There’s something about Vibram’s FiveFinger shoes that just gives some people the willies. Many people find the articulated toes unsettling, and as part of a three-way collaboration, Suicoke and Midorikawa have previously upped the creep factor by adding painted toenails to the already-divisive footwear.
Now, the trio is back again with new chills and thrills added by way of fur.
Fashion, sport, and absurdity come together on the faux-fur footwear cut as high- and low-tops. With a variety of color options available, you could do your best Jay-Z impression by listing monsters that the shoes invoke. A Yeti, Bigfoot, even Grimace, who had his moment in the sun once this year already — they’re all at play with variants in white, black, purple, and green.
The toenails from Suicoke and Midorikawa’s past efforts still linger, as they’re rendered tonally for the black and white shoes and come in contrasting colors for the purple and green variants. Velcro fastenings hold the shaggy upper together, and down low is Vibram‘s Megagrip outsole, which is tailored to a variety of environments should you choose to unleash your inner beast and traipse around the wilderness.
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As “toe shoe” people will tell you, Vibram’s FiveFingers provides benefits that emphasize our own physiology by allowing the toes to grip better, shortening strides, offering better balance, and ultimately strengthening feet. What the two Japanese collaborators seem to have in mind, though, is less your natural performance capabilities being hampered by most footwear and more your desire to fly your freak flag high.
The fur Vibram FiveFingers by Suicoke and Midorikawa will release Wednesday, Oct. 18, through Suicoke’s Japanese website, Dover Street Market Ginza, and the Japanese retailer Velvet. It’s not yet clear if there will be any stateside release channels, as none of these three sources ship directly to the U.S. You can, however, enlist a proxy service should the pull of the fur toe shoes prove that strong. Pricing is set at approximately $215 for the low-tops and $230 for the highs.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
