Making headway in today's sneaker spaces is no easy feat. Brands across the board have stepped their game up; that's to say, there's fierce competition.
Legacy brands the likes of Salomon have had to switch gears to get a foot ahead. An easy win? Collaborations. Next up? Salomon's XT-SLATE gets a Scandinavian refresh courtesy of WOOD WOOD.
Let's get one thing straight. Salomon has been around the block. Founded in 1947, its decades of experience have seen it cemented as one of outdoor gear's leaders. With its bounty of experience, it's continually expanded its horizons and, over the past few years, has become one of the sneaker industry's fastest-rising stars.
As it continues to gain traction thanks to its steady stream of new releases, including the ACS + OG, returning favorites, and a fierce selection of collaborations that's included KITH, MM6 Maison Margiela, and and wander, it feels as if Salomon could yet knock some of sportswear's biggest names off of their top spots.
Matching its energy, WOOD WOOD's collaborative efforts over the past year have found a comfortable settlement in sneakers, seeing flagship silhouettes such as adidas' Forum receive elegant retouches.
Vintage-inspired aesthetics are characteristic of WOOD WOOD's growing catalog of sneaker collabs, and its Salomon outing is no different. Building on the foundations of Salomon's long Alpine history, 20th-century style is applied to the XT-Slate's sleek modern build, resulting in a tasteful two-piece.
Each of the two options available run with vintage mountaineering palettes. The first features a black base with brown and beige panels touched up with a hint of purple. For the second, a bold pop of red offsets a muted base of brown and greige.
All of the high-performance toolings you'd expect of any Salomon sneaker, of course, remain across both pairs, making for a pack rich in style and quality.
The Salomon XT-Slate for WOOD WOOD in "Nightshade" and "Biking Red" will be available exclusively at W.W. stores from February 6. A further global release of the "Biking Red" colorway will arrive at select retailers on February 13.
