POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF) Introduces Its First Original Sneaker, the “Petal Trainers”

Seoul-based label POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF) has unveiled the “Petal Trainers,” its first independently developed sneaker. First presented during Paris Fashion Week for the Fall/Winter 2026 season, the model marks the label’s entry into the lifestyle footwear category.

Having previously explored footwear through a series of collaborations, PAF now brings its structural design language to a sneaker developed entirely under the brand’s own vision.

Summary

Courtesy of POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF)

Turning Petal Forms Into Personal Expression

The Petal Trainers feature an upper crafted from Italian cow leather, punctuated by organic laser-cut slits inspired by the shape of flower petals. The design embodies “Organic Artifact,” PAF’s approach to reinterpreting forms found in nature through the language of contemporary product design.

These cutouts function as more than decorative elements. Voluminous laces can be threaded through different slits across the upper, allowing the wearer to alter the shoe’s appearance and create multiple styling configurations. Rather than prescribing a single finished form, the design leaves room for individual interpretation.

Soft leather curves, irregular openings, and laces that move across the surface give the everyday sneaker a sculptural yet fluid character. Its form shifts subtly according to how it is worn and arranged.

Functionality for the Urban Landscape

Underfoot, the sneaker is fitted with Vibram’s “MC2 Road Running Sole,” selected to provide durability and stability across varied urban environments.

This balance between experimental construction and practical performance reflects PAF’s broader design language. The brand has built its identity by bringing avant-garde sportswear together with futuristic outerwear, treating functionality as an integral part of visual experimentation.

The Petal Trainers are offered in four colorways: Black, Brown, White, and Malva Grey. While the darker variations emphasize the depth and shadows created by the laser-cut surface, White and Malva Grey lend the petal-like construction a lighter, more delicate presence.

From Deconstruction to a New Product Category

POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF) was founded in Seoul in 2018 by Dongjoon Lim and Sukyo Jeong. The brand has developed its practice by deconstructing and rebuilding garments and objects, using familiar design structures as the foundation for new formal possibilities.

PAF was named a finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2021. Its subsequent projects have included collaborations connected to Off-White’s “EQUIPMENT” show and the official merchandise for Virgil Abloh’s “Figures of Speech” exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, as well as collaborations with District Vision and On.

Against this background, the Petal Trainers represent a notable transition. Rather than approaching footwear through collaboration, PAF is establishing an independently developed silhouette of its own. The brand’s continuing exploration of deconstruction and reconstruction now moves from the body to the feet—expressed through a shoe whose overlapping, adjustable elements evoke the changing form of a flower.

The POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF) Fall/Winter 2026 Petal Trainers will be released in advance through PAF stores and the brand’s official online store on September 9, 2026. The model will subsequently become available through selected retailers.

Product Information

Product: Petal Trainers
Colors: Black, Brown, White, Malva Grey
Sizes: 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300 (mm)
Release: September 9, 2026 (advance release)
Availability: POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF) stores and the brand’s official online store, which ships worldwide, followed by select international retailers

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