This Shoe Brand Is Ditching Trends And Seasons — & For Good Reason

There's a growing train of brands, small and large, ditching the antiquated fashion calendar, and emerging footwear brand BATU is the latest. But, rather than adopt the change later in the game, BATU is launching worldwide May 29 with collection-less, seasonless-ness as a core pillar of the brand. Why? Because designing a shoe that works year-round, and boasts modern, trend-free elegance shouldn't be an afterthought.

"I want my customers to be able to wear my classic, yet quirky pieces for seasons and years to come!" shares Bree Munro, BATU founder and designer. "They’re an investment to live on in your wardrobe, not a 'trendy' impulse purchase that you’ll get sick of after one season." Munro, who's dually-based in Bali and Melbourne, was inspired to start the brand after leaving her career in Australian fast fashion behind. Having been immersed in Balinese culture from a young age, she was inspired to channel the generosity and warmth of the culture through a new, energized brand.

When she first moved to Bali part-time to start BATU, most of her days were spent biking through the city in pursuit of ethically-sourced leathers, reaping tons of inspiration from the rich landscape in the process. "The colors and woods I use are very much reflective of the natural scenery and landscapes found all over Bali," shares Munro. "From the rolling waves to the dirt roads and lush rainforests, it really is an incredibly beautiful and inspirational place to be."

The brand's current stable of styles is as varied as it gets, with wood-flanked slides and square-toed ankle boots making a splash. The design process is an intuitive one: when inspiration comes, Munro creates. When styles sell out, she restocks. After all, shouldn't it be that simple? "My belief [is] that creativity is fluid and shouldn’t be forced. I only want to design and produce amazing pieces when inspiration takes hold," she shares. "Every shoe that I put out into the world has its own special story of where it started and how it came to be... and I wouldn’t have it any other way." Speaking of which, the brand teased an all-new shoe this week on Instagram, inspired by the rolling waves of the Bali Sea.

That said, BATU's launch is a celebrated one — and, with the timing of new arrivals remaining a mystery, the waiting process feels that much more exciting. For styles on-site today, continue ahead:

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