Comedian and writer Hasan Minhaj, known for his 2017 White House Correspondents’ Dinner speech, work as a “Daily Show” correspondent, his stand-up specials and his Netflix series “The Patriot Act,” has stepped up to the plate for a new collaboration with Cole Haan.
The collab is Minhaj’s first foray into footwear and aims to illustrate the narrative of Minhaj’s life through two distinct styles.
Minhaj says that Cole Haan is a brand he particularly respects due to the fact that he wore a pair of Cole Haan shoes to his first audition for the “The Daily Show.” His collaboration pays homage to that day and the hard work it took both him and his family to get to that pivotal moment. The two styles in the collection, the 4.ZERØGRAND Hiker Boot and the GrandPrø Rally Court Sneaker, are stamped with the date he auditioned for the show.
“Maybe Oct. 9 won’t be special to anyone else, but it’s coincidentally National Sneakers Day, so obviously this is fate,” Minhaj told Hype Beast.
In addition, the sneakers pay tribute to Minhaj’s father, who left India to give his family a better life in America.
“In 1982 my father arrived in America, leaving his home so I could build mine,” adds Minhaj in his Hype Beast interview. “He fought to survive, so I could live. I’ve woven our story into the fabric of Cole Haan. So much of comedy is about telling your story and your perspective. To tell my story, to tell my family’s story, and to stitch it into the fabric of an existing brand is really cool.”
The sneakers feature the words “live” and “survive” on the heel tabs, and colors in the collection reflect Indian culture and are inspired by Bollywood films.
The collection is set to drop in early December.