Atmos's Hirofumi Kojima unravels the power of The North Face's new sandals.

After-activity sandals made of EVA material are becoming a staple in the fashion scene as well as before and after sports and outdoor activities. To coincide with the release of three new items from THE NORTH FACE's RE-Activ collection, a pop-up will be held at the atmos Shinjuku store from June 8 (Sat) to 16 (Sun), 2024. How does "atmos," a leader in the sneaker scene, view these sandals? What is the appeal of after-activity sandals from the sneaker store's perspective? We interviewed Hirofumi Kojima Kojima, creative director of ATMOS. We also introduce style samples of two men and a woman wearing these sandals.

Photo (Product)_Yutto
Photo(Interview, Snap)_Yuko Yasukawa
Text_Issey Enomoto
Edit_Hideki Shibayama

The sole unit has a two-layer construction. So, it is easy to walk.

- The North Face's RE-Activ Collection will be featured at this pop-up. Please tell us about its features.

Kojima: The most distinctive feature is the use of a two-layer sole unit with different material hardness. The part that touches the foot is made of a softer material, while the part that touches the ground is made of a harder material. The design visualizing the difference in materials with gradation is also beautiful.

- What is the advantage of having a two-layer sole?

Kojima: Quite simply, the advantage is that they are easy to walk in. The soles of ordinary molded sandals have a single-layer construction. By using a two-layer construction, we have achieved both a comfortable feeling when you put your foot in the sandal and ease of walking.

- He said the shoes are soft and cushioned at the moment of putting them on, and when walking, they feel appropriately resilient and stable.

Kojima: Exactly. This construction was inspired by the sole unit of The North Face's "VECTIV" series of trail running shoes. The semi-rocker construction with the toe curved up allows the foot to naturally move forward.