And here is strength. And here is beauty. And here is the threshold to a radical parallel universe. These are the words which Melbourne based shoe label, Radical Yes, use to define itself, and they symbolise the brand’s fundamental philosophies.
Founder and brand director Kerryn Moscicki is a big believer in building a strong creative community, and she’s also an avid innovator and transparency advocate. Kerryn is passionate about the process behind each pair of Radical Yes shoes – a rarity in today’s fast fashion society – and now, after 15 years in the shoe business, she’s embarked on a locally manufactured collaboration with Post Sole Studio.
“We have always been proactively transparent about where our products are made, and we work hard to create social responsibility projects through our partnership with Not-For-Profit organisation, Wear For Success. The idea to manufacture in Melbourne came from the same place of wanting to be transparent about our process and contribute to the local community and economy as much as we could.”
The Melbourne made capsule features two pairs of ‘Cosmic Wonder’ sandals, both handcrafted in Abbotsford, and they’re consistent with the Radical Yes brand mission to minimise waste and push boundaries with one silhouette.
“Our brand was established on the idea of using only one ‘last’ (a silhouette form in shoe crafting terms), to explore different upper patterns and material executions. Essentially, we wanted to push the boundaries of one last as far as we could, and in the beginning, it meant we had one last with seven different lace-up patterns. We stuck firmly to this brand brief up until AW17 – when we introduced one other last, built around a thicker outsole construction in response to our customer requests for a deeper profile sole. Embarking on a locally made project was another opportunity to try a new silhouette and outsole execution because it marked a shift in our evolution. Post Sole Studio are well known for their sandals locally and (like all makers), they have a specific handwriting to their pattern work which we felt married well to our own aesthetic.”
The ‘Cosmic Wonder’ sandals balance wearability with unique details; crafted in a classic warrior style and finished with an athletic cleated rubber outsole in contrasting colours, each pair is lovingly handmade, perfect for everyday wear and most importantly – comfortable.
Treat your soles to one of only 60 pairs at radicalyes.com.au and support local makers and creators.
Images: Agnieszka Chabros.
The Fashion Advocate x
