Maison Margiela's youthful MM6 sub-label announced a collaboration with French sportswear brand Salomon weeks before actually debuting the shoes. If that sounds like too much pomp and circumstance for a simple sneaker collab, well, check out the kicks for yourself 'cuz they're a sight to behold.
It fits into the label's legacy: MM6 is prone to, dare I say, kickass collaborations.
For instance, MM6 x The North Face deconstructed outdoor gear in line with the fashion brand's cheekily anti-establishmentarian ethos — you'd never seen a Nuptse like this before.
Even MM6's recent Eastpak collab utterly transformed humble backpacks into a warped, reversible carryall.
So, leave it to MM6 to utterly transform Salomon's signature trail runners.
In a press release, MM6 explains that it sought to align with Salomon, "whose function-first footwear takes to urban streets as naturally as to mountain trails," as part of a greater desire to create wearable staples.
Unlike mainline Margiela, MM6 — which was women's-only until recently — is focused on the classics, with a twist. Its Spring/Summer 2022 collection, with its metallic silver dresses, sliced denim jeans, and sleeveless riders jackets — a riff on the Margiela classic — speaks for exactly that ethos.
Similarly, MM6's Salomon collaboration comes in two flavors, each gently tweaking the French label's function-first footwear.
Fitted with lug soles that contrast against their powder pink hues, a low-top iteration sports a day-glo gaiter that can be adjusted to warp the silhouette. It'll be complemented by a high-top style and both will be offered in muted black and beige colorways, but the fluorescent makeups are key.
Though MM6's Salomons are a fun fusion of progressive fashion and old-school utility, they're sight more conventional than COMME des GARÇONS' other-worldly kicks.
The Japanese label took Salomon to chunky new heights, explored pared-back utility and even devised a monochrome running style.
If nothing else, it's proof that Salomon is willing to go the distance to devise dynamic collaborations, though its more grounded stuff is no less solid.
