Blackstock & Weber Founder Chris Echevarria Crafts a Premium Capsule of Sperrys
After Sperry announced his appointment as a creative director for his own line, Blackstock & Weber founder Chris Echevarria is revealing his first collection of footwear for the brand.
The four-shoe capsule features the classic Captain’s Oxford and Authentic Original boat shoe silhouettes with remade with the same sort of premium and highly textured materials Blackstock & Weber’s loafers are known for. Hand-sewn at the Rancourt factory in Lewiston, Maine, each pair features a double welt leather midsole with Blake Stitch construction, as well as Vibram outsoles and rawhide laces.
Available in brown or black, the Authentic Original pairs a tumbled bison leather upper along with a smooth Horween leather collar and a speed hook closure for its laces. The Captain’s Oxford, arriving in black or tan, then makes use of a hairy suede upper sourced from the English tannery CF Stead and full grain leather binding.
“I’m a long time Sperry fan wearing Top-Siders as a kid in school, so this collaboration hits home for me,” Echevarria said in a press release. “Sperry is a staple of American style, and being able to flip these iconic styles through my lens was a dream. Every detail from the material selection to the design choices were made to give people something fresh while paying homage to Sperry’s heritage.”
Elizabeth Drori, Chief Marketing Officer at Sperry, said Echevarria’s “distinct design perspective and focus on impeccabale quality aligns seamlessly with Sperry’s legacy of producing timeless, high-quality footwear.” The shoes, she added, “not only pay homage to Sperry’s heritage but also push the boundaries of design.”
The Sperry by Chris Echevarria collection will be shown Jan. 17 at Kith’s Paris Fashion Week show before going on sale the following day through the websites of Kith, Blackstock & Weber, and Sperry. Kith will also sell the shoes in select stores and host a pop-up at its SoHo location from Jan. 18 through Jan. 28. Pricing for each shoe is set at $375.
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.