The must-see Reebok + Maison Margiela collaboration is here
After the cult success of their first collaboration, Reebok and Maison Margiela have teamed up again, uniting sport and fashion in a partnership that defies convention. This season, the new ‘Classic Leather Tabi’ has your smart-casual style covered…
Very few footwear items achieve true cult status in fashion. Yet Maison Margiela’s ‘Tabi’ boot and the Reebok ‘Classic’ sneaker have each done that, for entirely different reasons. The former is at the more avant-garde end of the sartorial spectrum, heralded for its unusual, split-toe shape that brought a contemporary take on the traditional Japanese style; the latter has become a beloved stalwart of understated, off-duty style – the ideal pavement-pounding slip-on, paired with stonewash jeans and crisp cotton shirts come the weekend.
For spring/summer 2021, these two ultra recognizable shoes have been combined to create a sneaker that is the definition of fresh. The Reebok + Maison Margiela collaboration seamlessly weaves together the most distinctive details of each design – the ‘Tabi’ clove-toe blends with the perforated upper of the classic sneaker on a signature cushioned sole that’s been specially crafted to incorporate the split. Mixing high fashion with function, the ‘Classic Leather Tabi’ is guaranteed to stand out from other, more understated sneakers in your closet. Wear them with everything from slinky slip dresses for after-dark dinners to sharp-shouldered blazers and more formal tailoring. This innovative sneaker is the very definition of smart-casual.
“These two ultra recognizable shoes have been combined to create a sneaker that is the definition of fresh
”
Now in its second iteration, this somewhat unorthodox collaboration between the British-American sportswear giant and cult label Maison Margiela is as cool as it is classic – both shoes have been iconic mainstays in modern women’s wardrobes since their initial release in the ’80s. The Reebok ‘Classic’ was released in 1983 as a running shoe, and today owes its off-track endurance to its timeless silhouette that’s both clean and comfortable.
The ‘Tabi’, meanwhile, shocked the fashion world when it debuted on Belgian designer Martin Margiela’s inaugural runway for spring/summer 1989; he’d been inspired by the shoes street workers wore on his first trip to Tokyo. By adding a spherical heel, turning it into a boot and putting it on his runway, he cemented the brand’s status as a leader in directional, deconstructed silhouettes that are akin to individual works of art. Since 2015, creative director John Galliano has been ushering the brand into the next era, meshing his signature quirks with Margiela’s distinctly artistic house codes; the ‘Classic Leather Tabi’, available in a cherry red and understated gray, is case in point.
Smart yet casual; bold yet understated; avant-garde yet accessible – this is a collaboration of contrasts. Consider it your new everyday sneaker that’s been elevated to the max.