Axel Arigato goes playful with its new Squish sneaker

Axel Arigato, a label best known for its ultra-clean lines, minimalist leather, and “please don’t crease these” sensibility, has decided to do something very un-Axel Arigato: loosen up. Enter Squish, a brand-new unisex sneaker arriving for SS26, and easily the most playful shape the brand has ever released.

Think of Squish as the sneaker equivalent of a doodle coming to life: all soft curves, exaggerated proportions, and a slightly cartoonish energy that feels more skate park than Scandi gallery (ironically, it’s inspired by both). The toe is dramatically oversized. The lines are deliberately off-kilter. Even the sole looks halfway between a sculpture and something melting in slow motion. It’s surreal, but in a considered, “yes, we meant this” way.

Handmade in Portugal using premium nubuck and suede, the shoe sits on a split-colour thermoplastic outsole that wraps around the upper like a poured mould. The wool laces add texture; the blown-out woven tongue label adds a wink. It’s still expensive and beautifully finished, this is Axel Arigato, after all, but the design mood is very much: relax, have fun, chill out a little.

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The brand’s creative director, Jens Werner, describes it as “a form in motion… almost like squishing the upper into the sole,” which genuinely tracks; these look like they’ve been pressed, puffed, inflated or otherwise played with. It’s a big shift for a brand that rarely strays from minimalism, and honestly? It's refreshing. Arigato can sometimes feel like the unofficial uniform of East London’s gallery-adjacent crowd; Squish feels like their weekend shoe.

Colourways are strong, too: light beige, black, lilac, tan, bright yellow, plus extra men's-only tonal options landing later. It’s every vibe covered, from quiet, neutral adult to a more maximalist style.

If you’ve ever wanted Axel Arigato to break the mould, Squish is the closest they’ve come. It’s sculptural, it’s silly, it’s weird in a good way. And with a £240 price tag and a launch on 28 November 2025, it’s set to be the brand’s most talked-about silhouette in years.

The colours are great, and it's nice to see Axel Arigato pushing the boat and trying something new.

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