Palmes’ Tennis Felt Slip-Ons Are For Off-Court Activities Only
The Copenhagen-based menswear label Palmes is a brand you’re aware of, and if you aren't you should be.
Founded in 2020 by Nikolaj Hansson after falling in love with tennis during the pandemic, Palmes Tennis Society (to give the label its full name) has been a staple amongst sports-inspired menswear ever since, and with it has garnered a loyal customer following.
Now into its third year, Palmes is embarking on its first-ever collaborative release, with American footwear label Blackstock & Weber for a tennis-infused Penny Loafer.
Inspired by the past era of tennis when the balls played with were white, the pair have revealed the slip-on shoe with an upper crafted with crisp white tennis ball felt.
Sourced from a third-generation family-owned tennis ball factory in southern England, the furry top sits above a leather sole, and comes inside a shoe box which includes a small bag of tennis court clay dust.
This allows wearers to rub the clay into the felt upper of the loafer to emulate the look of a used tennis ball on a classic clay court.
“I believe Nikolaj is one of the next up out of Copenhagen,” explained Chris Echevarria, founder of Blackstock & Weber, on Palmes and the collaboration.
“After discovering the mutual appreciation for each other's brand and working together to weave our narratives and beliefs into a compelling story, we knew we had a hit.”
Landing online on May 11, the shoes will be available through both Palmes and Blackstock & Weber e-stores, as well as Palmes’ temporary location in Copenhagen the same day.
“It’s a great honor to work on such an iconic silhouette as the penny loafer with a brand that we’ve been admiring since day one,” added Hansson.
“We’ve found ourselves feeling drawn towards Blackstock & Weber’s approach to taking something formal, the loafer, and making it more fun and multi-dimensional, just like what we’re trying to do with tennis as a sport and culture at Palmes.”
