Salehe Bembury is an American footwear designer whose collaborative career has spanned Versace, Greats, New Balance, Crocs, and his own independent brand. Based in Los Angeles, Bembury has emerged as one of the most influential designer-collaborators of the 2020s — establishing a distinctive design language built on sculptural multi-panel construction, earth-tone palettes, and nature-inspired aesthetics.
Design philosophy
Bembury's signature approach emphasizes:
- Sculptural multi-panel uppers — each panel a distinct material and color
- Earth-tone palettes — browns, tans, clay reds, muted greens
- Nature-inspired colorways — "Water Be The Guide," "Salt Lake," "Joshua Tree"
- "Pangaea" branding — his independent label
- Hand-dipped texture effects on premium releases
- Earthy material callouts — suede, waxed leather, mesh
Major collaborations
New Balance
- 2002R "Water Be The Guide" (2022) — the defining Bembury × NB collaboration
- 2002R "Salt Lake" (2023)
- 2002R "Stony River" (2023)
- Multiple 2002R colorway extensions
- New Balance Fresh Foam More v3 "Peaks and Valleys"
Crocs
- Pollex Clog "Rat" (2021) — the launch colorway
- Pollex Clog "Urchin," "Crocodile," "Menemsha," "Mandarin" (2022-2024)
- The Pollex became Crocs's most successful collaborative silhouette ever
Anta
- Anta × Bembury Kai 1 (Kyrie Irving's new adidas signature that Bembury designed)
Versace
- Chain Reaction chunky sneaker (during his tenure as Versace VP of Footwear Design, 2017-2019)
Pangaea (his own label)
- The Pangaea Sandal
- The Pangaea Rune
- Various independent releases
Design background
Bembury attended Syracuse University for industrial design, then worked at Cole Haan, Greats, and eventually Versace before transitioning to collaborative work with New Balance, Crocs, and his own label. His approach combines luxury-fashion design training with streetwear sensibility — a unique perspective that has resonated with the 2020s sneaker culture.
Current status
Bembury continues active collaborative releases across New Balance, Crocs, and his Pangaea label. Secondary market prices on Bembury releases routinely run 2-5x retail for the most desired colorways.