The North Face Does Sneakers Better Than You Think. And What's Next Is Wild
Has The North Face always been this good at sneakers? Or are we just looking at sneakers differently? These were the questions Highsnobiety pondered when we got a first look at the American outdoor label's upcoming footwear selection. Honestly, it’s a bit of both.
This master of puffer jackets has a huge back catalog of purpose-built footwear that’s largely flown under the radar of anyone who wasn’t an outdoorsman in the '90s. And sure, the trail shoe hype combined with a newfound love of ultra-thin approach shoes might be clouding our judgment slightly, but what other 60-year-old hiking brands are putting out sneakers this good?
Take the 2006 Hedgehog sneaker, for instance. These clunky ultra-rugged hikers are suddenly back on the floors of stylish boutiques with very minimal updates, proving the perpetual power of good design.
The North Face’s fresh sneaker selection goes beyond rehashing underrated retro designs, it’s also inventing new bangers.
Its most recent hit is the Clyffe Ultra (one unboxing of the shoe sits at almost a million views), a 2000s-flavored sneaker where thick mesh underlays add texture and webbed straps foreground the utility of it all. And it's only $150 on The North Face's website.
The Clyffe Ultra’s jagged sporty sole also grounds one of The North Face’s upcoming new models, where hairy suede provides the texture and an even more old-school flavor. They look a little like something you’d pick up from REI circa 2001. Except, small touches like the fun dancing men motif woven into the straps and the added contrast from the “paint splattered” no-sew mudguard elevate the design beyond a random outdoor-store score.
This distinct mix of the old pitted against new permeates throughout The North Face’s other upcoming drops.
Together with Cecilie Bahnsen, the flower-obsessed couturier behind some of The North Face’s most inventive hiking gear, the company created old-school suede GORE-TEX boots with flower-shaped lace hooks and a distinctly new-school Vibram-backed sole unit that offsets the rugged feel with delicate grace.
Again, these are small touches. But they make a big difference in how we all ought to be looking at The North Face’s footwear.
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