Doja Cat battles her doppelgänger as face of Skechers Uno
The rapper is the iconic shoe brand's first-ever Artist-in-Residence
By Joe Goggins
Doja Cat has been unveiled as Skechers’ first-ever Artist-in-Residence.
The rap icon is fronting the new campaign for Skechers Uno as the legendary shoe brand brings her on board for the first in what is a planned series of collaborations. The concept behind the campaign takes its stylistic cues from Y2K, cyberpunk and anime, as Doja battles her doppelgänger whilst showcasing the Uno collection.
“Building out this campaign and a new world for the Uno with my creative director Brett Alan Nelson and Skechers has been amazing,” said Doja. “This is just the start. I look forward to sharing more of what we’ve been creating soon.”
The campaign came together in collaboration with Doja’s personal creative director, Brett Alan Nelson. “I was super inspired by the idea of the different Uno colors and which Uno gives you the most power,” said Nelson, who has worked extensively with Doja on, among other things, her wardrobe for her huge shows at Coachella last year. “We reference old school anime fight scenes within a battle of ‘Doja Cat vs Doja Cat’ and the ultimate theme is that in the end we will never follow another’s footsteps.”
Skechers themselves, meanwhile, envisage the link-up with Doja as a long-term relationship. “Last week Doja Cat shared that she’s our first Artist-in-Residence while wearing a dress designed with deconstructed Skechers Uno footwear,” said Michael Greenberg, the company’s president. “Her Skechers campaign is the next illustration of Doja Cat bringing her unique creative influence and fashion-forward inspiration and style to Skechers. As an artist in both the music and fashion worlds, Doja adds a unique perspective to our organisation.”
The news comes just days after Doja made a fittingly feline appearance at the Met Gala. She continues to work on her fourth studio album, which has a working title of Hellmouth. In comments made last year, she cited rave music and culture as a key influence on her new material. “I know that’s kind of the trend at the moment,” she told CR Fashion Book, “but I loved that stuff as a kid and now that I can express it (obviously, I couldn’t buzz my head and wear a furry bra and have a belly button piercing back then), I’m sort of embracing that. That’s kind of a hint to the album. Rave culture, not house.”