# Cartoon-Inspired Technical Shoes Salomon and Sandy Liang Celebrates a Pokémon with a XT-6 By Amy Duong | Published 2023-04-20 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/defender References: [highsnobiety](https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/sandy-liang-salomon/) & [highsnobiety](https://www.highsnobiety.com/en-us/shop/product/salomon-xt-6-expanse-for-sandy-liang/) Sandy Liang works in collaboration with Salomon on a special pair of the XT-6 sneaker model that celebrates the iconic Pokémons known as Jigglypuff and Whimiscott. She selected this silhouette as it was a nostalgic choice for her, favoring the shoe when she grew up in the 90s. The latest colorway is adorned with a pale pink hue dubbed Cradle pink and Jolly green. Sandy Liang talks about her collaboration with Highsnobiety, noting that “This collaboration felt very natural to me; we are both brands that are inspired by our histories. We are not chasing trends and are committed to quality. The XT-6 Expanse is such a signature Salomon style, and I was excited to reimagine it in a colorway that felt like my own." Image Credit: Sandy Liang ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.8/10 - Popularity: 66% | Activity: 63% | Freshness: 15% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/shoes) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Cartoon-inspired Footwear:** The trend of incorporating cartoon and anime characters into footwear designs could disrupt the fashion industry by appealing to Gen Z and millennial consumers seeking unique, personalized products. - **Nostalgic Silhouettes:** Brands collaborating with fashion designers to reimagine iconic silhouettes from the 90s could offer disruptive innovation opportunities for the sneaker industry and appeal to customers seeking retro-inspired products. - **Subtle Colorways:** The trend of muted, pastel colorways like Cradle pink and Jolly green could disrupt the athletic footwear industry by appealing to consumers seeking a more subtle, fashion-forward look. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fashion Footwear:** The incorporation of nostalgic cartoon characters and recognizable silhouettes could disrupt the fashion footwear industry by creating unique, personalized products for consumers. - **Sneaker:** Collaborations between fashion designers and established sneaker brands to reimagine iconic silhouettes could disrupt the sneaker industry and appeal to collectors and retro enthusiasts. - **Athletic Footwear:** The trend of incorporating subtle, fashion-forward colorways into athletic footwear could disrupt the industry by appealing to consumers seeking a more stylish, versatile shoe for everyday wear. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Technical Elegant Joint Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mary-jane-slipon.md) - [Vibrant Anime-Themed Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clarks-x-pokmon.md) - [Snow Boot-Inspired Technical Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/xt6-sneaker-2.md) - [Technical Collaborative Sneaker](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/xt6-expanse-ltr.md) - [Cartoon-Inspired Themed Clogs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pokmon-and-crocs.md) - [Cartoon-Inspired Comfort Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crocs-and-pokmon.md) - [Reworked Tech Trail Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/xtwhisper-1.md) - [Cartoon-Inspired Footwear Collection](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clarks-and-pokmon.md) - [Iridescent Trail Running Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-xt4-og.md)