Cherokee to Launch Footwear Collection on December 1

The heritage California brand returns to its roots with a new line of hand-made leather shoes.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Accessories

Cherokee to Launch Footwear Collection on December 1

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Is now a good time to purchase footwear from brands relaunching with traditional, artisanal manufacturing methods?

Cherokee of California will release an initial collection of five footwear styles online on December 1. The launch marks a shift for the brand, which returns to its original business model.

Why it matters

Founder Jim Argyropoulos is restarting the brand organically to focus on the footwear-centric model that defined the company at its inception. This transition moves the label away from the licensing structure that characterized its later years.

The new footwear collection ranges in price from $160 to $290 per pair. Each shoe is constructed using hand-washed vachetta leather and features hand-sewn side stitching.

The players

Jim Argyropoulos

He is the founder of the Cherokee brand who reacquired the company during the COVID-19 pandemic.

James Rowley

He currently serves as the general manager of the Cherokee brand.

The details

The shoes are manufactured in Mexico using a nearshoring model that emphasizes hand-staining and vegetable dyes. The construction process specifically joins the upper, insole, and outsole using visible side stitching.

1970: Argyropoulos began making custom sandals in Venice, California.
1972: The Cherokee brand was established.
January 31, 2017: The Target U.S. license for the Cherokee brand expired.
December 1, 2026: The limited-edition footwear collection launches online.
Spring 2027: The brand will expand to independent retail accounts.

Culture Shift

The brand is moving away from mass-market licensing toward a boutique model that echoes its origins as a small-scale custom sandal workshop. This reflects a broader trend of heritage labels seeking to reclaim their identity by prioritizing craftsmanship over high-volume retail ubiquity.

Customers can expect to purchase the new leather footwear styles online starting in December. The brand plans to expand availability to independent retail partners by the spring of 2027.

The takeaway

Consumers interested in the new collection should note the shift toward artisanal manufacturing techniques such as vegetable dyes and hand-sewn stitching. This relaunch emphasizes product longevity and craftsmanship over the mass-market accessibility that defined the brand's previous retail partnerships.