The North Face & Hender Scheme Drop Impossibly Great SS22 Collab
I have to give it to Hender Scheme, they knock my socks off every time. The Japanese brand's Spring/Summer 2022 The North Face collab does it again, turning what could've been an easy bunt into a grand slam home run.
Just like Hender Scheme x The North Face SS21, the SS22 collab includes six special shoes and bags, leaning hard into the gorpcore feel.
And, just like last time, each tinkers with elements of Hender Scheme and The North Face iconography to the extent that they're still recognizable but now fully upgraded with exquisite veg-tanned leather accents.
Available for ¥11k - ¥39k (about $89 to $315) from Goldwin's web store and Hender Scheme's Japanese flagship stores on April 22, the collection demonstrates Hender Scheme's strengths as much as it does for TNF.
Specifically, though it's best known internationally for its "Homage" series shoes, Hender Scheme drops a full collection of accessories and goods each season, putting those diverse strengths to work in this new collab.
I'd say the bags actually shine harder than the shoes here, as made evident by Hender Scheme and The North Face's remixed Wasatch and MB Lumbar bags.
Each is fitted with veg-tanned leather grips, hardy woven bodies, and stashes for the swappable pouch kits, themselves kitted out with matching poly or leather shells.
Even better, the pouches can be worn independently from the big guys by way of a removable carabiner strap.
Super cool stuff, abetted by two nifty hike-friendly shoes.
There's a veg leather-fitted Vectiv sneaker and Schlaf boot fitted with collapsible gaiter, themselves standard TNF and Hender Scheme designs, respectively.
All very good stuff indeed.
I especially like the broguing on the toebox of the Vectiv runner, a subtle nod to Hender Scheme's own quirky kicks that looks intentionally odd atop a technical trail sneaker.
While The North Face Japan recently debuted its seasonal Maternity Collection, Hender Scheme has been dishing collabs with Clarks and Tod's.
This TNF link-up is only the latest in its series of winning partnerships, and here's to many more (especially any that actually drop overseas).
