People love a mash-up. Whether that's donut-inspired sneakers or Game of Thrones whisky, blending two beloved entities into one shoppable product is a surefire way to light up fans of both worlds. And Dominique Ansel—the creator of the original Cronut—is no stranger to the power of mash-ups. His donut-croissant blend turned the world of breakfast pastries on its head, after all. This week, he's taking that eye for collaboration outside of the kitchen and into your closet by dropping a croissant-inspired sneaker with Koio.
Yep, that's right. Croissant. In a sneaker. And not just any sneaker, but Koio's signature chunky shoe, the Avalanche. If you're trying to get involved in the chunky and/or dad shoe world but aren't exactly sure how to do it, this is a great place to start. The foot and toe bed feel streamlined, leaving the sole to do most of the chunk work. And it does it well, of course. There's still some height to the sole, but that doesn't make the shoe feel overtly...dad-ish.
Koio x Dominique Ansel Avalanche
Besides using the actual build of the Avalanche sneaker, this particular shoe is easy to pull off because of its strategic but simple detailing. The key to making a food-inspired sneaker is the inspired part. Making a sneaker that actually looks like the food can be a little on-the-nose, unless that's really what you're going for. For the more under-the-radar kind of food-shoe fans, these Koios strike the perfect balance. The colors correspond with the recipe for a croissant, a.k.a. the "cro" in Cronut: eggs, butter, flour, and sugar. On the shoe, that looks like white, off-white, yellow, and crystalized detailing. There's also a mini croissant at the front of the laces.
Plus, every shoe comes with a pack of Dominique Ansel Pancake Mix. Snag a pair—and a pancake—while you can.
This story originally appeared on Esquire.com. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.
