Following their inaugural collaboration back in 2019, French sustainable footwear label VEJA and lauded fashion designer Rick Owens are once again teaming up on a range of eco-friendly runners for the Fall/Winter 2020 season.
The duo returns with two seasonal appropriate knitted offerings, which combine Owens’ signature aesthetic with VEJA’s eco-conscious fabrication. Additionally, both models are fully sustainable and feature VEJA’s first-ever natural cork sole.
The first model featured in the new FW20 range is The Runner Style 2, a low reinterpretation of the Runner Style developed last year. The revamped model features VEJA’s first-ever natural cork sole crafted with a combination of cork: 30% Amazonian rubber and 31% rice waste, whereas the midsole is made up of 46% sugar cane and 8% banana oil.
Along with being equipped with a lighter sole than its predecessor, the updated Runner Style 2 will also aid its wearer in achieving faster and better runs. What’s more, the sneaker’s knitted upper is crafted from 100% recycled polyester coming from plastic bottles.
Next up in the new range is the Owens-designed Runner Style Mid which comprises of a high-top sock collar. This model is ideal for long-distance running thanks to comfort-enhancing longitudinal and lateral flex grooves on the soles and cushioned L-Foam technology on the midsole.
The silhouette’s most noteworthy aspect is its midsole composed of 54% bio-based materials and its outsole, which contains 64% bio-sourced material, of which 3 percent is natural cork. Again, the knit upper is fabricated from recycled plastic bottles.
In terms of branding, VEJA’s ubiquitous “V” logo is spotlighted on both the medial and lateral walls and has been crafted from 100% polyester, also obtained from recycled plastic bottles.
Both models in the Rick Owens x VEJA Fall/Winter 2020 range will arrive in Owens’ signature gothic, all-black outfit, while a demure white has also been made available. Other eye-catching colorway options include “Full Acid Yellow” and “Rust” outfits.
All images in this article are courtesy of Rick Owens.
