Sperry is getting in on the tennis buzz with a new collaboration just in time for the US Open.
According to the footwear brand, it has teamed up with Copenhagen-based menswear label Palmes on two shoe styles inspired by tennis culture – the Racquet Oxford and Captain’s Oxford.
Recently re-released from Sperry’s 1960’s archive, the Racquet Oxford sneaker was originally designed to be worn on the tennis court and offers a retro tennis aesthetic. The leather Captain’s Oxford is a Sperry icon and brand staple, having been one of the first shoes designed by founder Paul Sperry.
Looking closer at the two models, the Racquet Oxford comes in an off-white canvas upper, featuring subtle suede elements and dark green eyelets, sitting atop a matching green outsole. The Captain’s Oxford is rendered in a green faux snakeskin upper with a subtle touch, paired with leather laces atop a Vibram sole. Both shoes are equipped with Sperry’s razor-cut Wave-Siping technology outsoles for a non-slip grip.
For Palmes’ founder Nikolaj Hansson, he wanted the collaboration to reflect the overlapping ethos of Palmes and Sperry. “With the Captain’s Oxford, we speak to the iconic heritage of Sperry, while the Racquet Oxford combines that very thing with the tennis footprint of Palmes,” Hansson said.
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“I started to design this collaboration at my family cabin off the Danish west coast,” he continued. “It’s on a small island, surrounded by dunes and vast beaches, and has a tennis court down the road, which magically allowed me to be within arm’s reach of the emotional overlap of Palmes and Sperry; the tennis and the ocean. We wanted the final product to be relatively quiet but with a subtle sentiment throughout via understated contrast colors, graphic elements, and refined materials.”
“Sperry’s partnership with Palmes beautifully showcases key styles from Sperry’s vast archives through a modern lens,” Jonathan Frankel, president of Sperry, added. “By blending our rich heritage and craftsmanship with Palmes’ attention to modern aesthetics and design, we bring a unique, updated twist to 2 classic Sperry styles. From the seaside to the courts, and everywhere in between, Sperry continues to innovate and inspire with this exciting collaboration.”
To help highlight the collection, the duo tapped photographer Simon Knudsen and videographer Benjamin Lund for a campaign in Palmes’ native city of Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Sperry x Palmes Racquet Oxford sneaker and Sperry x Palmes Captain’s Oxford will launch on Aug. 27 at Sperry.com, Palmes.co and select retailers.
This is the latest collaboration for Sperry in recent months. In June, the footwear brand showcased its newest collection with Japanese clothing brand Beams Plus at a special event during Paris Fashion Week Men’s.
In May, Sperry released two more shoe collabs. The first one with menswear designer Todd Snyder saw an update to the brand’s signature Authentic Original boat shoe. Weeks later, boutique retailer Concepts reimaged the same signature silhouette from Sperry in five colorways.
These collaborations come several months after Sperry was acquired by brand management firm Authentic Brands Group in January. At the same time, the brand management firm inked a deal with the Aldo Group to serve as Sperry’s North American operating partner for wholesale, e-commerce and store operations, as well as the brand’s partner for footwear design, production and distribution globally.
