In January, Louis Vuitton men’s creative director Pharrell Williams revealed the French fashion house’s ButterSoft sneaker in nearly 50 different shades. That shoe, a bulbous, round-toed silhouette which resembled a puffed-up version of an early 1970s sneaker, drew comparisons from commenters to the Nike Cortez. And now, for summer, as highlighted in Louis Vuitton’s resort 2026 menswear collection, Williams has drawn inspiration from another footwear category: skateboarding.
First seen in the aforementioned resort ’26 collection in May, the new Louis Vuitton Tilted sneaker was later seen in detailed photos shared by Mathias Patillo, head of design of men’s footwear at Louis Vuitton, and designer Thibo Denis, who in July 2024 left his position as Dior’s head of mens footwear to join Williams at Louis Vuitton.
You May Also Like
Related Stories
In his Instagram post., Denis stated that the Tilted sneaker gets its name from its off-kilter tongue logo, which leans to the lateral side on both the left and right shoes. Denis also touted the model’s identical left and right sole outlines, which are traditionally asymmetrical between the lateral and medial sides of sneakers.
The Tilted is a low-top, skate-informed silhouette with a tapered toe box and thick shoelaces. Previewed in suede and monogrammed canvas styles, the shoe includes Louis Vuitton branding throughout and a checkered pattern at the tip of the outsole. The latter, along with the shoe’s overall aesthetic, has led some Instagram commenters to compare the Tilted to Vans sneakers.
Vans sneakers have long been a muse for the designer footwear industry. Most famously, Rick Owens’ popular Vintage sneakers have brought an avant-garde gothic edge to the skate shoes. And for Louis Vuitton, the brand began toying with homages to classic athletic footwear prior to Williams’ arrival; Virgil Abloh’s sneaker designs often referenced late ‘80s and early ‘90s basketball shoes.
A specific release date and price point for the Louis Vuitton Tilted have not been announced, but given its resort designation, the sneaker should begin arriving at Louis Vuitton stores and online around the holiday season.