Adidas by Rick Owens: Finally some ‘mandals’ we can get behind
The collaboration between Adidas and Rick Owens appears to have taken a seriously quirky turn with the addition of what might just be the most masculine “mandals” on the planet.
The new kicks were showcased during Owens’ recent men’s runway show in Paris and we wish we’d been there to see the models stomp and tromp the catwalk with these bad boys on their feet.
Owens has a way of giving even the most harmless-looking garment an ominous tone (a memorable part of his fall and winter 2011 was a dangerous-looking duffle coat) and the two new shoe silhouettes are no exception.
Both are built on the outsole of a previous collaborative sneaker -- the Rick Owens Runner -- that has chunky separated soles and a sawtooth-like tread. The Cargo Sandal builds on that by adding a gladiator sandal upper of over-padded neoprene and nylon attached to a zippered cargo pocket at the ankle (complete with the pen pocket stitching found on the sleeves of military flight suits). The result is an open-air sandal with a futuristic-meets-military vibe -- especially in the solid olive drab color way. (It will also be available in solid black and in a two-tone version with a black upper and white sole.)
Mounted on same distinctive outsole, the other new silhouette in the mix is called the Clog, though since it has the same stripped-back neoprene and nylon upper from toe to ankle bone, it’s more of a low-top version of the Cargo Sandal. It’s being offered in an all-over black version and a black-and-white combination.
The spring and summer 2016 Adidas by Rick Owens footwear collection, which will retail from $790 to $1,435 when it hits retail in mid-February, also includes new riffs on the Runner sneaker and the designer’s signature stretch boots, but it’s those two new silhouettes that caught our attention since they might just be edgy enough to make the “mandal” (aka man-sandal) acceptable mainstream footwear.
For the latest in fashion and style news, follow me @ARTschorn
