When MSCHF elected to launch its in-house footwear collection with the TAP3 sneaker, it barely scratched the surface of its truly insane shoe designs. The "Wavy Baby" is, arguably, an even better introduction to the ingenious kicks that MSCHF's cooked up.
Now, the TAP3 was admittedly a mere taste of what's to come, barely even an appetizer and certainly not the sole entrée (though it was very much a labor of love). The "Wavy Baby" is much more indicative of forthcoming MSCHF Sneakers drops.
Releasing April 18 on the MSCHF Sneakers app for $220 apiece, MSCHF's "Wavy Baby" is the antithesis of contemporary signature sneakers.
Whereas nearly every big footwear brand creates the special shoes designated to pop culture titans and athletes by tweaking an existing mold or, occasionally, creating something distinct (yet ultimately familiar), the "Wavy Baby" is unlike any shoe that's ever come before it.
And, like any good signature sneaker, the "Wavy Baby" is aligned with yet another one of MSCHF's famous friends and it ain't Lil Nas X or Grimes (MSCHF sure knows a lotta famous folks).
As you can tell from the campaign shots, MSCHF made the "Wavy Baby" with its pal Tyga, who's on a bit of a hot streak right now.
His latest single, "Freaky Deaky," featured Doja Cat while also sneakily revealing the "Wavy Baby" shoes to the world.
MSCHF told Highsnobiety in March 2022 that it took a ton of trial and error to create the "Wavy Baby" and plenty of manufacturers immediately rejected MSCHF's requests to create this bizarre wobbly shoe based on sketches alone.
But nothing good comes easy. The effort paid off in spades: the "Wavy Baby" is a verifiable work of art and, somehow, entirely wearable.
However, though the sneaker is clearly skate shoe-inspired, you prooooobbbbbaabbly don't wanna skate it according to a disclaimer on MSCHF's site: "Warning: By placing your foot in this shoe, you agree to waive any claims against MSCHF for any injury, death, or damages arising from having your foot in this shoe."
"We've always known that sneakers are this culturally spicy object, sitting at the focal point of a lot of things," MSCHF co-founder Daniel Greenberg said last month when the TAP3 kicked off MSCHF Sneakers.
"But the sneaker landscape is so incredibly stale. If we were going to collaborate with a sneaker brand, they'd have to break open a new mold: we're not just doing a MSCHF colorway."
The "Wavy Baby" is entirely original from top to bottom and juuuuuust distinct enough — even setting the waviness aside — to be a legally dissimilar to the famous canvas sneakers that inspired its design.
In all seriousness: MSCHF did not just slap together some funky Vans. These are wholly unique kicks entirely created from scratch.
Sure, MSCHF's shoe looks like a pair of those famous skate sneakers — complete with midsole stripe, red heel tab and waffle outsole — run through a Photoshop filter like Liquify, except it's real and very, very difficult to manufacture.
It's crazy to say but, as insane as the "Wavy Baby" sneakers are, they're merely the tip of the MSCHF Sneakers iceberg.
Things only get wilder from here.
