SPERRY UNVEILS CAPSULE COLLECTION WITH JOHN LEGEND
Sperry and John Legend introduced a new capsule collection of men’s footwear at New York Men’s Day on Wednesday. This is the first time that Sperry and Legend collaborated on product design. David Thomas, John Legend’s stylist, who also oversaw the design process, was at New York Men’s Day to present the collection. The Sperry x John Legend collection was shown on models wearing select looks from David Thomas X – David Thomas’ new ready-to-wear collection.
Each an evolution of a classic Sperry silhouette, three styles, including a boot, a chukka, and a boat shoe, are designed to complement and reflect Legend’s personal style, featuring luxe suedes and leathers, soft lambskin linings, and Vibram soles. Design details inspired by Legend such as a keyboard-print on the footbed, quotes by the musician printed on the inside of the tongue, and subtle hand-stitched “JL” branding can be found throughout the collection.
“The best collaborations are when each party pushes the other to go places they normally wouldn’t go. I feel like we achieved that,” said Thomas. “Digging into the Sperry archive and reimagining their boat shoe; this is the first time this has happened with a collaboration, and is something we are very proud of. Taking their product apart and piecing it back together, adding and taking away, the entire Sperry x John Legend collection is very contemporary, very Sperry, and very John Legend. I’m thrilled to present the collection at NYMD and have the opportunity to showcase what we have created together.”
“It’s been such a pleasure working with Sperry over the past couple of years,” Legend said of the collection. “I had been curating my favorite shoe styles from Sperry’s current assortment, and it’s so exciting to embark on this next chapter: designing my first capsule collection with Sperry. The styles are based on some of my favorite classic silhouettes from Sperry’s wonderful heritage, infused with my own personal style and sensibilities. They’re the kinds of shoes that will add a touch of freshness and sophistication to your look. I look forward to wearing these shoes myself, and I am so proud to present them to the world.”
“Working with John Legend and his stylist David Thomas has been an incredible experience,” added Sean McDowell, vice president of product and design at Sperry. “We collaborated in the right way, starting with a blank slate and then capturing John’s spirit. We wanted to engineer shoes and boots that feel like a part of his life, taking subtle cues from his wardrobe, his music, the modern architecture of his new house, his new electric Porsche Taycan, his Piguet watch collection, and the color palette of his closet. The results have pushed the brand to a sophisticated and premium level.”
The Sperry x John Legend Collection, which retails between$120 and $250, will be available on sperry.com, Nordstrom, and other select retailers on September 20th.
