Opening Ceremony and Skechers Collaborated on a Sneaker That Britney Spears Made Popular
The clunky-sneaker trend is showing no signs of stopping. While Balenciaga’s Triple S kicked off the craze, and Fila’s clunky sneakers are a dime a dozen, the trend isn’t about having one specific brand or style. Instead, it’s about differentiating your kicks from others and finding the perfect clunky shoe to match your personality. Luckily, there are many options to choose from. The latest dad-sneaker contender? Opening Ceremony’s collaboration with Skechers, the shoe brand’s first-ever collab, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Skechers Energy — one of its most iconic kicks.
The Skechers Energy was one of the most popular sneaker styles of the 2000s after it launched with a campaign starring Britney Spears, in 1999. It makes sense that the ’00s sneaker is being revived, as we’ve seen a lot of trends take inspiration from turn-of-the-century looks lately. Perhaps this can be explained as nostalgia for a time when the internet was still novel and exciting, climate change wasn’t quite so pressing, and the only thing young people were responsible for taking care of was our Neopets. Back then Britney Spears, of course, ruled all. Wearing the same shoes as Britney in the early aughts was the epitome of cool, and her influence is still felt 20 years later. For example, she could be attributed with being the originator of today’s dump-him fashion trend. Talk about iconic!!
Similar to the original Sketchers Energy, the Opening Ceremony x Sketchers sneakers pair a bold, clunky silhouette with simple colors. The collab comes in three monochromatic colorways: black, brown, and white. The chunky bottoms have a militia feel that reminds us of a hiking boot (also a big trend this season). The classic colorways ensure that these sneakers will match pretty much every outfit, making it a good investment if you’re considering introducing a clunky shoe into your wardrobe.
The futuristic campaign, shot by photographer Boris Ovini, features a cloned Niko Riam floating into the ether — the duplicated version of the model on a white background is distinctly futuristic, with a nostalgic mid-aughts nod to playing around with Microsoft Paint. While the campaign is fire, we can’t help but wish Britney Spears would have made an appearance in the campaign just like she did when the shoe originally came out.
Retailing for $95, the sneaker will be sold exclusively at Opening Ceremony and OpeningCeremony.com.
Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue
