Maison Margiela x Reebok Brings Back the 1988 Leather Tabi With A Twist

Dropping tomorrow, the exclusive running shoe echoes themes of reality vs. illusion.

This article has been updated on January 29, 2021. 

Where leather meets streetwear and modern meets luxury is the Maison Margiela x Reebok collab, dropping a Classic Leather Tabi sneaker tomorrow.

Back in 1988 at the Paris’ Café de la Gare, the Tabi boot made its first show-stopping debut, settling itself as one of Maison Margiela’s crown jewels. The Tabi boot literally imprinted blood red footprints all over the catwalk that same day, unknowingly creating what would become one of the French fashion house’s most iconic creations to date. 

The Birkin Bag is synonymous to Hermès, the Red Bottoms are synonymous to Christian Louboutin, and in the same way, the Tabi boot is synonymous to Maison Margiela. Although Martin Margiela did not create the Tabi (it was actually a sock designed by the Japanese in the 15th century), he did come up with the idea to design a boot named after its Japanese predecessors. 

© Maison Margiela

Fast forward to the present: Maison Margiela and Reebok have come together to create the first-ever Leather Tabi sneaker in bianchetto. The sneaker boasts a contemporary design with a timeless appeal. Using the 1988 split-toe construction coupled with the quality of a running shoe, the sneaker plays with themes of reality vs. illusion. 

The style is created in nappa leather with an EVA sole. It is made in hand-painted white coating on a black leather base, which is expected to chip with wear. The design was created under the work of Maison Margiela’s creative director John Galliano, expressing the characteristics of the French fashion house through one of the sportswear brand’s most recognizable designs.

The Maison Margiela x Reebok Classic Leather Tabi bianchetto sneakers drop tomorrow, January 30, 2021. It will retail for $350 exclusively on maisonmargiela.com & reebok.com.

© Maison Margiela

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