Most footwear designers rarely are able to etch their own path outside of a particular brand, though a few do stand out for their deep history in the industry a la Steven Smith or Tinker Hatfield. Nicole McLaughlin, a former footwear designer for Reebok, was able to leave the company in 2018 to chart her own path and went viral online for her bespoke apparel pieces and eventually collaborated with brands like Crocs, Jansport, and even became a Design Ambassador for Arc’Teryx. In a full circle moment, McLaughlin is teaming up with her former employer to combine two different silhouettes, the Club C and Etna Mid, into the Nicole McLaughlin x Reebok Club C Geo Mid.
Hiking comes as the main inspiration for this collab as the sneaker utilizes outdoor-ready materials like ballistic mesh, durable leather, and ripstop nylon across its upper. For its base layer, the latter of the three materials is present in a cream shade while the tongue and heel portion come in a dark grey ballistic mesh. Running through the cream leather eyestays are a set of black rope laces, passing by the “Nicole McLaughlin” text that encircles the collar. Reebok branding makes its mark along the midfoot’s familiar panel via an embroidered vector logo and through the heel’s “Reebok” text while the edge of the sole and upper are separated by black leather. Rounding out the design is the black rubber midsole and outsole combo.
The Nicole McLaughlin x Reebok Club C Geo Mid W is set to release on December 5th, 2022 through a StockX DropX event while a worldwide release will take place on December 9th, 2022 through Reebok and select retailers online and in-store. Coming in women’s sizing, the retail price is set at $160. Keep it locked to our Twitter and the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Nicole McLaughlin x Reebok Club C Geo Mid (W)
Images via Reebok
