Key Takeaways
- Italian designer Mattias Gollin has become a standout in the gem-covered streetwear wave by turning everyday silhouettes like Vans Slip-Ons, Vans Authentics, Timberlands, and Moon Boots into pearl and crystal-encrusted art pieces.
- Rooted in Italy’s Marche footwear hub and backed by formal fashion training, he’s worked on projects ranging from Fear of God’s California mule and MSCHF’s Brutal Boot to a new starry Vans Slip-On drop that debuted at Paris Fashion Week Men’s SS27.
- With celebrity fans like Drake, Kai Cenat, Odell Beckham Jr., and Vinicius Jr. wearing his pieces, Gollin’s next move is evolving from viral customizer to fully fledged independent brand with a recognizable aesthetic, built “properly, naturally, step by step.”
Since 2024, streetwear hasn’t been able to put down the gemstones. It seems like every brand has tried their hand at embellishments to varying degrees of success. One of the leaders that has emerged as one of the frontrunners of the trend is Mattias Gollin.
The Italian footwear designer has gone viral for his intricate footwear projects that have transformed classic silhouettes like Timberlands and Vans Slip-Ons into wearable art covered in pearls and crystals. For his latest project, Gollin reconnected with Vans on two pairs of star-covered Slip-Ons—exclusively available in Paris—featuring his signature embellishments. Participating in one of fashion’s biggest weeks of the year is the next step in Gollin’s journey in establishing himself as an independent designer.
“It's important to build credibility,” Gollin told Complex at the Vans showroom in Paris. “A moment like this gives you the right spotlight. I believe that there is so much space for emerging designers and brands.”
Check out our other favorites from Paris Fashion Week Men’s SS27 here.
What Does Gollin Make?
Gollin is known for his footwear, which is typically customized with the application of hand-placed crystals and pearls across the uppers. Some of his most notable designs include Vans Authentics featuring 2,000 gems, Timberlands remixed with a removable cage and pearls, and an official Moon Boot collaboration also adorned with pearls that released at ComplexCon 2025.
“It was something always inside me,” said Gollin about his signature aesthetic. “Six years ago, I made a custom for Gucci with pearls and distressing. I love to make iconic shoes into jewels. I love jewelry. I love to see how iconic, daily use products can be turned into high-end items.”
Along with the gemmed footwear, Gollin has also dabbled in apparel, with camo shorts featuring the same signature crystals application and a leather jacket inspired by the iconic H&M x Margiela Belt Jacket from 2012.
Origins
Gollin was raised in the Marche region of Italy between Porto Sant'Elpidio and Civitanov, which is one of the country’s most prominent locations for footwear manufacturing. For the past three years, this has also been home to his design studio. Gollin prefers the slower pace of the area he lives, versus major cities like Milan and Rome.
“In a city like Milan or Rome, just to go out from your house to the studio, it takes 30 minutes,” says Gollin. “It takes me five minutes. Nowadays, we have a beautiful tool, social media. Wherever you are, you can literally share what you're doing and making.”
Design History
Gollin has some formal design training. He studied fashion design at NABA in Milan and graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Macerata. Before embarking on his current solo endeavor around 2023, he co-founded the footwear design collective Sneakers Caffè with Gregory Baffoni and Michael Cutini in 2019. Two years later, he founded the creative collective RAL7000 STUDIO alongside Cutini and Marco Simonetti. One of their biggest projects was work on Fear of God’s California mule.
In 2024, Gollin founded creative studio VVT (Vita Veloce Team) alongside J Balvin. He has also been commissioned by MSCHF to design their polarizing Brutal Boot and Rat Boot silhouettes.
Mattias Gollin x Vans
To date, Gollin’s most impactful work has been with Vans. He has created multiple colorways of his embellished checkerboard Authentics like triple black and pink.
“Everything started with one member of the Vans team messaging me saying, ‘Let me send you some pairs to fuck around with,” said Gollin. “Two days after, I shared what I had done on the checkerboard Slip-Ons. People started to ask about the shoe and supporting it. Two years later, we are still working together and evolving that vision.”
For their latest collab, Gollin reinterpreted starry versions of the Slip-On in blue and red. Rather than flood out the uppers with gems how he typically does, Gollin was more selective with the placement.
“Walking, running, skating, whatever you do, the pearls and the crystals start to fall off you're going to get scratches,” says Gollin. “That's the concept behind these ones.”
Originally a Paris exclusive, a very limited number of pairs will also be dropping on Gollin’s website on July 2. Don’t sleep.
Celebrity Co-Signs
Gollin has racked up an impressive list of celebrity supporters that have worn his creations including Odell Beckham Jr., Vinicius Jr., Quavo, Young Thug, Kai Cenat, Drake, and Lamine Yamal. Most recently, he even designed a one-of-one pair of Nike soccer cleats for French star Michael Olise. The appetite from these big names has inspired Gollin to continue to make strides in developing a well-rounded brand.
“These amazing people are asking for your product. They need a total outfit. The top. The bottom,” said Gollin. “It’s just organic. I have to do that.”
What Are His Goals?
As Gollin’s profile continues to rise in the footwear and streetwear industries, he is eager to establish himself an independent brand owner with a clear vision, not just a well-known customizer.
“I want to expand the vision and the aesthetic,” Gollin told Complex. “Speaking about a brand like Enfants Riches Déprimés, you immediately see the archetype and the references. I want to do the same. You work and you discover yourself. People want to see more stuff from my own brand. That is my next goal, building that properly, naturally, step by step.”
