Barneys New York has been a leader in fashion for almost 100 years. Appealing to the uptown crowd with their expertise in luxury designers as well as the downtown set with their appreciation of emerging talent. Basically, they sort of have the market cornered. So what else can they bring to the table to keep the interest of the public? Limited Edition Sneakers. In this case, the classic Brooks Chariot Runner.
They have successfully launched the XO (Exclusively Ours) footwear program called Sole Series, which is introducing eight limited edition shoe styles over the course of six months. So far, in addition to the Brooks Chariot Runner (launching today) this has included their unique take on iconic styles such as the adidas Stan Smith, Vans slip on, Filling Pieces low top, Timberland field boot, Converse Chuck Taylor and Diadora runners.
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Barneys New York Senior Men’s Footwear Buyer, Chris Pepe, is the man behind the scenes giving you all the intel on what you should buy this season. Literally—he picks out what will be in all Barneys stores. We chatted with him about the Sole Series. “(It) was born out of a desire to insure that the sneaker collector would be well-informed about our commitment to creating exciting products and drive energy in and around the sneaker culture.” It also makes sense for an active guy like Pepe to be involved with the project. Not only is he an avid runner, but he has also recently added hot yoga and Pilates to his routine.
He says about the Brooks Chariot Runner specifically, “the concept for the collaboration with Brooks started as a vintage collegiate theme since this particular style was one of the top running silhouette’s from the 80s. We kept the main color scheme but added the reflective toe and tongue, making a material that is typically a minor detail on technical running shoes one of the focal points.” Offered in both a black/gray combo as well as a red/gray combo, these styles do not disappoint.
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“Since they are a functional running shoe, they can obviously be paired with typical active wear, but I’d also love to see someone wear them with a cropped pant for a daytime look” he says, referring to the best way to rock them this fall. With the trend in fashion going more and more towards a comfortable aesthetic that still works for a setting outside of the gym, you should challenge yourself to wear these shoes with any outfit, any time.
“We think these will appeal to a wide group of people,” he mentions when asked who he saw coming into Barneys to make the purchase. “The fashion crowd will wear them as part of their casual wardrobe, and we think the sneakerhead will love them too.”
These Brooks Chariot Runner retail for $140 and will be available on barneys.com and select Barneys stores starting on Thursday, November 12th.
