The best goods | Etnies Califas Boot
Last Saturday night etnies Plus celebrated the much-anticipated launch of The Lovewright Co. shoe collaboration in true California style – with a big party. More than 300 people came out to support the collaboration project, which included a special DJ set by Mayer Hawthorne.
Influenced by skateboarding culture and modern street styles that give way to classic familiarity, etnies Plus, an extension of the etnies brand, and The Lovewright Co., a lowbrow answer to modern streetwear, came together to create the Califas boot, now available in the etnies Plus Holiday 2010 collection. The full grain leather boot comes in black and oxblood colorways featuring classic welt construction, cream-colored Vibram outsoles, metal eyelets, tonal laces and STI Foam Lite insoles for comfort.
Mayer Hawthorne’s DJ set fueled the party by smoothly transiting between a variety of musical styles.
“Once we were introduced to etnies Plus, the relationship, based on our brands’ shared skateboarding culture and mature aesthetic, quickly developed into a shoe collaboration idea,” said Danny Reyes, founder of The Lovewright Co. “I sat down with etnies Plus designer Rob Carlos and we decided to create a boot inspired by our nostalgia for the classic work boots our fathers used to wear. We designed the Califas boot as a tribute to where we grew up and to those who taught us the meaning of hard work.”
Left to right: Pierre-André Senizergues, etnies owner and CEO, and Danny Reyes, Lovewright Co. founder.
“We drew inspiration from classic work wear and applied it to our lifestyle,” said Rob Carlos, senior footwear designer for etnies Plus. “We wanted to create a boot that felt good for everyday use and not something that accompanies a hardhat. The boot had to have classic lines and be lightweight and comfortable, so we used a Vibram outsole to address those functions. We ended up creating a product that was unexpected from us, but authentic to both our brands.”
The etnies Plus x The Lovewright Co. Califas boot is available at select shops around the world, but we’re not sure which ones, so please don’t write in.
