Proenza Schouler x Sorel Collab Is Already In The New York City Editor A-List

Hello Folks,

Even in the off seasons for fashion houses, when the runways of Milan, New York, London, and Paris fashion weeks have gone quiet, the designers don’t seem to sleep. They have something or the other in their mind to fuel our daydreams or an announcement ready to sweep us off our feet.

And well, something surprising had happened at the New York Fashion Week Spring 2025 season.

Despite what many believe, the biggest flex during fashion week isn’t strutting around in sky-high stilettos like Carrie Bradshaw. Instead, it’s all about turning up to the most exclusive events in footwear often labeled as “ugly” — and making it work. It’s styling the universally disliked shoe and making it feel worthy of the industry’s biggest designer shows.

Fashion editors have done this with everything from Birkenstock slides to Asics sneakers, Ugg boots, and even Crocs. But this time, Sorel did the impossible, making the next functional snow boots to get a stylish rebrand.

The collaboration debuted on September 4, when Proenza Schouler launched New York Fashion Week’s Spring 2025 season with their RTW Spring collection — and “kick” couldn’t be more fitting.

While the collection highlighted expert tailoring and design, the real focus for many attendees, including front-row guests like Emily Ratajkowski and Ella Emhoff, was what the models were sporting on their feet.

Dressed in pinstripes and dancing fringe, models debuted Proenza Schouler’s new collaboration with Sorel. True to Sorel’s reputation for weatherproof footwear, the partnership reimagines the traditional show boot in two modernized variations.

The first design named Caribou Mule ($350) is a low-top version of Sorel’s iconic Caribou Boot, featuring waterproof leather and white contrast stitching. The second, the Caribou Chelsea Boot ($400) features a stretch panel that gives the modern Chelsea boot look to Sorel’s famous design.

On the runway, these functional footwear felt delightfully at odds with the polished, elegant aesthetic of the collection. According to Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the juxtaposition was entirely intentional.

“We liked the Sorel × Proenza Schouler Caribou styles as a counterpoint to some of the floatier and more feminine pieces in the Spring/Summer 2025 show, specifically, the weight the Chelsea boot and mules gave to our silhouettes,” McCollough and Hernandez told Harper’s Bazaar in a statement. “We are very specific in the brands we partner with, but Sorels are something we wear in our personal lives, like the perfect rainy spring shoe. We like layering our brand codes within existing heritage structures. The black and white color palette, contrast topstitch, and polished leather make this collaboration feel like a blend of our two worlds.”

Both designs are set to launch in stores on October 22. They will be available in three color options: black, ivory, and a color-blocked version with black and mustard yellow. You can find them on Net-A-Porter, as well as on Sorel and Proenza Schouler’s official online stores.

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