Named director of ready-to-wear men’s for Louis Vuitton in 2011, globe trotter Kim Jones details the technical specifications for the hiking shoe in a new piece that keeps the same look. The key style in their runway, Kim Jones is keeping with the theme of travel and explorers, and in doing so following in the footsteps of Vuitton to encourage travel. With the stamp of approval that subtly appears on the boot’s heel, rangers can now dress up in a luxurious, exotic leather. Made of alligator leather, its serrated heel embellished with metallic LV details, these hiking boots are, after all, made by a brand who’s original raison d’être was travel. No surprise than that their thick sole, made of rubber on the outside, is lined with fleece on the interior, giving the shoe immediate flexibility and comfort. In a shade of blue, it exudes all the chic and dreamy charm of exploration.
To empower the curious, Kim Jones uses Blake construction, a couture technique that traverses the totality of the structure piece-by-piece. The result is simple: high flying leather that comes together with arresting stitching to create a piece of reptilian architecture. It’s the profound, luxurious dimension proper to Louis Vuitton’s founder that Jones perceives in the designs of the eponymous brand. In Fall/Winter 2013, by exploiting 19th century Europe’s infatuation with Japan, he connected the dots between Paris and Tokyo. A global vision that, besides influencing the logo, inspired the director of the men’s studio. For those who ask how many collections can be inspired by traveling, Jones responds: “How many countries are there? Around 200? Well, that’s 200 collections, right there.”
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