As we continue to celebrate hip hop’s 50th birthday all year, this week, I’m highlighting its impact through the lens of the Wallabee by Clarks Originals. A staple in the hip hop community since its inception, the Wallabee has stood the test of time and continued to expand with collaborations and new ways of updating its signature style. Their latest release is a joint effort with LA native, stylist, and designer Aleali May and her MAYDE WORLDWIDE brand in five different colorways. I chose the “Pacific Blue” pair because it reminded me of Nipsey Blue. Let’s get into this week’s “Kickin’ Facts” review.
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The Wallabee boot silhouette is one that remains unchanged for the most part. Its chunky rubber sole and lace unit are unique to itself and for most collaborations, the designers opt to change the fabric texture and/or introduce unique colorways. For her Clarks x MAYDE WORLDWIDE drop, May chose to use corduroy as her main fabric. This pair features the “Pacific Blue” hue throughout its upper with leather lining inside. Natural-colored shoelaces come stocked to match its signature rubber sole with an extra blue pair attached in addition to two branded suede logo fobs from Clarks Originals and MAYDE WORLDWIDE. Finishing touches include dual logo branding that can also be seen on its insole and sneaker box.
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In regard to her inspiration for this collaboration with Clarks, May, who is a member of a small group of women to have their own Jordan sneakers, said, “If you look at my first Jordan collaboration, I take inspiration from South Central LA ’90s style with using corduroy. The corduroy draws inspiration from the house slipper my family would wear and buy from the Slauson Super Mall. In true LA culture, this shoe is an everyday house slipper mostly sported in black.”
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The official color palette for the collection ranges from “Pacific Blue” and “Terracotta” to “Sand,” “Sunshine,” and “Coral,” she added. What are your thoughts on this collaboration? What colorway would you get?
The Clarks Originals x MAYDE WORLDWIDE Wallabee in “Pacific Blue” was released on July 28 for $240 and is available now at Clarksusa.com.