Wales Bonner’s Next Shoe Collab Is Surprisingly Rugged
Wales Bonner’s new collaboration with Kolon Sport, a leader in the Korean sportswear market, continues an athletic-focused time for the brand.
Following a marathon running-inspired spring/summer 2024 collection and the revival of a record-breaking super shoe with adidas, Wales Bonner hits the trails and delivers a collection of outdoor gear.
And there's a lot of outdoor gear to go around. The Wales Bonner x Kolon Sport collection is a huge 37-piece drop.
The collaboration has everything a budding outdoorsman could need: cozy fleeces, utilitarian backpacks, knee-high hiking socks, GORE-TEX windbreakers… this isn’t a fashion collection made to look functional in the great outdoors, it’s a full-on hiking starter pack.
And there’s also footwear in the mix, a category that’s been the highlight of Wales Bonner’s longstanding adidas collaboration. Five separate pieces of footwear, to be exact (this is a huge collection, remember).
For all your outdoor walking needs, there are hiking boots and sneakers with GORE-TEX waterproofing, Vibram’s signature Megagrip sole unit, and Ortholite foam insoles. Both shoes come in two colorways, as do a pair of rain boots.
Currently only available to buy in South Korea, the collection was inaugurated through a big party populated by big-name Korean celebrities, such as the singer Kang Min Hyuk and the actress Moon Ga-young.
Seeing Wales Bonner’s logo on this type of ultra-functional outdoor gear is a surprise. While the brand often looks toward sportswear, it’s normally through a nostalgic lens or with reference to the designer’s heritage. Here, things are more straightforward: it’s contemporary outdoor gear with the Wales Bonner logo. I’m not complaining (it’s great-looking outdoor gear) but it is missing a layer of storytelling that we’re used to from the designer.
