DON’T CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: Sneakerheads and luxury gurus are sure to gobble this up: Dominic Ciambrone, aka The Shoe Surgeon, has “reimagined” Lanvin’s popular Curb sneaker.
Images of the shoe are still under wraps, but the concept is essentially a mashup of West Coast self-expression and haute Parisian craftsmanship.
Now dubbing himself simply The Surgeon, Ciambrone is considered one of the top customization experts in America, known for tearing apart athletic shoes, reconstructing them and adding special paints, studs, crystals, swooshes or leather features to set them apart.
For the Lanvin project, Ciambrone went with a palette of soft blues, tans and beige, reminiscent of the California coastline, a touch of pink and embroidery details. “A marriage of old-school workmanship and cutting-edge technique,” according to Lanvin.
A video clip depicts Ciambrone taking a scalpel to the shoe’s quarter panel, interspersed with a closeup of a sewing machine’s needle and presser foot.
First released in early 2021, the Curb is a ’90s-inspired sneaker with an exaggerated, round shape, padded tongue, oversize eyelets and jumbo laces.
“I wanted to transform this iconic silhouette with my personal design philosophy, bringing together Lanvin’s rich heritage and L.A.’s roots in street style,” Ciambrone explained in a statement shared with WWD.
The limited-edition, bespoke designs are slated to drop on Sept. 13 at Lanvin boutiques in the U.S. and Paris, and online at lanvin.com.
Ciambrone’s client list is headlined by Justin Bieber, Will.i.am, Drake, Michael B. Jordan, P.J. Tucker and Odell Beckham Jr.