The fingerprint: How Salehe Bembury changed footwear by making it his own
Footwear has made a decisive switch in the last year, and iconoclastic designer Salehe Bembury is partly to thank. His unmistakable collaborations with Crocs, New Balance and Clarks Originals have rid the brands of their tired cultural baggage and made them once again a must have for the style conscious, with the biggest fashion houses currently following his lead towards elevated casual and outdoor wear that works on the runway.
The shift is impossible not to notice when you take a quick look around. Even the most iconic Jordans are sitting on shelves, Adidas is struggling to figure out how it’s going to sell off all the remaining stock from the now-defunct Yeezy brand and streetwear from even a few years ago feels as if it’s from a different era, a victim of its own manufactured hype cycle, as consumers look for something different and distinctive.
Meanwhile, Bembury’s Pollex Croc, a design that quite literally embraces his inimitable fingerprint, sells out every drop instantly. Part of the reason it works so well is due to the authenticity that his personal brand emanates, a vibe that his Croc captures seemingly effortlessly.
That partnership is set to expand even further. This coming week, Bembury is launching the first Pollex Crocs Slides in a “Citrus Milk” colourway on his brand Spunge’s website, with a global release forthcoming–and surely more on the way.
During a stop in Dubai, we sat down with Salehe Bembury himself to discuss the state of the shoe game.
Read our full conversation here.
