Celine x Reebok.
Back in June, Michael Rider sent a pair of Reebok sneakers down the runway at his first dedicated menswear show for Celine, suggesting that the new creative director had plans for one of sportswear’s most recognisable silhouettes. Now the collaboration has been unveiled in full, with Celine giving the 1982 Reebok Freestyle Lo a distinctly Parisian makeover across eight colourways.
Introduced by Reebok in 1982, the style became closely associated with the era’s aerobics boom before gradually escaping the gym and settling into everyday wardrobes. Rider’s version keeps its low, rounded shape but replaces the original’s more overtly athletic feel with a smooth lambskin upper and a cleaner profile.
The collaboration follows Rider’s idea of “heritage two ways: Paris street, American movement”, bringing together Celine’s polished approach to everyday dressing with the distinctly American history of the Reebok sneaker. That tension was already visible throughout the Spring/Summer 2027 collection, where ballooning trousers, metallic leather jeans, colourful cummerbunds and slim shoes mixed preppy references with a distinctly Parisian attitude.
Celine x Reebok.
Celine x Reebok.
The slim, uncomplicated shape recalls the house’s Jazz Shoes, while the rubber sole retains enough of the Reebok sportswear character to stop the sneaker from becoming too precious. The effect lands somewhere between retro trainer and a wardrobe staple – which seems perfectly in keeping with Rider’s approach so far.
For the Freestyle Lo, the familiar Reebok side overlays have disappeared, leaving the lambskin upper much more exposed. Celine’s insignia replaces the traditional Reebok wordmark on the tongue, while the heel carries both brands, with Celine’s Triomphe on one side and the Reebok logo on the other. Each pair also comes with a removable leather tag featuring the two logos on opposite sides.
Celine x Reebok.
The collection arrives in eight distinct colourways, including optic white, black, butter, beige, peanut, dark brown, oxblood and fluo red, allowing the shape to coordinate with everything from tailoring to casual denim separates. The monochromatic treatment gives each shade its own personality while keeping the silhouette remarkably simple.
The Freestyle Lo is now available globally in boutiques and online, with an exclusive ‘ALLDAYEVERYDAY’ edition available at Celine Wooster in New York and Celine Omotesando in Tokyo. Find out more here.
photography. courtesy of Celine
words. Gennaro Costanzo
