Palm Angels draws in the expertise of Clarks for the Fall/Winter 2020 season as it creates an iteration of the classic Wallabee Fringed Boot. The redesigned silhouette features a hi-top shape with traditional touches retained throughout. The Wallabee was launched in 1968 for the first time and has over five decades of history.
Since then, there have very minor changes, if any at all. Palm Angels stays true to this ethos and keeps most of the original elements with the collaboration. The colorways include either black or lilac without disrupting the rest of the silhouette. Now it features a moccasin construction with structures to hold it up using English suede and leather materials at the upper.
Image Credit: Clarks
What's Driving This Trend
- Heritage-inspired Footwear
- There is an opportunity for companies to create unique or bold variations of classic footwear silhouettes with updated materials and designs.
- Collaborative Design
- Collaboration with established brands or designers presents an opportunity to create new variations of a classic product, tap into new markets and bring something new to the table.
- Innovative Material Use
- Exploring innovative new materials such as sustainable alternatives to leather, is an opportunity for brands to create new fashion products that meet the needs of conscious consumers.
Who This Affects Most
- Fashion
- Companies in the fashion industry can take a cue from the Palm Angels and Clarks collaboration, by updating classic designs with new materials and bold colors to keep heritage-inspired fashion alive
- Footwear
- The footwear industry should embrace collaboration to create exciting new products across established brands and designers.
- Sustainable Materials
- Materials innovation companies can consider alternative leather and other sustainable materials for use in the fashion industry.
