The duo heads to the wetlands with artist Brittany Byrd to debut a sneaker that bites back.
Summary
- The Launch: CNCPTS and New Balance team up for the “Gator Run,” a sneaker releasing January 16 that swaps standard materials for glossy “Shadow Red” alligator skin.
- The Campaign: Artist Brittany Byrd fronts the visual diary, shot on location in the Florida Everglades to highlight the shoe’s swamp-inspired roots.
- The Design: A black, vintage-style sole grounds the loud upper, mixing the traction of a runner with the high-shine aesthetic of luxury exotic leathers.
CNCPTS and New Balance just dipped a classic runner in high-gloss varnish. The two heavy hitters stripped away the usual suede and mesh to wrap their latest collaboration, the “Gator Run,” in a “Shadow Red” faux-alligator skin that demands you look down. This high-shine upper breaks only for the stark white laces and tongue branding, creating a look that feels more like a trophies cabinet than a gym locker. Grounding this loud, reptilian texture is a black, vintage-style sole designed for serious traction.
That grip proves useful when the fashion shoot takes place in the middle of a literal wetland. The brands bypassed the studio for the Florida Everglades, dropping the sneaker into its spiritual home of mud, moss, and dense tropical leaves. Amidst the humid foliage stands artist Brittany Byrd, looking right at home in the muck.
Byrd fades into the background in deep green styling, a deliberate move that forces the eye back to the red heat on her feet. It’s a color story that mimics the alligator itself—a creature defined by long periods of stillness followed by a sudden, violent snap. You can hunt for a pair exclusively at the CNCPTS online store starting January 16.
