Women’s sneaker collaborations were arguably the best releases of 2023. Just about every key sneaker brand was standing on business, including French sporting specialists Salomon, who debuted their very first women’s collaboration with New-York based American-Chinese fashion designer Sandy Liang. Curating two silhouettes including a Pokemon pink inspired XT-Expanse and a monochromatic RX Moc 3.0, the pairs sold out within minutes, globally. Given this astounding success, it’s not surprising that Salomon would bring us a sequel in their alliance with Sandy Liang, this time stepping even further into the realm of girlhood – satin ribbons included.
To celebrate the upcoming release featuring the Speedcross and RX Marie-Jeanne models, we’re taking a deep dive into the lore of Sandy Liang, the significance of the brand’s partnership with Salomon and what you can expect from the upcoming release set to launch at Finesse this week.
Hailing from Bayside, Queens, Sandy Liang founded her eponymous brand back in 2014. Having briefly attended Rhode Island School of Design for architecture, Liang would follow her calling, transferring to Parsons to study fashion design. Founding her company upon graduating, Liang’s collections are inspired by childhood memories and New York’s unsung neighbourhood spirit. In the past decade, Sandy Liang has not only cultivated a legion of loyal fans – and an Instagram following currently chasing 500K – but has solidified herself as one of the most relevant fashion brands in the world, propelling core trends such as cottagecore and balletcore to take over your moodboards and wishlists.
Liang’s relationship with Salomon has been years in the making, with the designer being a long time personal fan of the brand. But things really kicked into gear in 2021, when Liang’s models were sent down the catwalk of her Spring 2022 show with Salomon XT-6s and RX Mocs on-foot, proving that Salomon footwear didn’t just like good on the trails, but on the runway too. Juxtaposing the girliness of delicate skirts and colourful co-ord sets with the toughness of an XT-6 seemed like merely a playful exercise, but this stylistic binary captured on her runway would become a crucial moment for the trajectory of women’s sneaker collaborations.
One year on in April 2022 and the inaugural Sandy Liang x Salomon collaboration would be welcomed into the world. The collaboration saw an in-store release at Liang’s Orchard Street boutique in New York – where pairs literally sold out in a swift five minutes – the same would happen following the wider release the world over. On paper the collab was objectively a textbook success, with Sandy Liang and Salomon proving that there is an extreme demand for cute renditions of traditionally masculine designs, made by women, for women.
For the rest of the year buyers would continue their attempts to get their hands on pairs, causing both the XT-Expanse and the RX Moc 3.0 to fetch exorbitant prices on the aftermarket. Great news for fans would arrive in February 2024, when a first look at their second instalment hit social media, featuring ballet-esque versions of the Speedcross 3 and the RX Moc 3.0. Months later the second collaboration would be confirmed, this time featuring a trio of pairs.
First there’s the Speedcross 3 Ribbon in Black/Cloud Pink. Liang’s iteration is a fresh yet on-brand feminine take on the legacy Speedcross 3, which combines the technical performance of the original with the poetic elegance of ballet. Originally designed for trail running, the model is also highly cushioned, and most importantly dressed with satin ribbon that weaves its way from shoe to calf.
The pack also sees Liang draw inspiration from the trending Mary Jane-style silhouette to deliver the RX Marie-Jeanne in Black and Vanilla Ice. A ballerina-inspired hybrid of the RX Moc 3.0, the design prioritises wearability and breathability, including a lightweight cushion constructed for premium comfort with nubuck leather and technical 3D open mesh.
If one thing’s for sure, it won’t be easy to get your hands on a pair from the upcoming Sandy Liang x Salomon collaboration, but if you take a step back and look at the bigger picture, it’s not such a bad thing. Together, Sandy Liang and Salomon have played a huge role in rewriting the narrative of women’s sneaker collaborations, carving out a ribbon-adorned space where girls who wear their skirts with Salomon's rule. And the future of sneakers has never looked so pretty.
The Sandy Liang x Salomon Speedcross 3 Ribbon and RX Marie-Jeanne pairs will see an exclusive in-store release at Finesse on July 25 10am.
Words by: Amber De Luca-Tao @certified__lovergirl