Grace Wales Bonner's footwear collaborations have taken on a life of their own, thanks primarily to ceaseless demand for the designer's killer adidas Samba sneakers. Now that Wales Bonner has conquered the sneaker game, though, she's already planning to move on to cozier pastures.
Obviously, footwear isn't the only draw to Wales Bonner's seasonal collections.
Wales Bonner's Spring/Summer 2024 collection, shown during Paris Fashion Week Men's on June 21, includes some particularly exquisite suiting, nifty pajama-style sets, and plenty of elevated running gear as part of the collection's track inspiration.
The collection was a thoughtful amalgamation of sport inspiration, with several athletes — including professional MasinQo player Haddis Alemayehu, long-distance runner Tamirat Tola Abera, and 10k runner Yomif Kejelcha Atomsa — actually taking the catwalk, wearing clothes that range from embroidered vests and bouclé knitwear to raw silk Savile Row suits made in partnership with Anderson and Sheppard.
It's just that, with the success of Wales Bonner's adidas line, all eyes are on the feets. On that front, big news: Wales Bonner's first UGG shoe collaboration was revealed for SS24, taking the form of a soft, squishy moccasin-style slipper.
As is typical for UGG, Wales Bonner's collaborative shoes are rendered in plush beige sheepskin suede and lined with fleece for extra insulation against springtime chill.
The shoes are a custom iteration of the UGG Ascot slipper, hand-embroidered with clear quartz crystals, according to a press release.
Unfortunately, Wales Bonner's SS24 UGG collab will not actually be sold but perhaps it'll prelude an actual commercial project.
Wales Bonner's adidas collaboration has proven popular enough to become one of the vaunted "shoes of summer" (and then some), with some surprising celebs drawn to her vision for the Three Stripes.
That Wales Bonner's following her football-minded adidas team-ups with an UGG collaboration is fairly surprising, at least insofar as it seems a comparably cushioned alternative to her typically sporty sneaker designs.
Wales Bonner's SS24 adidas collaboration, in comparison, is a sportswear feast, comprising classic tracksuits informed by OG adidas workout gear and sneakers that reprise the shape of the adidas Neftegna, worn by record-smashing adidas runner Haile Gebrselassie for his 2008 Berlin Marathon win.
This feels like Wales Bonner zigging when everyone expects her to zag. Her SS24 adidas shoes look nothing like the Samba that brought so many eyeballs to her brand: the new sneakers are yellow, tech-y, and hardly the obvious choice, which is a cool subversion of expectations.
We welcome newness. And we welcome Wales Bonner's UGG collaboration as proof of the Californian footwear company's further ascension.
