3sixteen and Saucony Cooked up the Spring’s Freshest Sneaker Collab

When the denim masterminds at 3sixteen revealed their first-ever sneaker collaboration last year with Saucony, it felt like a breath of fresh air. When an indie label links up with a sneaker giant, the brand’s point of view has a tendency to get sanded down in the creative process. That most certainly didn’t happen with 3sixteen’s hand-dyed interpretations of Saucony’s classic Peregrine 15 trail runners, which felt right in line with the New York-based line’s commitment to artisanal craftsmanship.

“Our first project had a lot to communicate,” says 3sixteen cofounder Andrew Chen. “As a denim brand rooted in craft, we had to consider how that perspective could translate to an athletic sneaker produced at a much larger scale—even one designed with intention.”

Now, for the sequel, 3sixteen and Saucony are taking the partnership in an unexpected direction, skipping over the latter’s more iconic runners in favor of an early-aughts training shoe: the Guide v7.3, whose chunky silhouette reminded Chen and his partner Johan Lam of the techy aesthetics that dominated their youth.

Courtesy of Saucony

Courtesy of Saucony

3sixteen’s spin on the model blends athletic triangle mesh with an elevated hairy suede and smooth nubuck leather. The shoes come in two colorways: a bolder version in screaming tennis-ball yellow, and a quieter take with soft lilac accents, aged off-white soles, gray mesh, and a blush-pink interior lining. Both makeups come with two pairs of laces, one contrasting with the colorway and the other matching it.

Courtesy of Saucony

Courtesy of Saucony