Plae previewed its Fall ’16 at Fort Mason in San Francisco during its first-ever fashion show hosted by “Modern Family” star Aubrey Anderson-Emmons and her mother, comedian Amy Anderson. The event featured kid models on the runway as well as aerial and hip hop performances and live art by Plae’s “artist-in-residence” Oliver Black.
The fanfare helped launch Plae’s fall collection inspired by the the five elements—Earth, wind, fire, water and ether. Each shoe’s “element pack” is assigned a unique ‘superpower’ detailing the certain unique characteristics.
“At first we were concerned that the elements might be a little high concept,” said Ryan Ringholz, Plae founder and chief designer. “We wondered, would kids get it? So, we asked them. Without missing a beat, they all responded, ‘oh, you mean like Pokemon?’ Kids are so much cooler than the rest of us.”
The Fall ’16 collection introduces three new silhouettes to the Plae family; the Cam, a modern take on a slip-on constructed of synthetic nubuck and suede; Kaiden’s, a sporty silhouette which combines the sleek look of a hi-top with the durability of a waterproof hiking boot; and Claire, a knee-high boot constructed of suede and space-knit fabric. The collection also features new spins on popular existing silhouettes, including details like coated metallic leathers, vibrant colors and knit fabrics.
“Every day kids are out conquering the elements,” said Ringholz. “They see every encounter with the natural world as an opportunity to interact in play. We wanted to reflect that connectivity and spirit.”