The black and white aesthetic is often lovably referred to as the Stormtrooper color finish, named after the bungling, comedic elite army force of the dark side on Star Wars. Truth be told, it isn’t just the use of black and white, but rather the interesting interplay between the two, and the combination of colors usually is usually heavier on the white than on the black. Pierre Hardy’s Vibe Sneakers, for instance, are a perfect embodiment of that aesthetic, with its jagged zebra-esque design that gives the shoes heavy dynamism and contrast, making them absolutely eye-catching and jaw-dropping.
Built with a gum sole and a calf-leather upper, the Vibe sneakers from Pierre Hardy are luxury and style wrapped in a singular package. Creating an edgy contrast with the racy geometric stripes, the Vibe’s patterns actually draw inspiration from sound waves, which are translated onto the shoe’s body by pairing leather cuts all the way from the bottom to the very top. While this Stormtrooper-esque version is my favorite, the Vibes come in an absolutely delicious gradient version too!
Designer: Pierre Hardy
