We reckon KEEN have had a pretty large hand in this whole ugly-attractive footwear trend, and right at the forefront of it all is their UNEEK. A half-sandal, half-crochet masterpiece so intriguing that it’s constantly at the front of our shoe racks. Wear a pair of UNEEKs out of the house, and you’re bound to get comments on them, and in our experience, they’re generally positive.
They’re not just a conversation starter, though; they’re also mega comfortable. So comfortable you can forget you’ve got them on. Expect to find them still attached to the bottom of your feet when you get into the bath. Not that it matters, though, they’re designed to be amphibious.
Anyway, as usual, the UNEEK has been hiding away for the winter, but this summer it has returned different… cradling offspring. We’re not sure where it was hibernating or what it was doing, but the sandal has somehow managed to multiply. The UNEEK isn’t just one sandal anymore; it’s three. The original and two new children, christened the UNEEK PLT and UNEEK PLT Tassel.
The PLT is a chunkier, bolder rendition of its originator, utilising a platform sole (hence the PLT), putting a bit of extra heft underfoot. They look like they’ve been born for the catwalk, tipping a nod to KEEN’s noir Kei Ninomiya partnership from SS24. Definitely a good pair if you round your height up.
The UNEEK PLT’s brother has been crowned the UNEEK WK – a slightly techier version of the UNEEK, replacing the original low-profile sole with a much chunkier one, featuring KEEN.CURVE technology. It’s similar to the sole on the brand’s WK400 but has been tuned down for beer garden binges rather than mountain marathons. We’re big into these, expect to see us knocking about Ancoats hot cobbles with them on foot this summer.
Sandal season has definitely arrived – this KEEN release proves it. They’ve now produced a sandal for every occasion, formality and condition. Pretty sure that’s called market cornering, and we’re buzzing about it. UNEEKs for everyone.
The new KEEN UNEEK Family styles are available now at www.keenfootwear.co.uk
