When piecing together your debut sneaker, there are two ways to go about it. You can play it safe, opting for a silhouette that is inoffensive and can be easily thrown into rotation regardless of the wearer's overall dress sensibilities, OR you can throw caution to the wind, like ERL founder Eli Russell Linnetz, and deliver an unconventional look that maxes out on statement style instead.
Prior to ERL's Spring/Summer 2024 runway show at Pitti Uomo 104 late on June 15 — where ERL is being recognized as a guest designer — Linnetz showed Highsnobiety what sneakers look like within his world.
Clearly, ERL has no qualms about going above and beyond in the name of affecting the memorably retro style cues that've informed Linnetz' work since his eponymous line's inception. The labels' debut in-line shoe is proof.
Even an initial glance makes it obvious that the in-house ERL sneaker, in all of its variations, is a skate shoe.
ERL makes no secret here, its chunky sneaker silhouette immediately drumming up memories of Osiris' inimitable D3 shoe, plus recent luxury styles like the beefy B9S sneakers from ERL's recent Dior collaboration, the Lanvin Curb, and Louis Vuitton's Lucien Clarke signature shoe.
Fashion's deep-rooted obsession with skate culture is well-documented, with plenty of recent sneaker models from both high-end labels and street-savvy designers alike obviously riffing on the over-the-top footwear of the late 90s and early 2000s.
However, ERL's in-house sneakers feel like a step beyond all of those prior efforts, thanks to their exaggerated construction and details.
For instance, ERL's shoes lack a toebox, which is unusual for a vulcanized (read: shoe with a sole that's "baked" on).
Instead, the ERL sneaker's toe stretches up as a single strip into the tongue, which is so exaggerated that its girth is nearly equal to the shoe in its entirety.
The sole unit is equally as thick, ensuring that every component of the ERL sneaker silhouette is maximalist. The proportions of the shoe speak for themselves, which is completely intentional: Linnetz sought to eschew obvious branding marks so that the shoe itself would read "ERL," rather than any logos.
Considering that you can practically see these things from space, mission accomplished.
