EXCLUSIVE: Athleisure Label Matte Collection Launches Shoes for First Time

Matte Collection, the nine-year-old athleisure brand, is launching footwear for the first time.

Called the Matte Trainer, the low-profile sneaker silhouette features a premium upper and “refined finishing details for a shoe that is a “natural” fit for a woman’s daily routine, the company noted.

Justina McKee, who founded the Matte Collection in 2017 as a swimwear brand and later added resortwear and athleisure items, said she wasn’t interested in expanding into footwear “just to add it.”

“It had to feel essential like something that immediately made everything else in the wardrobe make more sense,” McKee told FN. “We waited until we felt like we could do it properly. Footwear changes the entire silhouette, so it had to meet the same standard as everything else we’ve built.”

For her brand’s debut shoe, the founder and creative director noted that she kept coming back to the idea of restraint. “A slim, minimal silhouette that doesn’t compete with the outfit, but elevates it quietly,” McKee added.

The debut release arrives in a statement metallic silver colorway in women’s sizes 6.5 to 11. Future colorways may follow, but silver “sets the tone,” the company noted.

“Finally, athleisure has a sneaker,” McKee said. “We’ve engineered the softest sets imaginable, now we’re completing the everyday uniform. I wanted something that felt as intentional and elevated as the rest of what we’re wearing, but still effortless enough for everyday life.”

To celebrate the launch of its first shoe, Matte Collection is hosting a block party in New York City on May 2, which will feature matcha, gelato and a customization station.

The Matte Trainer, which retails for $148, is now available exclusively at Mattecollection.com. The company noted that select retail partnerships to be explored in the future.