Louis Vuitton, its menswear creative director Pharrell Williams, and J-Hope came together to deliver a new 2000-inspired shoe, resulting in the LV Buttersoft Sneaker. Together, they re-envisioned a classic silhouette for the exclusive collaboration, originally designed for a BTS member as a custom companion for his world tour.
The shoes aim to prioritize comfort while still remaining stylish and true to the quality Louis Vuitton is known for. That resulted in the sneaker being suitable for a track runner but designed with the luxurious leather craftsmanship of Louis Vuitton shoes. The Buttersoft sneakers feature hand-stitched and hand-painted elements for an extra refined, near-tailored approach.
The shoes feature a springy, layered rubber outsole and ultra soft suede calf leather upper that comes in a bright rose and white colorway, reflecting J-Hope’s warm and cheerful personality. The shoes are decorated with wide, woven laces that are printed on their ends with the words “Your, My Hope,” in reference to the artist’s stage name and hopeful attitude.
The laces are strung with a decorative cloche-clé. The keybell comes in a Monogram canvas, which references both Louis Vuitton leather goods and the Korean trend of accessorizing everyday items. A textile label derived from the Louis Vuitton Speedy P9 bag is adapted to footwear, appearing on the tongue’s underside. A leather patch on the tongue’s outside is embossed with the capsule’s dedicated logomark, featuring the Louis Vuitton Paris stamp and J-Hope’s signature.
The shoe features leather engravings on the heel and toe that echo those on Louis Vuitton’s iconic luggage and bags, while the design also integrates many personal details. Squirrel and acorn emblems are found embossed beneath the natural leather trim at the back of the heel, which are a secret inside joke fandom detail recognizable to diehard fans.
J-Hope joined the Louis Vuitton family as a house ambassador in 2023. The collaboration was first unveiled in December 2025, had a prelaunch in South Korea starting March 25, and will culminate in a worldwide launch of the exclusive J-Hope LV Buttersoft Sneaker, which drops on Thursday. The shoes are available for purchase now, and retail for $1,740.
