Sperry is Setting the Summer Ablaze with Collaborations
Sperry is kicking off the summer with a series of collaborations. Over the years, the company has brought to life fashion-forward and versatile collaborations that appeal to customers of all demographics and now with new designs is encouraging fans to step into new grounds.
Through past and ongoing collaborations Sperry has explored the intersection of lifestyles that its consumers enjoy.
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One notable, ongoing partnership is with the New York City-based lifestyle company Rowing Blazers which intersects between the preppy and modern, streetwear space. Last year, Sperry looked to a Los Angeles-based lifestyle brand for a reimagined Authentic Original Boat Shoe with a platform Vibram sole, D-ring hardware and animal print accents. Following the success, Sperry again looked to recreate its classic style in its most recent collaboration with Brooks Brothers which married the brand’s preppy aesthetic for a luxurious boat shoe, handcrafted in Maine and made with high-end Cordovan. The shoe, which retailed at $1,000, sold out in just days.
Now, Sperry is teaming up with Malbon Golf for a reimagination of the Authentic Original Boat Shoe for younger audiences. Releasing on June 8, the partnership is putting out four iterations of the signature shoe with a contemporary spin. The boat shoe has long been a quintessential slip-on shoe, post-play. With the ongoing democratization of golf apparel on and off the course, this collaboration is designed to be perfect for in and around the clubhouse.
The Malbon Golf footwear drop has the original shoe’s elements but elevates it with new materials, textures, colors and details.
“Stephen and Erica Malbon have taken golf by the reigns in the past few years and revitalized on and off course fashion while bringing countless new, young players to the game,” said Elizabeth Drori, chief marketing officer at Sperry. “As the club and the golf course become democratized, Sperry is finding a renewed role within country club style, offering fashion-forward footwear for the new generation of golf fans. We are excited to partner with this brand on the rise on this update to our icon – the Authentic Original Boat Shoe.”
Notably, the Authentic Original Boat Shoe was developed by Paul Sperry between 1935 and 1937, whose design has become synonymous with the “boat shoe.” Created to withstand even the toughest conditions on the high seas including damage because of salt and water exposure, the leather Authentic Original Boat Shoe has remained the brand’s most popular.
The four modern iterations are a play on classic country club golf aesthetics, with its shoe box designed as an imitation of the crocodile-embossed green leather. A major standout from the collaboration is the 3-Eye Boat textured hemp shoe including a Vibram sole and the embroidered Malbon “M” logo on the heel as a personalized detail. For a more traditional selection, Sperry x Malbon Golf’s classic 2-Eye Boat Shoe with perforated leather leans more toward the vintage country club style.
Meanwhile, a second major partnership coming up for Sperry is in collaboration with Beams Plus Japan. As an homage to the timeless appeal of vintage, customers who appreciate attention to detail will value the SPM501 shoe. The SPM501 shoe is a replica of the first shoe Paul Sperry invented, the canvas CVO deck shoe.
Paul Sperry, a devoted sailor and invented created the CVO shoe to solve the problem of slipping onboard wet boat decks. He cleverly examined his dog’s ability to run across a frozen pound without slipping paws and used this as inspiration to mimic the grooves in his dog’s feet for his shoes with a knife.
And the rest is history. Sperry created a shoe to help grip wet surfaces with useful traction via a razor-thin groove pattern in the shoe’s sole. His practical invention quickly became incredibly popular within the boating community and was adopted by the U.S. Navy as part of its uniform during World War II. Today, a version called the Cloud CVO deck shoe continues to be a best-seller.
“Beams Japan tapped into Sperry’s long history with the U.S. Navy as inspiration for this unique reissue of our CVO sneaker,” said Drori. “We are confident that our customers will appreciate the attention to detail that pays off the incredible story behind this limited-edition release.”
Incorporating this longstanding history of Sperry, the Beams Plus Japan collaboration will be made from the original tools used during the 1940s. The SPM501 honors the original design while providing comfort and vintage branding.
The shoe will be exclusively available for purchase at Beams Plus Japan stores on June 17.
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