The fictional Midwestern town of Hawkins has come to Minnetonka in the form of turquoise and hot pink moccasin boots.
The Minneapolis-based footwear maker released a limited-edition collaboration with “Stranger Things” in anticipation of the show’s final season, wrapping up a more than two-year process designing a 1980s-inspired boot that still seems stylish.
For Minnetonka footwear, the collaboration is a form of marketing.
“So many people of all ages, and globally, watch [“Stranger Things”],” said Jori Miller Sherer, president of Minnetonka. “For us, we’re still a small business. We don’t have big budgets for big brand awareness campaigns, so to have it come about so organically and then to add that opportunity on top of it — that’s what made it a no-brainer for us.”
Amy Parris, the costume designer for “Stranger Things,” first reached out to Minnetonka in spring 2023 looking for a 1980s-inspired silhouette that could be worn by the fictional Holly Wheeler, younger sister to one of the series’ main characters, Mike Wheeler.
From there, Minnetonka’s team dived into the company’s archives and asked family members if there was a past style that might fit Parris’ vision, said Sandra Aris, lead designer at Minnetonka.
The final product was designed from scratch by combining contemporary elements with the company’s heritage style — made with suede and playful color-blocking and tassel accents.
The boots are made at Minnetonka’s factory in the Dominican Republic, which faces a 10% tariff under President Donald Trump’s administration.