City, nature and psychedelia meet in the new Merrell and Perks and Mini collaboration Two Merrell icons reinterpreted through the underground lens of the Australian brand
Merrell ventures beyond the beaten path with a new collaboration alongside P.A.M. - Perks and Mini, the cult Australian brand from Melbourne that for over twenty years has been blending art, music and underground culture into a psychedelic and experimental aesthetic. The result is a capsule that explores boundary spaces, where city and nature meet.
The idea stems from a personal episode involving P.A.M. co-founder Misha Hollenbach, who after destroying his shoes during a bikepacking trip completed the journey wearing a pair of Hydro Mocs, Merrell's iconic model. That experience gave shape to a reinterpretation of two of the brand's iconic silhouettes: the Chameleon becomes the Cham Storm GTX, while the Hydro Moc evolves into the Hydro Next Gen Moc.
The Cham Storm GTX combines technical details with a decidedly more radical aesthetic, featuring a mesh upper coated with a 3D silicone texture with a reptilian effect, a waterproof GORE-TEX membrane, a quick-lace system and a FloatMax™ midsole. The Hydro Next Gen Moc, meanwhile, accentuates the sculptural side of the original model through its EVA construction, studded surfaces and a design built for seamless transition from water to land.
The launch campaign also reflects the hybrid nature of the collaboration. It was created by Milan-based collective NO TEXT AZIENDA, while the special effects and body paint used were crafted by Japanese artist Amazing Jiro. The result is a surreal visual universe built entirely without artificial intelligence, playing with the concepts of transformation and shifts in perspective.
To accompany the launch, Merrell and P.A.M. will bring the collaboration to some of the world's major cities with a series of in-store events across Sydney, Seoul, Tokyo, Chengdu, London and New York, complete with DJ sets and community-focused gatherings.