Los Angeles – Luxury automotive company McLaren is dipping its toe into the footwear sector. Through a collaboration with Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL), the company is introducing its performance expertise to the world of sneakers.
The APL McLaren HySpeed is inspired by McLaren’s supercars and hypercars and comes equipped with APL’s signature Load ‘N’ Launch technology, which is designed to maximise vertical lift. The shoe comes in five distinct colourways and features a three-piece cushion heel padding and an outsole inspired by performance tyres.
Given that both companies are known for their commitment to performance, speed and efficiency, the partnership was a natural crossover. ‘It perfectly embodies both our own and APL’s DNA and design philosophy. APL has developed new technologies specifically for this shoe – inspired by our ground-breaking work,’ says Goran Ozbolt, acting design director at McLaren.
In the past, automotive companies have partnered with luxury fashion brands to create capsule clothing collections that apply eco-credentials. Looking ahead, this collaboration points to a future when performance-driven companies can align with different industries to create new innovations.
Strategic opportunity
When pursuing cross-sector collaborations, take inspiration from McLaren and align yourself with a company that also expresses your core values and DNA