We’ve already predicted that we’ll be seeing tons of “ugly” shoes next month when fashion month kicks off. From furry footwear that resembles Muppets to cleft-toe snakeskin boots, the street style set will be shuffling from show to show in style(?). And with the news that Jeremy Scott, purveyor of kitschy graphics and pop culture references, has teamed with UGG to produce eight styles of the classic boot for fall, suddenly there’s another contender in the “would you wear these?” category.
Apparently, the designer’s love of the unquestionably comfy footwear goes way back. “I was an undercover UGG fan. They are so cozy and I love the way they look with pants and shorts,” Scott told WWD. “It’s not known for men to wear them so much here even though they are surfer-dude footwear. After trying them on in Waikiki a couple years back, I found myself in the store at The Grove and I was like, ‘I’m going to do this. I don’t care what people say.’’’
He even went so far as to contact the UGG people about a collab and, apparently, the footwear company already had Scott in mind. “I’ve always admired Jeremy; I think he does something special and different when fashion can be so serious,” said Andrea O’Donnell, president of UGG. “Collaborations have been very popular for a long time, and we have done them in the past but never been that strategic in terms of what they can do for us as a business. This collaboration stretches what the brand stands for and what we can do design-wise.”
Image: Courtesy
Scott’s eight styles are pretty much what you’d expect from the OTT designer. Bold flames, colorful crystals and beads arranged in a floral pattern…you get the idea. The collab actually includes boots for the whole family, a first for UGG. (The brand previously partnered with Jimmy Choo on a women’s shoe and will team with 3.1 Phillip Lim this October on something for men.) Scott’s line drops September 13 (just in time for the start of London Fashion Week) and will cost $90 to $1,195 at select retailers around the world. Or, you can get your kicks at five North American retailers: Intermix, Serenella, Just One Eye, Chuckies and David Lawrence.
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In case you’re not feeling Scott’s attention-grabbing designs, you’ll be happy to know that UGG is hoping to team up with other designers down the road. “We are talking to a range of designers at the moment, either born in California or who have interesting stories to tell about what UGG has meant to them,” said O’Donnell. Even though they technically may not fit into that narrow spectrum, we’re secretly hoping the company teams up with Rachel Comey or Virgil Abloh on some avant-garde (yet still comfy) UGGs.
[ via WWD ]
