Salehe Bembury may not be a name you are familiar with, but in the world of sneakers and street fashion, he is quickly becoming one of the biggest designers around. Not only has he worked for fashion giants such as Yeezy and Versace, but he has made a name for himself as an independent designer too.
His numerous collaborations have all received critical acclaim, and he is seemingly only going from strength to strength. Here are some of his best collabs throughout his relatively young career.
Career
Speaking of his career, long before Bembury was the man creating some of the most unique Crocs we have ever seen, he was working his way up the ladder at the biggest fashion houses in the world.
He got his start designing sneakers at Payless before moving on to work for Cole Haan. While at Cole Haan, his supervisor was also working at Yeezy at the time and encouraged Bembury to submit his portfolio.
His work at Yeezy led to him becoming the head of sneaker design at Versace, and he would then become the vice president of men’s sneakers and footwear at Versace in 2020.
Salehe Bembury x Moncler
One of Bembury’s most recent and most-hyped collaborations is with Moncler. Using his unique approach to color and patterns, he has reimagined the Moncler Trailgrip shoe in a way the brand has barely explored before.
Not only has he added a streetwear touch to a relatively simple sneaker, but he has also used color to make something completely different too.
Salehe Bembury x Canada Goose
Bembury has proven he isn’t just someone who can design sneakers, either. His NBA-inspired Canada Goose collection added a retro spin to the brand, but with touches of ultra-unique style and design choices.
What is great about this collection is that it shows that Bembury can expand his creativity to clothing, too, meaning we are sure to see far more clothing-focused collaborations in the future, hopefully starting with Versace.
Salehe Bembury x Crocs Pollex “Cobbler”
Arguably the shoe and collaboration that brought his name into the spotlight is what he did with Crocs and his Ollex Cobbler shoe. Not only is the shoe one of the most stylish-looking Crocs ever created, but it also caused pandemonium when it was released.
People were waiting in line for hours to buy a pair, all the websites they were being sold on crashed, and they were reselling for crazy amounts of money. Luckily, you can buy them at a reasonable price now, but many agree they were the biggest Crocs collab of all time.
Salehe Bembury x Crocs Pollex Slides
Building on the success of the Cobbler, Bembry has now designed a Pollex slide that has the taken over large parts of the sneaker world. While they have a few features that are similar to Yeezy slides, these are in a class of their own.
They have been on the market for a little while now, but recently Bembury has teased a “Citrus Milk” colorway that is easily one of the best in the line.
Salehe Bembury x Anta
A lesser-known collaboration but one that style deserves a ton of attention is Bembury’s work with Anta. in 2020, Bembury used his unique skills to create a range of shoes for Anta that are seriously hard to match.
They all feature a wide range of colors and patterns, as well as a range of different styles of soles. Some have solid soles, while others have soles that look like incredibly intricate scaffolding. No matter your taste, there is a pair of Bembury x Anta shoes for you.
Salehe Bembury x New Balance 574
Another amazing collaboration by Bembury is his work with New Balance. Not only has New Balance become one of the premier names in sneaker and streetwear culture, but they have also become the target for collabs by high-profile designers.
Bembury created the New Balance 574 “YURT,” a show that features a unique pink bobble and cream/maroon sole, as well as a cream, pink, blue, and maroon upper half. The shoe is a bright and colorful version of the classic 574 that is only getting increasingly popular as time goes on.
Salehe Bembury x Clarks
While it doesn’t have as much hype as his collaboration with Crocs, Bembury has done some fantastic work with Clarks. Bembury put his hand to the Mud range of Clarks, creating three unique styles; the Masala Suede, Lichen Suede, and Sapa Suede.
The three shoes are a step away from his normal sneaker/streetwear direction, but they are beautifully crafted and intricate and feature several touches that show you that Bembury designed them.
The Future
Much like the late Virgil Abloh, Bembury has seen his stock rise considerably in a very short span of time. Considering he has already proven to be a master of color and design, it is hard to say that he currently has any limits.
Many believe the next big step would be opening his own fashion house or creating his sneaker label. Either way, whatever he touches turns to gold, no matter what it is.
