Sporto, creator of the Original Duck Boot, is collaborating with the prolific outsole innovators at Vibram to honor the iconic shoe’s 40th anniversary in Sporto’s Fall ’16 collection. The Sporto brand’s heritage in designing traditional weather-resistant duck boots will be shored up by the development of a Vibram IceTrek outsole technology collection.
“We’re excited to commemorate the Sporto Duck Boot’s 40th anniversary with a partnership that brings this all-weather classic style to the next level of performance and functionality,” offers Brandy McCarty, senior VP of brand strategy for Eastman Group and Sporto. “It’s the ideal way to kick off a year of projects and partnerships to celebrate this iconic American brand.”
Marking Vibram’s first foray into the traditional duck boot category, the collection launches with five designs for women and will also re-introduce men’s to the Sporto brand with a four-style capsule collection. Each product will be constructed with handcrafted all-weather fine leather uppers and will feature traditionally vulcanized rubber shells and outsoles built for superior traction on wet, dry and icy surfaces. The herringbone design on the sole, also seen in the majority of professional athletic shoes, is punctuated with bold color to emphasize its technical properties. Styles will also feature Thermolite and wool insulation in the footbed with novel duck head inspired detailing along the side. Retail prices range from $110 to $140.
“The first challenge was actually designing a duck boot, a rare style in Vibram’s wheelhouse. I looked at many different iterations in the market, past and present, and noticed they were essentially the same design repeated,” adds Vibram designer Robert Lee. “I wanted to change that, and maintain Sporto’s traditional DNA but also infuse modern technological design influences.”
Sporto is currently available at national department stores, specialty footwear retailers, national footwear retailers, online retailers and independent retailers.
