A creative fusion of art, embroidery, and shoemaking.
Melbourne’s Up There Store, known for its unique take on men’s fashion and sneakers, recently teamed up with three local creatives to redesign the Clarks Originals Wallabee. The collaboration brought together an illustrator, an artisan, and a shoemaker to craft 14 one-of-a-kind custom pairs, turning the classic shoe into a wearable work of art.
Illustrator Mike Kennedy took inspiration from Melbourne’s Chinatown temple dogs, symbols of protection and folklore. His designs featured abstract dragons, bats, spiders, and dogs, blending tradition with Up There’s signature color palette.
To bring Kennedy’s illustrations to life, artisan Anthony Wicks of Anthill Workshop used vintage chainstitching machines to embroider each design, adding a textured and handcrafted element to the shoes.
Finally, bespoke shoemaker Chase Shiel meticulously deconstructed and rebuilt each pair, ensuring that no two Wallabees were the same. Despite working with a machine not meant for footwear, he skillfully combined craftsmanship with creativity.
All custom pairs have already been raffled off, but fans can expect more exciting projects from Up There and its growing community of artists.
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