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JM Weston, the French luxury shoes creator just launched a new exciting project, an homage to Yves Klein. When 2 French creators universes meet, only the sublime can be reached. When JM Weston launched Le Moc, a new franchise within the brand portfolio, he opened a new freedom that can bring JM Weston to interesting collaborations and match ups. It was already the case in the past years with creators like Maison Kitsuné or Charlie Casely-Hayford. This time, it is a matter of matching 2 amazing creators universes. The one of a French luxury shoe manufacturer and the one of Yves Klein, the French Master artist.

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When JM Weston launched LE MOC, their idea was to bring back to live a certain lightness, freedom and youth. The idea of getting away from the standards was always a leitmotiv for the brand. The new shoe by JM Weston is the promise of an elegant, original and stylish lifestyle. This Spring, JM Weston joins forces with the creative mind of Yves Klein heritage and most specifically the famous International Klein Blue.

As we can imagine, the challenge was to translate this amazing, extra-terrestrial blue to a shoe. Simple to say but hard to succeed a satisfactory result. It required all the know-how from the masters-Tanneurs and the creative spirit of Michel Perry to bring to life this amazing color.

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Why Blue? First of all there is nothing, then there is a profound nothing, then a profound Blue. – G.Bachelard quoted by Yves Klein.

Yves Klein, one of the major artists of the late 20th Century, was also a philosopher of a unique kind, an unusual spirit determined to push back the boundaries of art as it existed at the time. He sought to capture an invisible beauty, while also representing a new way of living as a committed artist.The unique vision of a man at the cutting edge of his time echoes the philosophy of J.M. Weston, a legendary house upholding the values of creativity, accomplishment and eternity.

Yves Klein, the master of Blue

According to science, the human eye can spot 1000 levels of light&dark, 100 levels of red&green and 100 levels of yellow&blue. This means that we can see about 10 million different colors. But in this variety of colors there is only one Yves Klein Blue. Yves Klein was born in April 28th 1928 in Nice – South of France. He was considered as an important figure in post-war European art. He is the leading member of the French artistic movement of Nouveau Réalisme founded in 1960 by art critic Pierre Restany. Yves Klein was a pioneer in the development of performance art and is seen as an inspiration to, and as a forerunner of, minimal art, as well as Pop Art.

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In the autumn of 1956, he began his “blue period” by working with an existing shade of bright, highly saturated blue, which was according to him “the most perfect expression of blue”. The colour was worked as monochrome canvases as well as being a medium in which to soak sponges or statues. Yves Klein became famous as “Yves the Monochrome” – in 1960, he even patented his “International Klein Blue”, a blend of pigment and a specific base which allowed the colour to develop its full density (original article here).

JM Weston Le Moc Yves Klein, state of the art.

For Summer 2014, the French shoe house introduced Le Moc’ Weston, a supple, colourful version of the legendary 180 mocassin, designed for the bare feet of a new creative generation.
The work and spirit of Yves Klein inspired the house of J.M. Weston and its artistic director Michel Perry, who chose to bring together for the first time an artist’s life work with this modern classic shoe. The depth of Klein Blue creates an in nite space into which Le Moc’ steps with its easy, free pace. Le Moc’ takes on the exact shade of the International Klein Blue to create a timeless hommage, crafted according to the nest J.M. Weston savoir-faire. A very limited edition of this exceptional Moc’ with 1500 pairs in men’s and women’s sizes will be available for sale from March 2016.

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Le Moc’ JM Weston Yves Klein is a limited edition of 1’500 pairs each with a certificate of authenticity. It will be available in the 9 of the JM Weston boutiques from March 2016:

  • Paris – Champs Elysées, Madeleine, Saint-Honoré and Le Bon-Marché
  • London
  • Geneva
  • NYC
  • Aoyama
  • Shanghai

According to the brand, 5% of the amount will be given to the Association Ouvrière des Compagnons du Devoir et du Tour de France.

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The recommended retail price for this must-have is 675€ which is a very fair price due to the beautiful object that is. You can read more about JM Weston by visiting the brand official website:

http://www.jmweston.fr

By celebrating the genius of Yves Klein, JM Weston releases an amazing creation. 1’500 pairs in the world means that only happy few will be able to wear this outstanding shoe. Le Moc is an amazing addition to the brand collection.

LA

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Info sourced in JM Weston official communication release. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.