The newest Vagabond drop has all the leather goods to capitalize on peak autumnal vibes. Think: Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, dark academia, ochre leaves on a crisp fall day.
Since the ‘70s, Vagabond has been serving up sharp and slick footwear options for the style-conscious. The new FW21 collection is a tribute to decades spent at the top of the shoe game with a selection of looks that reference classics throughout the years. As an homage to its own history, Vagabond has infused the collection with touches of workwear and a nod to 90s aesthetics throughout.
The new season offers a bevy of options for both men and women’s footwear alike with styles ranging from Chelsea boots to loafers and lace ups. This year, however, Vagabond is putting extra emphasis on its men’s collection, with an offering that honors its roots and refocuses on its future. “We have come to a point in our development as a brand where we are able to reflect on our history in order to build on our heritage together with new modern influences. We are very proud of where we’ve come from and our past, and this is something we want to honor, as well as look forward towards a new, exciting future,” said Maria Olander, the brand’s Head of Design.
We’ve obviously been very pro-Seinfeld Dad Shoe the past few years, but it seems a new brand of Dad is blowing through town. This one is cultured, educated, and peers at you over the horned rim of his glasses. See Oscar Isaac as a salt-and-pepper bearded professor in Scenes From a Marriage. He’s single handedly bringing back the collegiate look one knit piece at a time. Perhaps the Dad Shoe is giving way to the Professor Dad Shoe—and who better to usher in this era than Vagabond and its selection of campus ready kicks?
After one autumn spent indoors it’s time to really lean into fall with silhouettes that don’t just hint at the season but embrace it full on. Vagabond has honed this season’s styles in a way that nods at the classics but feel completely modern in their own right.
Of note this time around are two standout silhouettes. The Jeff amps up the volume with a chunky sole for that stomping across the quad feel and comes in a Chelsea or lace-up option. There’s also the Mike, available as either a derby shoe or a loafer, that breathes new life into the square toe for even more of that ‘90s feel. The color palette for these range from black to dark maroon to lighter sandy beige. Just imagine crunching on a leaf in some of these.
For the FW21 campaign, Vagabond drew inspiration from none other than the seminal American photographer Irving Penn with a series of images that call to mind his corner shots. There’s also a subtle reference to Ugo Rondinone’s sculptural pieces which provide the perfect jagged contrast to Vagabond’s sleek silhouettes.
The new collection is available to shop online here as well as in Vagabond Concept Stores and through selected retailers.
