Magnolia Bakery Partners With Keds For Sweet Limited-Edition Release

Two icons are coming together for the ultimate spring collaboration that merges sweet indulgence with beloved fashion. Magnolia Bakery is teaming up with Keds for a delicious release we didn’t know we so desperately needed.

This limited edition collaboration features three Keds’ styles each adorned with signature Magnolia Bakery details like confetti sprinkles, pastel-hued frosting, and flower cupcake decorations with classic sneaker silhouettes like the Keds Champion, Triple-up, and Triple Decker.

“When I joined the Keds team a few years ago to head up collaborations and partnerships, Magnolia Bakery was on the top of my list of collaborators. We felt that the playful aesthetic of many of Magnolia’s signature offerings and their iconic brand look had the potential for a great translation on to Keds product,” says Nicole Underwood, Director of Brand, Collaborations and Energy.

The goal was to merge the most iconic parts of the treasured bakery and the legendary shoe brand in fun and unexpected ways. A task that Keds’ Director of Design, Lindsay Kotlarchyk, took on in stride managing to bring together the best elements of both brands.

“We are inspired by the sense of joy and play Magnolia Bakery seeks to inspire in their consumers and hope this fun and playful sneaker collaboration does the same. As a majority female led brand that created one of the first sneakers for women, we are also very excited to partner with such a beloved female founded brand,” says Underwood.

The Keds Champion in Glitter is inspired by Magnolia Bakery's Confetti Cupcake. This style features a multi-colored glitter in mint green, blush, and gold that sparkles on the sneaker with the bakery’s signature mint green on the outsoles to match. The cushioned footbed features a dash of sprinkle print, with golden accents on the eyelets, rivet on the back while including a removable “Carrie Cupcake” — one of Magnolia’s Bakery’s signature baked items — which adds that last little pop up sweetest.

Naturally the Carrie Cupcake inclusion was a no-brainer for this collaboration, since the bestselling cupcake is named after the world’s most famous fictional shoe lover, Carrie Bradshaw, who was seen in season three eating a pink frosted vanilla cupcake from Magnolia Bakery on Bleeker Street.

“After Magnolia Bakery made its iconic cameo in Sex and the City, the West Village bakeshop became a destination for cupcake enthusiasts and SATC fans alike. We wanted to honor the fandom and give a nod to Magnolia Bakery's place in SATC lore, so in 2006, the Carrie Cupcake was born,” says Sara Gramling, VP of PR and Partnerships at Magnolia Bakery. “Almost 20 years later, the cupcake continues to be one of our most popular offerings, and the image has become synonymous with Magnolia Bakery — which is why we're so excited that it's now showing up in other places for fans to enjoy, like this Keds collection.”

If Magnolia Bakery’s iconic Carrie Cupcake was transformed into a sneaker, it would be the Keds x Magnolia Bakery Triple Decker.  This style features a soft pink canvas and matching outsole that gets its pastel shade of the famed cupcake’s delicious vanilla frosting, while the baked good’s signature daisy topper is rendered in a playful embroidery pattern. 

Rounding out release is Keds Triple Up platform sneaker that’s accented with Magnolia Bakery’s signature mint hue branding. The cushiony, height-enhancing sneaker’s white canvas uppers are offset by printed mint green stripes along the binding and a matching outsole in solid mint. A dash of sprinkle print on the footbed, golden details like the eyelets and logo stitching, and removable Carrie Cupcake charm make this the perfect spring must have.

"We’re so excited to give fans of both brands an all-new way to celebrate their love of Magnolia Bakery with Keds classic silhouettes," said Gramling. “The Magnolia Bakery brand is layered with so many flavors and joyful colorways, and we've made a real effort in recent years to find creative ways to share those experiences with our fans from coast to coast. The Keds x Magnolia Bakery collection is another great way to celebrate the magic of our brand, and we can’t wait to see these sweet styles out and about this season!”

The Magnolia Bakery x Keds capsule launches on March 21, 2024 and will be available at www.keds.com.