Last December, Louis Vuitton announced that it worked on a new footwear silhouette — the LV Buttersoft sneaker — with j-hope. After pre-launching it in South Korea on 25 March, the sakura pink, performance-ready shoe will be available for all worldwide on 30 April.

A move like this is not unprecedented for someone as style conscious as j-hope, who has been an ambassador of the heritage house since 2023. In anything, this is further proof that This classic, 2000’s inspired track shoe is borne out of the close chemistry between Louis Vuitton Menswear Creative Director, Pharrell Williams, and House Ambassador j-hope — artist, dancer, rapper, music producer, and the most hopeful seventh of BTS. Originally made to accompany the “performance director” of the seven piece on the group’s world tour, this custom piece is designed to satisfy j-hope’s needs as a performer: comfort first, then meaningful details on top of high quality craftsmanship.

The end product is a runner that combines the Italian leathercraft of the Louis Vuitton with an extra refined touch of hand-stitched and hand-painted elements, all signed off by j-hope. Just like his sun-drenched, rosy presence, the shoe comes in a bright rose and white colourway, and melds a springy, layered rubber outsole with an ultra soft calf suede upper. Laces are kept wide, strung with a decorative Monogram cloche-clé, and the adorned with the words “Your, My Hope”. 

The LV Buttersoft also calls back to Louis Vuitton icons in ingenious ways. A textile label — derived from the Louis Vuitton Speedy P9 bag — appears on the tongue’s underside as a hidden surprise, while the leather patch outside is embossed with the special capsule’s dedicated logomark: a Louis Vuitton Paris stamp and j-hope’s signature. The leather detailing of Louis Vuitton luggages also can be found as leather enchapes on the heel and toe of the shoe. But perhaps the most ingenious icon integration is that of a secret set of squirrel and acorn charms; there is no more discernible element that can prove j-hope’s hand in the creative process than this.