Behind the RSVP x Brooks Caldera 8 with Don C.
12.08.25
In the spotlight
Some collaborations feel inevitable. This one feels like a surprise hit you did not see coming. RSVP Gallery has teamed up with Brooks to flip the script on a technical trail runner, turning the Caldera 8 into something equally at home in the city as it is off-grid.
Built on the trusted Caldera 8 platform with Brooks’ ultra-soft DNA LOFT v3 midsole, it delivers the comfort and durability you expect from a brand rooted in performance. The design is pure RSVP. It features an earthy seasonal palette and mint accents pulled from their archive along with a completely reimagined upper finished with a custom lace toggle.
This is not a simple “change the colors and call it a collab” project. It is months of design work, hands-on collaboration in Seattle, and pushing production to create something never done before.
We sat down with Don C. from RSVP Gallery to talk about how this project came to life, the thinking behind the design, and what this partnership means for both worlds.
RSVP Gallery’s fresh take on trail-ready style.
[ “We always want to do the unexpected and then bang with such a hit.” ]
Brooks DNA LOFT v3 cushioning for ultimate comfort.
Trail Ready Meets Street Approved
SOLE: The Caldera 8 has a pretty rugged, trail-ready silhouette. What inspired the aesthetic for this version?
Don C.: "Definitely like the colour palette of the season we were working on at the time, as well as incorporating the mint from RSVP’s archive. And then Larry also helped come with some of that, was it blending fashion and function? And definitely like the material story we were trying to tell - just the best materials possible to try to make it look fresh and then be cohesive. Originally, we had a whole trail capsule collection to go with it that never dropped, but the shoe kept that trail energy."
[ “...just the best materials possible to try to make it look fresh and ... cohesive.” ]
Choosing the Caldera 8
SOLE: Why the Caldera 8 specifically?
Don C.: "Out of the choices of the ones that we had, we liked that one the best."
Brooks provided a shortlist of models and soles, and the Caldera 8 struck the right balance between performance and lifestyle potential, with a midsole comfortable enough for trail or city use.
Collaboration Without Limits
SOLE: What was the collaboration process like between RSVP and Brooks?
Don C.: "Brooks had like certain models and soles that they allowed us to work with. So it was good that they put us kind of in a... positive box to work with. We really enjoyed this. We picked our best outsole. Then Niles and Larry went up to Seattle and met with the Brooks team. We went back and forth for months, and I really appreciate them allowing us to challenge their production people to come up with an upper that didn’t exist before this project."
Built for the bold with rugged materials and refined craftsmanship.
[ “...always working with best in class. We feel like Brooks is best in class in this category.” ]
This collab marks the start of something bigger.
Bridging Two Worlds
SOLE: How does this project reflect RSVP’s ethos?
Don C.: "I think it definitely reflects the ethos of RSVP - always working with best in class. We feel like Brooks is best in class in this category, so we’re really privileged to be working with them."
He added that Brooks is known for their performance running heritage, and this collaboration brings sneaker and cultural relevance to that legacy. "It is a bridge between technical design and streetwear, and I think that is important. Plus, it is unexpected for RSVP, and we like that."
Looking Ahead
SOLE: Is this the start of a longer partnership?
Don C.: "Absolutely. Brooks is going to allow us to do whatever we want to moving forward. We really appreciate Brooks for giving us this shot, and we can’t wait until the next one."
[ “...do what we feel like hasn’t been done, something that we activate locally but message globally." ]
Legacy and impact
SOLE: How do you hope this collaboration will be remembered in your career at RSVP?
Don C.: "Like this and all collaborations, we want to be remembered as something trailblazing because we just don’t like to copy what other people are doing. That’s everything RSVP has represented since 2009. We’ve always tried to do what hasn’t been done - something we activate locally but message globally. So this collaboration will be remembered in that exact context. We’re just so happy about it, and we know this is the beginning of many good things to come for future years and generations with the Brooks team."
The RSVP x Brooks Caldera 8 drops Friday 15 August, available exclusively in the UK at SOLE Oxford Street. Built for the trail, styled for the streets, and made for those who do not play it safe.
Launches 15.08.25 exclusively in the UK at SOLE Oxford St.
