grounds turns giant hands into MANUS soles, launching lace-ups and boots on October31
The MANUS sole supports each foot with a sculpted hand, TPU nails and a ring detail. Four Japanese releases arrive October31, with4.5cm soles and tax-inclusive prices from44,000 to99,000yen.
Stepping into a giant hand is how grounds makes the sole the protagonist of MANUS. Fingers curl along the sides of each shoe, with nails and a ring on the thumb adding distinct details. Previously shown during Paris Fashion Week FW26/27, the design now has an October31 release date; this is not its first Paris presentation today.
MANUS means hand in Latin. The idea draws on the gesture of offering both hands in Japanese hospitality and the sense of being held. That combination of gentleness and unease appears beneath lace-up shoes, combat-boot shapes and winter boots. The hand is a physical sole sculpture, not a photograph of a real hand or an independently moving mechanical structure.
A4.5cm sole with TPU nails
The midsole uses Phylon, which the brand describes in terms of lightness and flexibility. We have not measured weight, rebound or long-distance walking performance, so those design intentions should not be read as a universal comfort result. The stated sole height is4.5cm; that does not establish an exact4.5cm increase in the wearer’s height, which also depends on fit and foot position.
TPU nails provide a sharper outline and material contrast against the hand-shaped midsole. The brand’s description of leaving handprints instead of footprints expresses the visual concept, rather than guaranteeing a complete handprint on every surface. The material reviewed does not establish a slip-resistance or protective rating for the unusual shape.
GENTLEMAN places a formal upper on a palm
MANUS GENTLEMAN combines the sculptural sole with a classic formal upper. The black version costs44,000yen including Japanese tax. MANUS GENTLEMAN INK pairs a white upper with a white-marble-effect sole at50,600yen including tax. Both list sizes23–26cm and an October31 release, but their prices differ. The black version’s price should not be applied to every version or colour.
A ring on the sole’s left thumb strengthens the anthropomorphic impression. Grey nails, a metallic-looking ring and marble pattern remain distinct on the white version, while the black model reduces the contrast through closely matched colours. Laces and formal-shoe lines remain above, creating a different reading from the front and the side rather than simply raising an ordinary sole.
Close view of black lace-up shoes with fingers and rings
MONUM and CRADL RIBBON have different retail conditions
MANUS MONUM takes inspiration from weathered French combat boots. Laces, two buckles and aged tones meet the hand-shaped base. This is a design reference, not evidence that the shoes are antique military boots or remade from used footwear. The model costs59,400yen including tax, lists sizes23–26cm and PATINA and BLACK MARBLE options, and launches October31.
Grey-green double-buckle boot with fluorescent laces and hand sole
MANUS CRADL RIBBON layers a soft felt outer over a zipped inner shoe, with plaid and plush surfaces giving it a winter character. It costs99,000yen including tax, lists sizes23–26cm and launches October31 exclusively at grounds STORE001. The brand’s cradle-blanket imagery is a metaphor: these are not infant shoes, nor does it establish a particular temperature or waterproof rating. The STORE001 restriction should not be extended to the other three models.
Two models wearing layered plaid winter boots
Questions and answers
When does MANUS launch, and how high is the sole?
All four releases are listed for October31,2026, with4.5cm soles. That is not an exact height-gain measurement for the wearer.
Do the black and white GENTLEMAN versions cost the same?
No. Black GENTLEMAN costs44,000yen including tax; white-marble GENTLEMAN INK costs50,600yen. Both list23–26cm sizes.
Which model is exclusive to STORE001?
The99,000yen tax-inclusive MANUS CRADL RIBBON winter boot. The condition does not apply to the entire MANUS series.
