Clarks Originals x MF DOOM Wallabee

Morgan Freeman, Mariella Frostrup, Marouane Fellaini, Marty Feldman (ask your dad) all famous M.F.’s but none of them, to my knowledge, have released a series of acclaimed hiphop records and created a loyal band of fanatics throughout the world…..well old Marty might have done, but I couldn’t find any pictorial evidence.

Which brings us onto another M.F.  That of the man known as DOOM.

Him off the ‘M’etal ‘F’ace mask, and moody demeanour.

Now I’m not gonna pretend that I am au-fait with the lad’s sound and lyrical output, however from what I’ve seen I will give him a knowing nod for the work he’s done on one of my favourite shoes.

He’s become the latest Clarks Originals ‘Pioneer’ and under this moniker gets his own limited shoe release; and the model he’s chosen – unsurprisingly, given the strong role it’s played on the hiphop scene for many a year – is the Wallabee shoe.

In conjuction with Clarks Originals, DOOM (you have to spell it like this apparently…it’s the law) has chosen a rich brown leather for the uppers, from the Stead tannery in Leeds, which has a soft feel and an obvious ‘grain’ showing through.

The stitching used on the shoe is made from a special 3M material that reflects when light is shone onto it – and this detail is repeated on the striped brown laces.

The DOOM-meister (am I allowed to call him that?) has put an embossed logo of his mask on the heel piece, and the liner of the shoe repeats that image, this time in cream and grey with each mask containing ‘The’ Red Ruby….not real ones, though that might go some way to explaining the price point of the shoe.

The Monger of DOOM has even managed to get his signature on the inner sole and his ‘face’ upon the box, alongside a specially written ‘Haiku’ he’s done….ah, bless!

The official release date for the Clarks Originals x DOOM Wallabee is 15th February and as I hinted above, pricewise it’s a shift away from standard Wallabee pricing.  And although HYPE and the limited numbers and retail outlets involved will play a part in the market forces the quality of the leather used has also had an impact.

For more DOOM information you can read about him on the Size? blog, or visit Clarks Originals to see some more arty shots of the big man.

The ace art work at the start of this piece is from the Mighty Peter O’Toole; check him out here