Salomon Wins the Super Bowl With Rihanna’s Red Sneakers
Finnish designer and trail runner Heikki Salonen was the creative visionary behind the MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon Cross Low shoe.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Grammy award winning singer Rhianna arrived at the Super Bowl halftime show in a red outfit that will enter the history books as one of the boldest colors on the halftime stage. While the Twitterverse went wild over her simultaneous non-verbal pregnancy announcement, sneaker heads were looking straight at her shoes. And we were right there with them.
Wait, was that a Salomon logo peaking out?
Maison Margiela x Salomon
Salomon, first established in Annecy, France, in 1947, is perhaps first known for their winter ski equipment. They moved into the running shoe market in the early 1990s, and have been an industry leader ever since. The Speedcross fast became their signature shoe for trail running aficionados wanting to run on more rugged terrain. The base structure of the Speedcross now happens to be that on which Finnish designer and avid trail runner, Heikki Salonen, chose to build upon for a collaboration between Maison Margiela and Salomon.
The MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon Cross Low shoe collaboration was originally released in the fall of 2022. The shoe sits on a Salomon Speedcross 6 base and features a gaiter and an interpretation of the Salomon Speedlace system. Heikki designed the shoe in a unisex model for men and women, and also re-worked the lugs on the sole.
It was launched in three colors—red, black, and a multi-color model with green color pop—and was originally available in the United States, Europe, and online China. The multi-color option sold out hours after the shoe first dropped.
It turns out Rihanna originally posted a picture on Instagram wearing a pair of Salomon XT-6’s back in 2019, so it seems she’s not a newcomer to the brand.
RELATED: Why Rihanna’s Halftime Performance Was Actually Yoga
(Photo: Courtesy Salomon)
Where to Buy the MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon Cross Low
At the time of this publication, Maison Margiela still had available pairs for sale. According to representatives at Salomon, this is only the first chapter of the partnership between Maison Margiela MM6 and Salomon. A second collaboration between the two brands, the Crosswader shoe, seen on runways during Milan Fashion Week in 2022, is set to be released later in 2023.
Endorsed by a talented singer well into her second journey towards motherhood, we salute Rihanna for continuing to push the narrative of motherhood in action.