Axel Arigato’s New Pillow Mule Merges Loafers, Slip-Ons and Sneakers Into One Shoe
Stephen Garner
Senior Editor
Axel Arigato has introduced its latest slip-on shoe model – but don’t call it a slide.
In a playful campaign called “Not A Slide,” the Swedish footwear brand introduces its new Pillow Mule silhouette, which takes design cues from its Pillow Boot from the fall/winter 2024 collection.
The tongue-and-cheek campaign was crafted in collaboration with artistic partner Jon Buck and serves as a nod to the shoe’s slip-on functionality while evoking nostalgic, childlike moments.
According to the company, the new made-in-Portugal shoe is a hybrid silhouette that fuses loafers, slip-ons and sneakers. The result is a unisex, androgynous take on the classic open-back footwear, which features Axel Arigato’s signature sneaker soles. Crafted in premium leather, suede, and statement Italian denim, the Pillow Mule includes chunky piping, a bold contrast apron, and a wrapped fabric midsole.
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Jens Werner, creative director of Axel Arigato, called the new Pillow Mule a “study in contrasts.”
“By merging these key aspects of our footwear DNA, we’ve created a silhouette that is both wearable and unexpected,” Werner said. “The playful notion of ‘not a slide’ became our starting point, inspiring both the design and campaign to explore opposites – how they interact, attract, and ultimately redefine each other in an inventive way.”
Axel Arigato’s new Pillow Mule is the latest in a series of design firsts for the brand, following the March launch of the Slow Runner. The style, which reworked the brand’s existing Marathon sneaker, features a flat gum outsole and layered leather, suede, and nubuck paneling.
The latest addition to Axel Arigato’s sneaker lineup comes on the heels of its collaboration with GmbH in October. That style came in metallic silver and patent black colorways, and featured a chainmail mesh detail that the brand said reflected GmbH’s stance against racism and fascism in its work.
Looking ahead, Axel Arigato hinted that “a slew of other footwear profiles” are slated for release this summer.
