Playful Londoners IDEA have offered fans a steady stream of lighthearted wearables and culturally-relevant published materials for some time now, though the imprint has yet to delve into the realm of footwear — until now. In partnership with progressive footwear label Rombaut, the duo remix an effortless pair of sneakers with colorful padlocks.
As with all Rombaut shoes, the Boccaccio sneakers are crafted from premium vegan leather and eco-conscious rubber, informing the chunky sneakers with an air of social awareness. To further elevate the weighty kicks, IDEA introduced a trio of bright padlocks to the mix, attaching the plastic add-ons to the top of the laces on the left shoe. Each padlock can be removed by twisting the rotating letters to spell out "IDEA."
“The [lettuce] slides are very IDEA but we had our eye on a sneaker collaboration," IDEA’s David Owen asserts in a statement. "We always wanted to do one where we didn’t change anything. Because the shoe was perfect. The Rombaut Classic Vegan Leather Boccaccio is a perfect shoe. So we did it. Just as it is. And then… we added IDEA (debossed to the heels) and we added a special something extra: the alpha padlock in three color variations. We liked the idea that someone coveting the shoes might try and steal them. And it’s handy for your gym locker too.”
IDEA’s bespoke Rombaut sneakers weigh in at £280 GBP (approximately $355 USD), pre-launching at Dover Street Market London as part of a "Vegan Post-Modern" installation from June 13 – 20. Only 30 pairs will be available in-store for the first week.
For more conscious kicks, check out Native’s fully-compostable sneaker.
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