Is it just us, or are high heels playing less of a role in our everyday outfits these days? When we put our bows through, we will usually go with kitten heels or a bust. Instead of high heels, flat walking shoes have become the cornerstone of our wardrobes. Although there are many stylish options on the market, we like the idea of adding our Who What Wear point of view to the conversation. You may remember when we unveiled our Sperry collaboration last October with a pair of all-season boots. The Chic rain/snow/sun steppers sold out quickly on the Sperr side, and now we’re back for a little more collaboration magic. But this time we are launching two special styles: suede sneakers and leather mules. Let’s dive into the sneakers first and take a look at the design process and the remarkable details.
Our editors have been long-time fans of Sperry, and although classic boat shoes are still iconic, Freeport sneakers hold a special place in our fashion-loving hearts. Unsurprisingly, influencers have also been loving the retro style since its release, consolidating it as one of Sperry’s main offers.
Since Freeport is an existing style, we had the chance to start with the shape and some characteristics of the already existing shoe style. However, in terms of color and material, we went through many iterations until we came across the gold of the shoe. We played with Beige, light brown, sand, cream, white and all combinations of these until we landed on a harmonious and interesting chord.
After seeing a pattern IRL (always an exciting Moment), we decided that the shoes seemed a little one-dimensional, so we added a little depth with a textured material. The gold lace eyelets were a subtly chic addition to match the gold jewelry that our readers like to wear. Finally, instead of a printed Who What Wear “W” logo, we decided to use a discreet embroidery to match the color of the shoe — a little Moment of quiet richness, if you will.
High-quality suede and a mesh-effect woven upper make these sneakers stand out from the crowd. The sand and warm cream colors create a dimensional and tonal appearance enhanced by the texture.
The Freeport has a retro feel, so editor-in-chief Kat Collings wore an outfit that alludes to Princess Diana’s iconic sneaker style from the 80s. The white socks add a sporty element that is then contrasted with the preppy cardigan and the award-winning skirt. This is the false theory of the shoe in action!
It doesn’t get more classic than a white button, jeans and sneakers. We love the way associate editor Chichi Offer wore a silver metallic bag to add a trendy element.
Who says Bermuda can’t be adapted to the office? The best Looks are a study in contrasts, and The mood of a polished blazer and turtleneck against cut-off shorts and sneakers is the perfection of the transitional outfit.
While sneakers are a new interpretation of an existing style, we wanted to add something new for our second Style of shoes to the Sperry world. One of the things we love about working with Sperry is the brand’s openness to experimentation and the support of its partners in the creative conversation. Enter the leather slippers. There is nothing simpler than slip-on shoes, and we wanted to adopt the trend of flat clogs and mules ourselves. As autumn approaches, we thought that a faux fur-lined sole would make these comfortable and wearable shoes irresistible.
