Paris Fashion Week's presentations for men's spring 2024 have concluded, leaving the world of sneaker enthusiasts buzzing with a bevy of thrilling reveals. As one of the most anticipated global events in the fashion industry, this year's assembly didn't disappoint with a stellar line-up of new collaborations unveiled. Although Nike's presence wasn't as great as you might have expected, the event was still packed with sneak peeks into the future of footwear from other eminent brands including Converse, New Balance, Reebok, and Crocs.
Leading the pack was New Balance, which linked up with six different collaborators for during PFW. Each came from frequent partners, including Comme des Garcons, Auralee, and thisisneverthat. New Balance also used the occasion to debut a trio of new silhouettes: the Warped Runner, 610 Tokyo Design Studio, and an unnamed retro-inspired low-top.
Other brands that revealed a continuation of existing partnerships include Botter and Reebok, Wales Bonner and adidas, and Comme des Garcons Homme Plus and Nike.
The most unexpected collaboration to come this year is the official link-up of MSCHF and Crocs. On Running, the brand your parents or grandparents are probably sporting, also had an unexpected presence in Paris. The Swiss footwear disruptor linked with POST ARCHIVE FACTION for a mix of the highly technical with high-fashion.
A standout theme among the spring 2024 footwear collaborations was the predominance of neutral, monochromatic color palettes. This trend served as a reminder of the fashion industry's move toward more minimalistic designs. We also saw the continuation of high fashion and sportswear merging. The event has set the tone for the upcoming fashion season while illustrating the dynamic relationship between luxury and comfort.
Crocs x MSCHF Big Yellow Boot
MSCHF’s penchant for viral moments continued at Paris Fashion Week with the introduction of the collaborative Big Yellow Boot with Crocs. At Rick Owens' runway show, Tommy Cash debuted the pair while dressed as a mime, propelling the boot into the spotlight with his wild antics. A successor to the Big Red Boot, the Crocs version switches to yellow and incorporates details from the Classic Clog.
Undefeated x Converse Weapon
Following fragment design's successful revival of the Converse Weapon, Undefeated CEO and co-founder Eric Peng Cheng revealed the brand’s collaborative sneaker during Fashion Week. Undefeated’s take on the Converse Weapon features a tan and cream combo alongside added branding details from the LA-based retailer.
Comme des Garcons Homme Plus x Nike ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low
Comme des Garcons Homme Plus unveiled three Nike ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low colorways. This collaboration sees a minimalistic aesthetic with neutral tones — one pair all-black, one all-white, and the last in black and white. The sneaker maintains its technically-focused build while forgoing the usual “ACG” branding plastered across the lateral midfoot.
POST ARCHIVE FACTION x On Running Cloudmonster
On Running certainly isn’t the first footwear label you’d think of when it comes to high fashion collaborations. However, the Korean label POST ARCHIVE FACTION debuted two colorways of the On Running Cloudmonster. One pair features a grey palette, while the other comes in black. Both pairs exhibit asymmetrical tongue and construction, with On and PAF branding in various locations.
Auralee x New Balance Warped Runner
New Balance’s recent resurgence in popularity can be partially attributed to its timely collaborations. Along with Japanese label Auralee, with which it has previously partnered, New Balance revealed a collaborative Warped Runner. The silhouette slightly resembles the Yeezy 700 V3 and is characterized by a molded foam sole and a simple mesh and suede upper. Auralee presented two colorways of the Warped Runner during its show, one in all-black, and the other all-tan.
Botter x Reebok Spring/Summer 2024
Botter and Reebok extended their partnership to create more Venus Murex Shell-inspired designs. This time, they transformed the 3D-printed design into a slide using HP's Multi Jet Fusion Technology. Another sneaker unveiled sports a traditional construction that is inspired by soccer cleats.
Comme des Garcon x New Balance 610
CDG again brought a neutral color palette to the footwear world with its collaborative New Balance 610 collection. One pair features the standard 610 construction, while the other is a laceless version created by Tokyo Design Studio. These sneakers, one in grey and the other all-black, keep the New Balance branding intact while highlighting CDG on the tongue.
Junya Watanabe x New Balance
In Junya Watanabe’s collab-filled Spring/Summer 2024 runway show, an unnamed pair of New Balance sneakers went down the runway. This previously unseen sneaker seems to be New Balance’s take on the recent trend of low-top Samba-like sneakers, as the upper comes primarily in leather, the toebox features a suede overlay, and the sole unit stays minimal. Watanabe’s offering only included an all-white version of this sneaker.
thisisneverthat x New Balance 550
Although first looks came from leaked imagery months back, thisisneverthat’s New Balance 550 collaboration was officially unveiled at Paperboy Paris. Brown, blue, and pink colorways were showcased — each featuring black accents, cracked leather, and co-branded details.
Wales Bonner x adidas
Grace Wales Bonner and her eponymous label Wales Bonner continued the partnership with adidas during a runway show inspired by marathons. Considering the central theme was running, it was no surprise to see a running sneaker featured in the collection. Haile Gebrselassie’s walked wearing the very same yellow adidas adiZero Neftenga he wore while winning the Berlin Marathon.
Dime x Asics GT-2160
Montreal-based label Dime debuted two collaborative colorways of the Asics GT-2160. Construction remains standard, as the mesh base layer features TPU and leather overlays across the upper. The “Cream” and “Green” colorways contain a gradient pattern for their mesh, with the former transitioning from cream into grey and the latter going from green to dark blue. Dime branding on the lateral heel is also visible, as is the usual Asics GT-2160 text and Asics Tiger Stripe logo on the midfoot.
Action Bronson x New Balance 1906R
Action Bronson is finally getting consistent collaborations in the footwear industry thanks to New Balance. Taking the stage at a private show in Paris, Bronson has again given the world a first look at an upcoming project through an on-foot look. This time, the duo have taken on the 1906R. Bronson's rendition of the 2010's runner contains a similar color palette to his first 990v6 with its combo of volt green and earth tones. Interestingly, the base layer forgoes it usual mesh in favor of a debossed suede that mimics the look of mesh.
Salehe Bembury x New Balance 1906R
Though it has been some time since the two's last collaboration, Salehe Bembury and New Balance have another project on the horizon. Like Action Bronson, Bembury will be taking over the 1906R. This first teaser was showcased on Bembury's Instagram and reveals a graident pattern on the mesh base alongside silver and black leather overlays.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
