Wallabee Day

The Shoe that Changed The Shape of Footwear

“We Need To Have A Wallabee Day. We Need To Be Able To Say Today Is The Day Everybody Throws Their Joints On.”  –Raekwon 

HAPPY ‘WALLABY’ DAY 

Legend has it that on 26th April 1971, an alarm was raised at New York’s John F Kennedy Airport, with customs teams rapidly assembling cages to accept the 4,176 Wallabees that were expected to arrive that day from Clarks. Customs called Clarks to check the animals were safe to handle and to discuss the lack of paperwork supplied to transport this number of live animals. There was a sense of relief (but also fury) when airport staff were informed that the crates did not contain live animals, but the new Wallabee shoe silhouette. 

To celebrate a style that has shaken things up from day one, Clarks has today announced the first-ever Wallabee Day which will take place every year on 26th April, encouraging its global community of wearers to share their love of the iconic shoe. 

For its inaugural Wallabee Day, Clarks has teamed up with Wu-Tang Clan member and legendary Wallabee wearer, Raekwon, to officially usher in the celebration via the Clarks Originals Instagram account, starting with an announcement on 4th April. 

THE STYLE CLASSIC

Crafted in 1968, the Wallabee’s design philosophy was rooted in ultimate comfort, with its unprecedented foot-shaped toe, true moccasin construction, and spongey natural crepe sole. However, what no one at the time could have foreseen is how global style communities have adopted, adapted, and embraced it, pushing the shoe to icon status from its humble beginnings in Somerset. From football terraces in the UK to the streets of New York and Shibuya Tokyo. It is a shoe that is just as at home in school halls as it is in Jamaica’s dancehall scene. It adorned album covers of hip-hop royalty and Brit-Pop legends – but no matter who wears it, the king of casual footwear is always a good look.

Throughout April, Clarks will be celebrating through a series of activations, customizations, incredible content releases, and a social media competition that allows the Clarks community to show off their creativity.

Tara McRae, Chief Marketing & Digital Officer comments “We are delighted to announce the launch of our first Wallabee Day. It’s such an iconic shoe loved by people across the world and has served as a blank canvas to artists, creators, and cultures over many generations. Wallabee Day allows us to celebrate not just the shoe, but also all of the collaborators who help us reinvent the story, year after year.”

DEFINED BY SIMPLICITY

The Wallabee is crafted from just two pieces of suede with a tubular construction technique. This means the upper is assembled with the vamp and side panel to create a tube shape, this gives an instantly recognizable silhouette.

The appeal of their next-level comfort, premium quality, and casual styling, made the Wallabee a perfect alternative for sneakers and has rapidly become a mainstay within sneaker and streetwear culture as the nonconformist choice.

“The Wallabee sits right in the middle between a sneaker and a brown shoe. It is THE sneaker alternative and a shoe like no other” –Matteo Bellentani, Global Creative Director, Clarks and Head of Product & Design, Clarks Originals.

FOOTWEAR’S MOST BEAUTIFUL BLANK CANVAS:

In the spirit of the incredible history of Wallabee adaptation, Clarks will be encouraging Wallabee lovers to submit their Wallabees their way for a chance to win two of its most exclusive Wallabee creations. Submissions could be Wallabee-inspired art, photography, animation, or even the ultimate outfit pic. Everyone who submits a Wallabee creation via Instagram will be entered to win a pair of some of our most coveted collabs from friends of the brand Vandy the Pink and Shaun Crawford, with a mystery box of special Wallabees on top.

NEXT UP

Wallabee Day wouldn’t be complete without celebrating some of the iterations of our classic styles. Take a look at just a few of the free-spirited designs now on shelves.

In the Philippines, Clarks is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central, Greenhills, San Juan, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Center Cebu, Shangri-La Plaza East Wing, and Marquee Mall. Visit ssilife.com.ph or follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.