Chinatown Market makes a hot dad shoe out of Skechers

Skechers has taken a break from pilfering the designs of greater brands and has chosen instead to work with one. Chinatown Market provides a cool factor rarely seen in the footwear brand loved by our swagless elders and has created a colorful version of the Stamina 2.0.

What's usually a dorky hiking sneaker becomes something like a Nike Monarch lined with a rainbow of colors. In other words, it's a total dad shoe — surprisingly cool and probably with great arch support. In a bid for personalization, the Chinatown Market Staminas come with a pack of colored Sharpies for you to draw on the sneakers. I wouldn't bother, however, because these pups are great as is.

Part of a wider capsule — The L.A.-based streetwear brand applies its happy-go-lucky aesthetic to hoodies, crewneck sweatshirts, and T-shirts as part of its collaboration with Skechers. Appearing throughout the range of apparel is a character formed from a peace sign and "C" for Chinatown Market, joined by a little Skechers figure on the earnest "Support Your Friends" sweatshirt.

"Thank you have a nice day" also appears throughout the goods as a nod to the lowbrow aesthetic rampant in the namesake neighborhood of Chinatown in New York City. Intentionally hokey graphics are Chinatown Market's bread and butter, and they seem especially fitting in a collaboration with a brand as painfully dowdy as Skechers.

Exclusive to Southeast Asia — For some reason, Skechers is shrouding its rare moment of appeal away from the United States. The Chinatown Market collab has only been confirmed for a release in Malaysia and Thailand, and you'll see no sign of it on either brands' social accounts.

Shopee Mall already has stock of the full collection, but it'll only ship within the country. Fortunately, the proxy game can save the day. Services including Shippn and Buyandship will shuttle goods from Malaysia to the U.S. for a nominal fee. If you shell out for a proxy on top of the roughly $138 for the kicks, you'll have yourself a pair few others have in the States while combatting Skechers' efforts to avoid doing anything right in its homeland. It shouldn't be so difficult, but Skechers is Skechers for a reason.