admin It’s been a collaboration-packed autumn for streetwear stalwarts Stüssy. Thus far, the season has delivered a Stüssy-ified Wallabee boot with Clarks and an eccentrically shaded denim capsule with Levi’s. To close out November, Stüssy has once again teamed up with another go-to partner: Birkenstock. But this time, the collab differs from the blockbuster releases before it—there isn’t a single Boston clog in sight.
Instead, the cozy collaboration centers on the new Solana silhouette, a “seasonless” sandal that bears a resemblance to the tried-and-true Birkenstock Kyoto. The sleek, single-strap design is already a steady presence on Tokyo’s fashionable streets and in the pages of Popeye magazine. The style hasn’t totally caught on stateside yet, but the new Stüssy version—generously lined with enough fluffy shearling to rival a small cumulus cloud—might just change that. It comes in three standout colorways: a sage green with a hint of satin shine, an eternally classic tan suede, and a sumptuous near-white cream.
It’s an offbeat move for Stüssy to not deliver yet another Boston, the clog silhouette that streetwear heads and menswear enthusiasts breathlessly embraced in recent years. (Past Stüssy-designed Bostons have sold for as much as $800 on the secondary market.) Most of Birkenstock’s other styles tend to meet a colder welcome when thrust into the streetwear stratosphere, and judging by the reaction seen in the Instagram comment section, it might take a while before the Solana is met with the same warmth as the Boston. But if any label is up for the challenge of making another Birkenstock silhouette cool, it’s “the Chanel of streetwear.”
Until then, the California label can rest assured knowing it’s delivered a nice-looking, if totally unexpected, silhouette that will likely sell out in a flash regardless of what Internet commenters decree. As we’ve said before, fall is the prime season for Birkenstocks—even better if they come with the one-two punch of a Stüssy co-sign and enough shearling to keep your feet toasty all season long.
The Stüssy x Birkenstock Solana collection drops this coming Monday, November 27 at Birkenstock, Stüssy, and select retailers worldwide.
