I don’t really know how to write this any other way—and believe me, I’ve tried—so I’ll just get it over with: VIBERG DID A THING WITH NEEDLES REBUILD* AND IT’S CAPSLOCK GOOD. Or, more precisely I guess, Exhibition Good.
(*For those unfamiliar with Needles Rebuild, picture Dr. Frankenstein but Japanese, much less sadistic and way more into clothes. For those unfamiliar with Viberg, welcome to Heddels, I guess?)
On display exclusively at the Nepenthes Hakata store in an environment that’s downright museum-like, the latest array builds off of the tandem’s 2018 capsule collection of Hikers and Pull-Ons. For this iteration, however, Viberg made use of an extensive stockpile of their “own vintage work boots that were beyond repair” as a canvas and got extremely Gregor Clegane with it.
For each one-of-a-kind pair, the footwear company deconstructed already-thrashed uppers, cut those uppers into new patterns and then added a cadre of new components to really drive home that mad scientist theme.
And because Viberg and Needles Rebuild take zero shortcuts ever, they’re offering these (in-store only, doubt they’re sorry, enjoy the journey and all that) on a strictly made-to-order basis. And if you can’t get yourself to Hakata for some boots, the tour will roll through Nepenthes’ Osaka and Tokyo locations too.
For more information, check out Viberg’s site.