Jonathan Simkhai, Reebok Drop Freestyle Hi Collaboration on Farfetch
LUXE LIFT: Jonathan Simkhai’s redo of Reebok’s Eighties classic, the Freestyle Hi, is now out with Farfetch tapped as the exclusive retailer for the sneaker outside of Simkhai’s own online shop.
The collection was seen first on the runways during New York Fashion Week last September when Simkhai revealed the limited-edition, revamped kicks alongside his spring collection.
The Freestyle Hi was historic in some ways as the footwear firm’s first shoe made and marketed to female consumers. Simkhai put a new spin on the classic to coincide with his spring offering, with twists that include crochet, indigo denim, ecru denim and pale pink leather upper options.
This wouldn’t be the first time the footwear brand has gone higher-end. Reebok has collaborated a number of times with Vetements on chunky sneaker styles in addition to the sneaker sock trend that continues to have momentum. Other sportswear and luxury firms have capitalized on the frenzy surrounding the pairing of streetwear with luxury, as has been the case with Nike and Riccardo Tisci or Off-White’s Virgil Abloh. Adidas also has collaborations in spades, such as its ongoing work with Japanese streetwear brand Neighborhood, Alexander Wang and Stella McCartney.
“I was inspired by the origin story of the Freestyle Hi’s and how they were the first sneaker designed and marketed specifically for women in the Eighties,” Simkhai, who was traveling Monday, said in an e-mail to WWD. “My collections are driven by the concept of female strength and it made the collaboration incredibly meaningful to have that element of history behind it.”
Simkhai went on to say his use of fabrics “brings out a distinctive sense of femininity, which I see as an integral quality of the original design.”
The crochet style is priced at $245, while the other styles are $225.
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