Versace and 2 Chainz Made a Sneaker with a Chain-Link Sole You Have to See to Believe

The partnership between 2 Chainz and Versace is a match made in style heaven. (Or at least in a very opulent Miami mansion.) The American rapper is known for his next-level style and love of luxury (just watch his GQ series turned Viceland show Most Expensivest), and the Italian label has built its iconic reputation on decades of extravagant, high-end fashion. Between the two, there's a shared passion for bold fashion and grandiose taste, so it should come as no surprise that the newest Versace sneaker—designed by 2 Chainz himself—is as lavish as they come.

The “Chain Reaction” sneaker was officially unveiled during the Italian label’s Fall-Winter 2018 show in Milan last week. The kicks feature an eye-catching fabric upper and a hyper-bulky sole, and the instantly recognizable Versace pattern appears throughout the sneaker. But that's not the big thing here. That's on the sole: The bottom of the shoe has a delightfully bizarre chain-link pattern that is sure to turn some heads. There is a green, navy, and yellow plaid colorway, and a slightly bolder burgundy and cheetah-print version. For a more subtle look, there are red, black, and gold colorways, too. (No bold print patterns on these.) The shoe may be a combination of today’s loudest sneaker trends—off-kilter details, brash design, and a chunky silhouette—but it still manages to look like a pretty wearable pair of kicks. Sure, this isn’t a sneaker that will fly under the radar (that’s why we dig it!), but it isn’t quite as unconventional as some of its competition.

As sneakers continue to become more significant in the world of traditional luxury fashion, expect to see more legacy labels like Versace, which recently poached Kanye West’s former Yeezy designer Salehe Bembury, start to take the trend more seriously. Enlisting an in-demand designer like Bembury and someone as beloved (and stylish) as 2 Chainz to make some noise in the footwear market is the way to go. On top of that, Versace and crew managed to design one hell of a sneaker, which is always a good thing to do if you’re an older fashion house trying to win over younger sneakerheads.