Toms and Clare V tie up on a capsule footwear collection

By

Arati Menon

Published
Feb 6, 2018

Toms and Clare V., two California-made accessories brands, are joining forces on a capsule footwear collection. Slated to launch this Spring, the collection will bring together the classic shapes of Toms with the French-inspired charms of the Clare V. brand.
 

The collaboration also coincides with what is the tenth year anniversary of Clare V. The brands have confirmed an April launch.
 
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Toms creative director John Whitledge said the Clare V. project signals a new direction for TOMS, predominantly a casual footwear brand, giving it the opportunity to experiment with elevated materials like suede and nubuck.

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Whitledge, also the co-founder of the Trovata fashion brand, was hired late last year to reinvigorate Toms — a company that built itself on selling a lifestyle and mindset, and not just a shoe.
 
The brand has, however, been struggling to refresh its appeal across its now-diverse categories — bags, footwear, eye and apparel. Whitledge has been charged with expanding its aesthetic boundaries and taking bolder steps in material.  
 
Collaborations are one way to do this. Last year, Toms collaborated with & Other Stories on a new footwear and ready-to-wear collection that marked its foray into clothing. It has also partnered with Prabal Gurung and the Keith Haring Foundation in the past.
 
Clare V., a fashion-favorite, is no stranger to collaborations, either, which have allowed the brand to dive into non-essential categories — sunglasses with Garrett Leight, shirts with Equipment and wallpaper with Wallshoppe. Clare V. has just partnered with Valerie Confections on a range of chocolates.
 
The Toms x Clare V. collection will be available at major global retailers as well as Toms and Clare V. retail and online stores.