Chalhoub Group’s Sol3mates Division Hires Nike Collaborator Val Kristopher as First Creative Director
Stephen Garner
Senior Editor
After launching nearly a year ago, The Chalhoub Group’s first sneaker label is adding to its executive team.
According to the Dubai-based company, Chalhoub’s Sol3mates division has hired Val Kristopher as its first creative director. Kristopher, a British-Filipino designer, is known for his work with high-profile celebs like Migos, Bryson Tiller, BTS and Baekhyun of EXO as well as past collaborations with Levi’s and Nike.
With Kristopher at the helm of creative direction, the company said in a statement on Wednesday that Sol3mates is “set to redefine its aesthetic across platforms, crafting narratives that resonate with both web3 and traditional fashion audiences.” His leadership will be “instrumental in guiding brand-building initiatives that solidify Sol3mates’ position at the forefront of the footwear scene,” the company added.
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“This appointment underscores our ambitions, as we expand from our strong roots in web3 to make our mark in the broader industry. Val’s creative vision aligns perfectly with our goal to become the label of the future, and we are excited to scale globally,” said Sean Anderson, general manager of Sol3mates, said in a statement.
Kristopher’s appointment comes after the December launch of Sirocco, a new brand created in collaboration with the Chalhoub Group’s web3-native sneaker company Sol3mates and French designer Kacimi Latamène.
The company said at the time that Sol3mates serves as a platform for indie sneaker designers to bring their creative visions to fruition. The initiative aims to “break the mold” of traditional sneaker brand collabs by sharing ownership with the designers, with each creator receiving generous commissions along with the power to create whatever they want. This allows artists to focus on their creative work and community, while Sol3mates manages all other aspects.
Sirocco’s first shoe, the Sirocco 1, is now available to a wider global audience exclusively at Level Shoes in Dubai Mall. Following this, Sirocco 1 will be available in limited quantities from Oct. 3 on Sol3mates’ own website and through a select group of premium retail partners worldwide, including Harrods, Galeries Lafayette, and Atmos Japan.
