Nicole McLaughlin and Merrell 1TRL Ready A Remastered Moc Collaboration
Revealed at Paris Fashion Week.
As collaborative footwear continues to pour out of the Paris Fashion Week shows (and showrooms), the gorpcore cognoscenti has just been served a banger by Nicole McLaughlin and Merrell 1TRL: a paneled moc with a veritable medley of materials. The upcycled footwear and apparel that first brought McLaughlin notoriety combined that material medley with intricate, eye-catching detailing, and that formula has been followed to a T on this collaboration — its upper features a mixture of mesh, perforated synthetics and swooping, abstract hairy suede overlays, all adorned with bold branded hits.
Two colorways have been revealed this far, one a mix of natural bone and grey tones contrasted by black accents and given a pop of flair with neon detailing (pictured above), the other a more muted mixture of olive greens, tans and black (pictured below). From an overall shape comparison, it’s hard to draw an exact parallel — McLaughlin’s designs never adhere to a traditional template, which is what gives them their unique flair — but her 1TRL creation appears to draw bits of inspiration from the Moab and the Jungle Moc.
Le Syndrome
Besides her custom creations, McLaughlin, who left a design job at Reebok in 2019 to focus fully on her own creative endeavors, has a wealth of collaborative experience: she’s created shoes with Crocs, Vault by Vans, Diemme, and even Reebok (post-departure). Her work with Merrell‘s lifestyle-geared arm is another feather in her collaborative cap, and though a release date has yet to be announced the shoe is likely to come to roost at the tail end of this year or the early days of 2024.
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