Mr. Peanut Inspired These Nutty Sneakers That Foodies Will Love
For all those peanut lovers allergic to the ubiquitous legume, an alternative is on the way.
Mr. Peanut, the 103-year-old symbol of Planters Peanut Co., known for his dapper monocle, spats, cane, white gloves and top hat, is making the move from food to fashion.
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This week, peanut fans can preorder a pair of limited-edition Crunch Force 1s high-top sneakers inspired by the legendary character. The unisex kicks, retailing for $170, are made in Philadelphia and feature a Mr. Peanut shoe tongue, a peanut insole and a monocle, all brought to life by sneaker designers and artists Jeff Cole and Seth Fowler. And, of course, they sport the Planters logo.
The iconic Mr. Peanut character was born in 1916, according to Planters, when schoolboy Antonio Gentile submitted his sketch to win the Planters contest for a brand icon. A commercial artist later added his recognizable accessories. In 1997, he appeared in the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York. Then in 2004, Mr. Peanut earned a spot on Madison Avenue’s Advertising Walk of Fame. Not bad for a snack.
The sneakers are available for preorder exclusively online through June 21 at 6 p.m. ET on Crunchforce1.com, with an estimated delivery time of six weeks.
Mr. Peanut joins a growing list of food-inspired footwear. On Tuesday, NBA star Anthony Davis unveiled sneakers inspired by Frito-Lay chip brand Ruffles that was designed by custom footwear maker The Shoe Surgeon and Davis. In March, Dunkin’ Donuts once again partnered with Saucony, this time with a Boston Marathon theme, in a collab that included a companion kids’ style. In 2018, The Shoe Surgeon worked on a collaboration with Pizza Hut. Going back even farther in fashion time to 2016, Fila did a sneaker project with chicken and waffles joint Sweet Chick.
Why advertise a food brand on kicks? People are often loyal to a food franchise and don’t mind spreading the word about eateries they like.
See what this trainer has to say about food and fitness.
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