More than a decade later, we’ve reunited with Iris van Herpen, unveiling United Nude footwear designed exclusively for the debut of the designer's Autumn/Winter 2026 Haute Couture show, Sonic Starquakes, at Paris Haute Couture Week on July 6th, 2026.

Inspired by the structures of 'starquakes'—exploding supernovae that vibrate with waves of cosmic energy—the show explores the beauty and turbulence of invisible forces, tension, and changing states of matter. Celebrating a shared legacy of challenging traditional design rules at the intersection of architecture and wearable art, we built our custom runway pieces from the DNA of our signature Edge silhouette.

The Edge, known for its sharp geometric interplay, is defined by a cantilever silhouette that creates a striking yet effortless optical illusion. Its architecture includes a large, triangular void and a cantilever platform that leaves the heel of the shoe seemingly suspended in mid-air. A faceted block gently slopes backward under the front of the foot to securely hold the weight of the wearer. A sharp, floating wedge drops down from the heel counter, sharpening to a point that balances beautifully in mid-air, completely clear of the ground. The dramatic “heel-less” look delivers the comfort of a standard heel, and emphasizes the phenomenal feeling of floating evoked by van Herpen’s ethereal creations.

To complement the fluid, kinetic energy of van Herpen’s garments, we adapted the sharp-lined geometry of the Edge into three distinct runway variations:

The Chain Shoe
These versions feature intricate laser-cut uppers built using a double-lasted construction with an exceptionally thin midsole. Fine metallic hardware and chains were hand-woven through closely positioned eyelets to create an intricately stitched aesthetic. These delicate chains continue to drape across the angular cut-outs and cascade from the heel counter, translating the collection’s focus on kinetic energy and sonic vibrations into physical motion with every step. This style was executed in four colorways: black with gradient-toned silver chains, black with gunmetal-toned chains, nude with silver chains, and nude with gold chains.

The Bubble Shoe
Designed with a visually hidden midsole to emphasize the raw silhouette of the shoe, this mesh short boot features an upper and heel wrapped in the specialized mesh material used by van Herpen in the collection. It features a lightweight, 3D-printed heel cover cap to support the cantilever area, and a dense layer of meticulously hand-attached glass bubbles that gradually travel upward, dispersing seamlessly across the sheer mesh fabric of the sock. This design seamlessly carries the cellular bubble texture all the way to the runway floor, blurring the line where the garment ends and the footwear begins.

The Edge X
Our original cut-out design made for the show showcases the clean, unembellished power of its shape. Developed in three exclusive tone-on-tone colorways for van Herpen’s collection: blue, black, and nude.

Our partnership with Iris van Herpen began more than ten years ago, born from a mutual obsession with breaking the boundaries of design. Where others see a shoe as a functional accessory, we see it as a sculptural statement—and where others see a garment as fabric, Iris sees an intersection of science, physics, and wearable art.

Conceived as a seamless extension of her latest work, our custom footwear incorporates these cosmic themes to mirror the fluid, kinetic energy on display. Rooted in intensely conceptual, highly tailored craftsmanship, this collaboration marks a new milestone in a shared journey of exploration and experimentation in fashion.



CONTENT COURTESY OF IRIS VAN HERPEN, LAUNCHMETRICS/SPOTLIGHT, DELPHIN ACHARD / WWD

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