INTERVIEW: MCQ'S ARATANA BY ARETÉ
It’d be a lie to say that most wait until their trainers get truly worn out before copping a new pair. In this day and age of abundance, no real necessity is needed, and to satisfy our desire for novelty comes as a good enough justification to proceed to checkout. But what if, when someone gets bored of wearing the same style day after day, they’d have the capacity of switching it? Well, in a way, that’s sort of what MCQ proposes with the launch of its very first sneaker whose silhouette will in time alter when the label begins dropping add-on modular parts that will, in essence, make the shoe look new again. Hence the name Aratana, which means “new” in Japanese /
This isn’t to say that the just-released, base Aratana version lacks anything that’d make it a solid foundation in itself. True, the shoe isn’t necessarily changing the sneaker game aesthetically speaking at a quick glance— it’d fit in nicely in today’s urban setting where a pair of TNs of Air Max 95s can be seen at every turn. But then again that was the whole point: as always with MCQ, British youth culture is king. To express this sense of close-knit community and belonging MCQ endorsed new-gen notable figures including film director Chndy, Japanese hip-hop star Elle Teresa, stylist Bloody Osiris, Awge photographer Bladi and pop sensation Rina Sawayama, to name a few.
What really sets the shoe apart from what’s out there though is its modularity and ability to switch styles. Given this, perhaps those that will sport Aratanas will think twice before buying a second or a third or even a fourth pair of sneakers, if only for a few seasons.
This is all thanks to design studio Areté’s founder Myles O’Meally and senior designer Slimane Cherif Khaldi who were tasked with creating a sneaker that would be in line with MCQ’s core purpose and audience.
We caught up with Myles to discuss the details of Areté’s partnership with MCQ and find out more about how the brand’s first ever sneaker, the Aratana, will evolve from here.
How did you approach working with MCQ on their first sneaker launch?
As the brief was to design MCQ’s first ever sneaker, we had no footwear history to begin with or something to refer to. But the thing that makes MCQ unique as an umbrella label of Alexander McQueen, it’s that it’s quintessentially British. So we looked into English youth and rave culture for familiar points of reference to guide the design process. Most shoes in those scenes were and still are of casual sportswear nature. They tend to have lightweight and utilitarian designs, and that’s what we’ve tried to achieve all while making something that’s pleasant to look at. Visually and functionally it’s reminiscent of a sportswear shoe and may remind some sneakerheads of the iconic TNs, Air Max 95s, Reebok DMXs and suchlike.
And now that the brand’s first shoe has been designed, from what I understand it will continue to evolve with each new collection?
The way MCQ works is they fully change their creative team and consequently their aesthetic direction every collection, which they call an icon. We thus helped them create a core sneaker, the Aratana, that will vary based on each icon’s theme. This is where the whole premise of layering of materials and modularity came from. And now that we’ve designed a solid foundation, moving forward we can easily play with the materials and explore different combinations that could bring a different vibe to the shoe.
So how did you adapt the core design of the Aratana to the brand’s latest icon, Breathe?
Whereas the core Aratana has closed paneling with mesh throughout the upper, the Breathe version hasn’t. As the icon’s theme is about breathability, we’ve lightened the weight of the silhouette and removed a few layers so it would be more like the rest of the collection. Basically the layered panels across the middle of the shoe are gone and have been replaced with a translucent, thin monofilament fabric that sits overtop an open mesh so that you can see your foot through it. Another change is the logo patch at the tongue that’s now made from semi transparent silicone. With a few tweaks the shoe’s now more lightweight and breathable and has got a whole different feel to it.
What really sets the Aratana apart from other sneakers is its capacity and potential to change styles with its modular sole… can you tell us more about it?
From the get-go MCQ wanted to get the most out of its shoe’s sole as they didn’t want to make a new one every time they launch a new pair. What we came up with is a modular sole to which additional components can be designed and attached to the sole. And while these additional components are yet to be released, for example, it could be a thicker, rubberised sole that would make the shoe heavier and stronger and thus geared for harsh weather. That could also be a piece that’d go from the sidewall up to the upper. Anyhow, what these add-ons will really do is change the look of the shoe without having to entirely redesign the sole.
Any thoughts on MCQ’s approach to reinvent its creative team each collection and determination to foster collaborative work?
There’s not much similar opportunity out there that credits up-and-coming and more established creatives alike on equal footing, so in that sense it’s pretty cool. Of course there are internships for aspiring designers and other creative types, but those are always done behind-the-scenes — we don’t get to know who did what. So the way MCQ credits all the creatives who contributed to an icon by including their names on the product tags and clearly communicating it in their campaign surely helps emerging talents making a name for themselves. And on the flipside, MCQ gets fresh perspectives and new ideas… it’s a win-win for both the brand and its contributors, really.
