straps, knitted upper, BOOST midsole, Rubber Cupsole and thread. The shoe’s construction is totally glue-less, meaning it can be fully dismantled and reassembled with updated components if needed. It’s notable similarity to probably their most recognisable silhouette to date, the QASA, is surely of no coincidence and is a beautiful representation of the sentiment the Y-3 Atelier. In Yohji’s own words, “with one eye on the past, I walk backwards into the future”.
Available here
8th St Sambas by Ronnie Fieg for adidas & Clarks Originals
Collaboration maestro Ronnie Fieg showcases his industry savvy by combining iconic elements with a level of alchemy that only someone of his experience would be able to pull off. Bringing together a classic Adidas Samba upper with a quintessential Clarks Originals chunky crepe sole. Combining the sleek upper with the blockier crepe unit brings an eloquent juxtaposition of proportions. This, combined with a highly considered palette of buttery suedes and premium leathers, brings the three-way collaborative effort together seamlessly. Rarely do we see three-way collaborations, and ever more rarely do we see them being pulled off quite so well.
Available for pre-order here
