From Shaolin to Soho: a closer look at the Clarks Originals x Wu Wear Wallabee WW

Collaboration releases are de rigueur in this day and age, but when something like the CLARKS ORIGINALS x WU WEAR WALLABEE WW appears, the levels get raised considerably. Tenuous product endorsements from lesser brands can step aside, as this unlikely pairing is as genuine as partnerships get. Take a trip back to 1996 and check out Wu-Tang OG member Ghostface Killah’s ‘Ironman’ album cover, where the self-proclaimed ‘Wally Champ’ is stood alongside fellow aficionados Raekwon and Cappadonna on what looks like a backstreet Clarks production line, flavoured with their own creations. Or listen to the intro to Raekwon’s ‘Glaciers of Ice’, where an excited Ghost almost hyperventilates as he verbally throws together exotic colourways of the suede mid-top: “Yeah, yo son! You gotta take me to get them Clarks, man!”

You can check the credentials, as there’s no question that Wu-Tang and Wallabees go hand in hand. In honour of this special relationship, Clarks Originals have officially got together with Shaolin’s finest to create three exquisite colourways of the classic Wallabee, utilising premium materials throughout and featuring custom Wu Wear branding on the heel and fob. We took a trip to the Clarks Originals London flagship store in Berwick St to experience the Wallabee WW for ourselves and take all three colourways for a spin in Soho. Check out our exclusive photos for a closer look at the collab, and read our review over here…

Every city has its district or neighbourhood for music and street culture. In Tokyo, it’s Shibuya or Harajuku; in New York, it’s the Lower East Side; and in London, it’s Soho. If you like music, no matter what the genre, then Soho has always been the place to go when in town. Contrasting with the generic tourist vibe of Oxford Street, taking a walk five minutes south brings you into the heart of London’s music retail scene. Legendary record shops have come and gone over the past decades, and those who remember the release of Wu-Tang’s debut album, ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’, will no doubt have set foot in some of these establishments at one time or another: Mr. Bongos, Deal Real, Wild Pitch, Unity… the list goes on. Some of these places have had to evolve and diversify in order to keep up with changing times and others are now sadly confined to the history books, but the area remains steeped in musical heritage. With that in mind, it’s the perfect location for the Clarks Originals store and for us to take the Wallabee WW out for a stroll.

Three colours of the CLARKS ORIGINALS x WU WEAR WALLABEE WW release is AVAILABLE NOW at the flagship store in Soho and online at selected retailers. Click the banner below to check out the release page with the full list of stockists.