Cole Haan announced an unexpected collaboration this week with business communication platform Slack.
Teasing the collection yesterday on Twitter, Cole Haan shared a darkened image of four sneakers featuring the four signature colors of the Slack logo — green, blue, yellow and fuchsia.
The footwear brand then debuted the styles this morning, writing: “Ping! We’ve been teaming up with everyone’s favorite channel-based messaging platform for years. Introducing Cole Haan x @SlackHQ. Discover four limited-edition color schemes— designed with the Slack crew, over Slack.”
Keep your notifications on for Cole Haan x @SlackHQ: The limited-edition collab between two brands redefining how the world works drops October 7.
Sign up to be the first to know: https://t.co/G4JXS0jOLq pic.twitter.com/upFJbBiCVf
— Cole Haan (@colehaan) October 4, 2020
Ping! We’ve been teaming up with everyone’s favorite channel-based messaging platform for years. Introducing Cole Haan x @SlackHQ. Discover four limited-edition color schemes—designed with the Slack crew, over Slack.
Shop Now: https://t.co/gcJWQ8ECRe pic.twitter.com/sDh39U3wWI
— Cole Haan (@colehaan) October 7, 2020
The Cole Haan x Slack Zerøgrand sneakers feature all-white uppers accented with the business app’s signature shades across the treaded outsole and tongue collar with the Slack logo printed on each shoe’s heel. The style includes a signature Stitchlite knit upper for stretch and comfort along with breathable panels and a shock-absorbing outsole, all available for $120 at ColeHaan.com.
As fans discovered the new sneakers on Twitter, it garnered a mix of emotions. One user referenced the brand’s way of revealing the sneakers and wrote: “Yikes, Cole Haan x Slack shoe looked better in the dark. Turn the lights back off.“
Another user Tweeted about the supposed corniness of the collaboration, saying, “the cole haan slack collab…still speechless.” One account referenced the Slack performance issues that occurred earlier this week, saying both the new system update and the new sneakers “run slow.”
Yikes, Cole Haan x Slack shoe looked better in the dark. Turn the lights back off. pic.twitter.com/6MoAehEo9X
— sockjig (@sockjig) October 7, 2020
The corniness of the cole haan slack collab…still speechless 🆘
— Seth (@sethhart) October 7, 2020
Slack Slack
in Electron in Cole Haan
🤝
running slow pic.twitter.com/Ye8zJ45T8d— Daniel (Socially) Distant (@isEqualToDan) October 7, 2020
Another group of users criticized the companies’ decision to release the shoes during the current environment, writing everything from “a cole haan x slack collab?? in this economy??? in a PANDEMIC?????” to “Slack collaborated with Cole Haan to make these unfortunate shoes during a pandemic that has seen Slack’s target demographic work from home without shoes.”
News: Slack collaborated with Cole Haan to make these unfortunate shoes during a pandemic that has seen Slack’s target demographic work from home without shoes. pic.twitter.com/dEmFhsCJAS
— 2PM (@2PMinc) October 7, 2020
a cole haan x slack collab?? in this economy??? in a PANDEMIC?????
— paddington stan account (@Adriyoung) October 6, 2020
A bleak collaboration for our bleak times. https://t.co/O64iza9Ft8
— Boothany Booron 👻 (@bethanybiron) October 6, 2020
Me: Cole Haan and Slack are teaming up to launch….shoes?
My wife, correctly: I hate 2020.
— Margot Atwell (@MargotAtwell) October 6, 2020