Clarks Originals links with Vandy The Pink, Ronnie Fieg

The success of one collaboration is often the cue to launch a second. So footwear brand Clarks Originals, a big fan of the collab format, is back launching a new partnership with footwear designer/artist Vandy. And on that same theme, Clarkes has also teamed up again with American clothing designer Ronnie Feig for the latest 8th Street instalment.

The new launch comes exactly a year after the first when Vandy customised 200 pairs of Clarks’ Wallabees boot style by hand with skeleton detailing on the vamp.

Specifically, this new launch is linked to his Vandy The Pink line and in the second instalment of the partnership, he again reimagines the Wallabee boot, this time with his now-well-known burger motif, following a recent collab with fast-food giant McDonald’s.

With the new line he “draws from his rich cultural background to reinterpret all-time classics with an unexpected twist”. 

Clarks said: “Eye-catching, whimsical and refined, Vandy’s footwear brings a bold, playful look to any daily rotation. The designer has since extended his reach to viral brand collaborations, homeware design and popular food packaging.” 

To bring the Wallabee Burger to life, the designer uses smooth tan suede, turning the silhouette into a bun. The vamp is detailed with white embroidery that resembles dustings of sesame seeds for an authentic finishing touch. 

To complete the pair, two classic dual-branded fobs are accompanied by four playful ones that look like key burger fillings – tomato, lettuce, cheese and a patty, “capturing Vandy The Pink’s signature ingenuity while keeping Clarks Originals’ dedication to craft firmly in focus”.

Meanwhile, the Ronnie Fieg/8th Street collab reprises his longstanding partnership with Clarks Originals to update the Lockhill and Rossendale styles as well as introduce a new silhouette — the Rushden.

Each model features Clarks’ signature crepe outsole and is elevated with custom ‘Ronnie Fieg for Clarks Originals’ debossed co-branding throughout. 

The Lockhill, a signature colour-blocked model, receives a material and colourway update. The Mustard colourway features an upper crafted from a soft suede fabric, while the Scarab is executed in hairy suede. Finishes include Clarks’ wordmark debossed on the front mudguard, classic Lockhill branding on the side panel, and co-branded fobs.

The 8th St by Ronnie Fieg for Clarks Originals Rossendale, now a mid-cut silhouette, is offered in two iterations — a Chocolate colourway with a leather upper and shearling lining and Mustard with a suede upper and leather lining.

The Rushden Boot, a new Clarks silhouette inspired by the military combat boot, is also executed in leather and suede iterations. The boot is enhanced with a wavy, contorted crepe outsole and distinct webbed heel pulls. 

The Lockhill version is now available at Kith shops and on Kith.com, CA.Kith.com, EU.Kith.com and the Kith App while the Rossendale and Rushden versions will be released on 27 October at the same destinations.