Denim Tears Design Uggs With A Purpose For S/S 22
Designer Tremaine Emory embeds his history into his brand Denim Tears' latest collaboration for Ugg, exploring his connection to his great-grandmother Onia’s Black Seminole heritage.
Designer Tremaine Emory embeds his history into his brand Denim Tears' latest collaboration for Ugg, exploring his connection to his great-grandmother Onia’s Black Seminole heritage.
Uggs have always been a hit classic amongst the stylish and not-so, seen is a comfortable footwear choice by many that's practical, warm and simply snug. Although the brand's popularity has wavered over the last decade, in recent years, they've managed to re-establish themselves against a backdrop of fashion's coolest shoes, leveraging up by collaborating with labels like Eckhaus Latta and Telfar, sported by Pharrell and Justin Bieber, which should make their next collaboration no surprise.
Teaming up with Tremaine Emory's Denim Tears, the UGG x Denim Tears Classic ONIA represents comfort alongside the fusion of Emory's own culture, accentuated by the use of embroidery and beading. Crafted from signature suede and sheepskin with florally adorned panels and detailed whipstitching, the designs represent a deeply personal exploration of his great-grandmother Onia's Black Seminole heritage, incorporating inspiration found in associated iconography and craft techniques from the southeastern United States.
'My grandmother is 95 years old. Once my grandmother goes, that's it. There's no one else for me to talk to in my family about my great-grandmother. She's the last living person on Earth who knew my great-grandmother. How much more time does she have? Or do any of us have? So, this is my attempt to try to cement some history so that, maybe one day, five kids or the rest of my family know the history.' - Tremaine Emory
On a deep dive mission to uncover his great-grandmother's history, Emory's findings and stories have been stitched together to create wearable pieces of art, all rooted in indigenous and black American heritage. Speaking of this process involving stitching his discoveries, Emory commented, 'Just putting things down that can't be erased, so maybe ten more people know now that Indigenous and African American communities are actually way closer than we thought.'
Reimagined through this historical lens are the brand's Classic and Tasman styles, reflecting a cultural narrative the wearer will be reminded of, and therefore become a part of, every time they wear them.
