Contrary to popular belief, during fashion week month, the biggest flex is not in wearing needlepoint stilettos à la Carrie Bradshaw. It's actually showing up to the most prestigious events wearing comfortable footwear most have deemed "ugly." It's the ultimate test of one's styling abilities, to take a universally disliked shoe and make it feel worthy of the industry's biggest designer shows.
Throughout the years, fashion editors have applied this method of dressing to Birkenstock slides, Asics sneakers, Ugg boots, and even Crocs (courtesy of Simone Rocha). And as of this season, Sorel is officially the next functional shoe to get a stylish re-brand with a collaboration you can shop now at Nordstrom and Shopbop.
On September 4, Proenza Schouler kicked off New York Fashion Week's Spring 2025 season with their RTW Spring collection—and "kick" is the operative word. Though the collection was a masterclass on tailoring and construction, industry eyes (like Emily Ratajkowski and Ella Emhoff, who sat front row) were trained on something further south.
Dressed in pin stripes and dancing fringe, models debuted Proenza Schouler's new collaboration with Sorel. Staying loyal to the brand's affinity for weatherproof designs, this collab reimagines the traditional show boot in two modernized variations.
The first style has been dubbed the Caribou Mule ($350) and is a low-top version of the label's signature Caribou Boot, featuring a waterproof leather outer and white contrast stitching. The second design—the Caribou Chelsea Boot ($400)—features a stretch panel that gives the modern Chelsea boot look to Sorel's famous design.
On the runway, the functional footwear felt delightfully at odds with the polished, elegant aesthetic of the collection. According to Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, that's exactly they were going for.
“We liked the Sorel x Proenza Schouler Caribou styles as a counterpoint to some of the floatier and more feminine pieces in the Spring/Summer 2025 show," McCollough and Hernandez told Harper’s Bazaar. "Specifically, the weight the Chelsea boot and mules gave to our silhouettes."
Both designs are arriving in stores in time for the fall season and are shoppable in three colorways, including: black, ivory, and a colorblocked version featuring black and mustard yellow.
