What does it look like when and wander makes a Paraboot shoe? That is to say, how would a century-old French shoemaker's handmade leather shoes look if they inherited a stylish technical outdoor brand's techy doodads? You’d think the resulting footwear might include those quick-lace toggles all modern trail sneakers seemingly have or a state-of-the-art waterproof gaiter that obscures the leatherwork.

But actually, and wander x Paraboot features no such things. Never has, almost certainly never will.

This duo's quietly released hardy collaborative trekking boots for over a decade. Their next step is another backwards tread to tradtion, as and wander updates both Paraboot's most famous casual shoe, the Michael, and its low-top hiking boot Clusaz model.

and wander knew that the hefty rubber soles and naturally weatherproof leather of these two Paraboot shoes made them already plenty functional, because the Japanese hiking label decided its only major intervention would be on the shoes’ colors.

and wander tends to keep its footwear partnerships lowkey. With the trail running label Altra, for instance, it merely lightened up a trail sneaker’s grey color and added its logo. Similar story for its collaborative adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2. 

But those were shoes already in and wander’s wheelhouse of technically advanced outdoor equipment.

Paraboot's handmade leather shoes, on the other hand, are the antithesis of techy modern outdoor gear. And proudly so. But one that that distinguishes and wander from its outdoorsy peers is the Japanese label's ability to identify necessary upgrades and opportunities to let perfection speak for itself. Its collaborative Paraboot shoes are the latter, reflecting a desire to simply absorb these classic shapes into and wander's world of cutting-edge textiles. Same for its previous Paraboot partnerships: you can't improve on what is already flawless.

The only difference between a regular Paraboot Michael or Clusaz and these collaborative takes, available now for ¥100,000 each (around $627), is that they are dressed in and wander’s signature slate grey with the addition of stripey laces, gently modernizing the feel without affecting the core product.

As such, this collaboration is less a clash of new-old interests and more and wander once again giving Paraboots old school shoemaking its stylish seal of go-anywhere, do-anything approval.

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