Highlights From Drop One Of Viberg's Spring/Summer 2023 Collection

Spring’s around the corner, and Viberg is gearing up.

In the first drop of their Spring/Summer 2023 collection, the Canadian maker is highlighting leathers from two of their longtime partners: British suede-and-more masters C.F. Stead, and Italian operation Conceria Maryam, the horse-leather specialists whose kangaroo leather is also being leveraged in serious fashion. The four big bullet points of this first drop:

-There’s a lot of kangaroo leather here. With its extraordinary tensile strength compared to cowhide, we’re certainly not opposed to seeing more of it around.

-There are a surprising amount of black and shades of brown! It feels somewhat at odds with the lush, vibrant scenery (and Peeps; RIP Peeps guy) typically associated with spring, but perhaps we’ll be seeing more lively colors in the upcoming drops.

-Wedge soles are well-represented in this collection, which Viberg says is a nod to their Japan launch in the late 2000s. There’s something to be said here about how a sole like the Vibram 2021 can make a shoe or boot feel a bit more…sneaker-y. And the whole big ol’ sneakers thing definitely seems here for a minute, more widely throughout fashion and style. Is Viberg staying the course on their “refined” offerings, or are they drifting back to a streetwear look? Does streetwear even exist anymore?!? Time will tell.

-Goodyear welt construction reigns supreme in this lineup—we count four total Stitchdown products, all Service Boots.

This is the first of multiple seasonal drops from Viberg, so stay tuned for more, including some so-far-unseen new leathers from Gallun. For now, here are some highlights from Drop One…

Viberg 2040 Service Boot in T. Moro TPR Horsebutt: $840

Maryam’s T. Moro color is a shade of graphite-brown, utilized here on their TPR horsebutt tannage. This leather’s glossy finish can be kept up with a bit of light maintenance, or it can be easily stripped off to highlight the natural grain beneath. The mini-chonk 2040 last paired with the oversized antique brass eyes gives these boots a very workwear vibe.