Vivobarefoot launches Jean-Michel Basquiat products

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Oct 6, 2020

London-based shoe firm Vivobarefoot has unveiled three new styles inspired by the art of Jean-Michel Basquiat as part of its Soul of Africa range.

Celebrating the African-American artist’s rebellious nature, the range features his striking ‘Untitled (Head)’ painting, which is known for its fierce intensity and explosive use of colour. ‘Test Pressing’, the promo sleeve of hip-hop track ‘Beat-Bop’ written by Rammellzee and K-Rob and produced by Basquiat, is reinterpreted in a Mini-Me Vivabarefoot version for adults and kids. Finally, Pez Dispenser, the 1984 motif depicting a dinosaur wearing a crown comes to life in a new children’s style.

Vivobarefoot said the shoes were hand stitched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and crafted from soft and subtle Wild Hide leather, sourced from Ethiopian small-holder farmers.

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Brand founder Galahad Clark commented: “I see Jean-Michel Basquiat as one of the most unique and original rebels who questioned the status quo and the world is crying out for more souls with such spirit. From our perspective, we don’t want to make shoes like everybody else, we want to make shoes that connect you to your sole – shoes that rewild the body, the mind and the planet”.

“It’s inspirational to see images of Jean-Michel barefoot in his studio and we believe that being connected to the ground and to nature in that way can encourage and garner creativity. We’re incredibly proud to have Basquiat’s art on our Made in Ethiopia range made at the ethical production line we opened back in 2017 providing employment and making shoes from locally sourced materials. We hope they will inspire more barefoot rebels in the world,” added Dulma Clark, head of the Soul of Africa project, a social enterprise providing skills training and direct employment opportunities in Africa.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the new collection will go to this charity, which is being renamed as Livebarefoot Foundation, to continue its positive social and environmental impact.