Vivobarefoot x Jean-Michel Basquiat Collection Brings Neo-Expressionism to Ethical Footwear
Vivobarefoot recently launched a capsule collection paying homage to Jean-Michel Basquiat and his revered artwork. The release features three styles and is a part of the company’s Soul of Africa range, for which all of the designs are made in Ethiopia. Each pair is embroidered in Addis Ababa and crafted from a soft Wild Hide leather, sourced in small batches from the region.
The colorways take direct inspiration from the late artist’s works. The adult shoes currently are available in two designs. The first one features a pattern of the iconic Untitled Head painting, which recently on auction for over $15 million, and Test Pressing, which was designed for a vinyl record cover for Rammellzee and K-Roba. This latter colorway also is available in kids’ sizes along with the Pez Dispenser design, depicting Basquiat’s iconic crowned T-Rex illustration.
Through the Soul of Africa initiative and product line, the London-based shoe label has been able to generate over $2 million in wages for local African workers and provide 18,000 children in South Africa with education opportunities.
Vivobarefoot was founded with the mission to create footwear that brings us back to nature and feels as close to being barefoot as possible while worn. All of the shoes are crafted to be wide, thin and flexible to help improve our natural foot strength over time.
These collectible shoes are available in both adult and kids sizes. They retail between $85-$160 and are available for purchase now on vivobarefoot.com.
To integrate an artistic element into your sustainable shoe wardrobe, shop the collection below.
To Buy: Vivobarefoot Ababa Basquiat ‘Untitled: Head’ $160.
To Buy: Vivobarefoot Ababa Basquiat ‘Test Pressing,’ $160.
To Buy: Vivobarefoot Ababa Basquiat ‘Pez Dispenser,’ $85.
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