HARD LINES, SOFT EDGES

In a city built on friction and forward motion, Mimi Pescaru and Nin Polka move with purpose. The twin siblings are hard to pin down, known for their refusal to follow trends and a visual presence that shifts with the light. With roots in the underground and credits ranging from Mowalola to recent features in i-D, they do not just wear clothes, they weaponise them.

Today, LN-CC follows them from East London underpasses to studio basements as they break in PUMA’s latest release: the new Mostro Fey. First introduced earlier this year, the silhouette returns with a tougher edge. Premium suede, raw mesh, and slick leather wrap the hybrid frame in equal parts street armour and stripped-back design. It arrives in two uncompromising palettes: all-black or all-white, with nothing in between.

The Mostro Fey does not sit quietly. It lifts the spiked DNA of the original Mostro and collides it with the pared-back silhouette of the Mary Jane. In this updated version, it is less about harmony and more about co-existence. The soft does not dilute the hard, it sharpens it.

The Mostro Fey blends the bold energy of the Mostro with the soft elegance of the Mary Jane. How did you each interpret that contrast in the way you styled it?

Mimi: Personally, for me, the Mostro Fey is the perfect summer shoe that combines comfort and has a bit of an edge to it. The spikes on the sole give me very sci-fi energy — as if I’m styling to enter a spaceship.

Nin: I like leaning more into an experimental approach, combining colours and textures that are usually deemed unusual. The Mostro Fey gave me the chance to do this so effortlessly, as it already incorporates two contrasting styles.

You both have distinct personal styles. How did the Mostro Fey meet you in the middle or push you out of your comfort zone?

Mimi: I think Nin likes to layer sometimes a bit more than me, and I like to keep it simple. I think we met in the middle here — her helping me layer more, and me helping her layer less. I’m happy we came to a good balance, in my opinion.

Nin: For me, I like to play with clothes like I’m making a sculpture. However, in this case, my instinct was to go a little simpler — perhaps this was influenced a little by my sister’s styling, though I think I had a little stain on her look too.

Between the two of you, who do you think channels the Mostro side more and who embodies the Mary Jane?

Mimi: This is a good question. I think from asking our friends, they immediately said Nin is more Mary Jane and I’m a bit more Mostro. I think we both have elements of both, but I can agree with that statement.

Nin: I can agree with Mimi. I think we possess both vibes. Mimi is a little more sharp, and I’m more soft, so that’s probably why people tend to label us this way — though these traits come out of both of us.

This campaign celebrates individuality through contradiction. What’s a surprising contrast in your own identity that people might not expect?

Mimi: I’m filled with contradictions. Contradictions in my identity mostly lie in how I’d like to be represented, but often, when I think about it too much, I think it can cause confusion. That’s why I’m more inclined to just go with the flow and let my identity speak for itself — surprising me along the way like a nice gift being unravelled.

Nin: My entire philosophy is a little bit contradicting. I’m never really able to make a conclusive idea about something because my mind is always able to conceive of an idea to support the opposite. It’s quite frustrating to think this way, though I think it’s actually been my biggest asset. I never let people really influence my own ideas of something without me questioning it. Thus, my opinion is never really stable.

The shoe walks a fine line between disruption and delicacy. Who do you think wears that balance best, and do either of you relate to that duality personally?

Mimi: I think comparing who does things best is something we’ve completely abandoned. We have our different ways of doing the same thing, and often, because we are twins, it’s hyper-analysed by people. I think we can both agree to relate to the duality. Me, personally — through how I can seem shy or nonchalant over my socials, but in real life I am sooo extroverted and in your face. I think that’s my duality, which can confuse a lot of people.

Nin: I agree with Mimi. I think destruction and delicacy are traits we both have. In me, personally, I think I have quite tender ideas about life and love and people, but I approach these things with destruction (in a rebellious and radical sense). I want people to question ideas about beauty and to not accept things at surface level. I guess I possess more of the destructive side then…

The Mostro Fey doesn’t try to resolve the tension. It leans into it. It’s for those who live in the middle ground, who don’t compromise but combine. On Mimi and Nin, the shoe becomes more than product. It’s armour for the everyday, not for spectacle, but for survival.