NEEDLES and Reebok first teamed up for a special iteration of the Beatnik back in 2018 with a little help from BEAMS, and now they’ve reunited for a totally backless take on the cult-favorite style. Since that inaugural Beatnik collaboration — which helped re-launch the silhouette almost 15 years after its launch as part of Reebok’s 1993-94 fall lineup — the two have established a consistent design language: one black colorway and one tan colorway, both with NEEDLES’ butterfly logo stitched on the upper in purple. In 2022, the scheme was used on two mid-cut slip-on Beatnik Mocs, and now it’s being used on yet another altered iteration of the silhouette that does away with any backing, making for a pure mule style.
“By removing the heel straps from the popular slide, we’ve given it a more relaxed finish,” said NEEDLES founder Keizo Shimizu. “The result is a unique piece of footwear that not only blends into the NEEDLES collection, but also into both urban and natural environments.”
Apart from its new backless construction and familiar color palettes, the NEEDLES x Reebok Beatnik boasts luxurious suede uppers with the aforementioned butterfly logo appearing on the lateral forefoot atop a signature toothed outsole. Accompanied by a lookbook that NEEDLES says “[evokes] an ‘American West Coast’ vibe,” the low-key style was clearly made with summertime lampin’ in mind.
If you’re looking to add the latest NEEDLES x Reebok Beatnik collaboration to your lineup, you can expect both colorways to touch down on the Reebok website and at select retailers come May 25. The MSRP is set at $120 USD.
