CMF and Gully Labs bring back Xoloni Orange for final drop

MUMBAI: Sneakerheads, this one comes with a side of silicon and cricket fever. Consumer tech brand CMF and homegrown sneaker label Gully Labs are giving fans one final shot at the Xoloni Orange sneaker, closing the chapter on one of India’s more unusual creator-led collaborations where industrial design, streetwear and community culture collided. The last drop of the CMF x Gully Labs Xoloni Orange sneaker will take place exclusively at the Nothing Store in Bengaluru on 30 May 2026 at 7 PM IST, with only a limited number of pairs available.

But the shoes are only half the story.

In a move clearly designed to send hype levels soaring, every successful buyer at the drop will also receive an authentic Royal Challengers Bengaluru jersey signed by players, tying the launch to Nothing’s role as title sponsor of RCB during the 2026 T20 season.

And just like that, the sneaker release quietly became part fashion drop, part fandom event and part internet flex.

What makes the collaboration stand out, however, is how it began.

Instead of following the standard luxury-style limited edition formula, CMF and Gully Labs opened the design process to the public through #DesignCMFKicks, a nationwide challenge inviting creators to reinterpret Gully Labs’ GL001 silhouette using the textures, colours and industrial design language of the CMF Phone 2 Pro.

More than 1,000 entries poured in from across India, turning the campaign into a large-scale community design experiment rather than a straightforward marketing exercise.

After community voting and jury reviews, the winning concept came from Dhreetimaan Sarmah from Dhemaji, Assam,  a reminder that some of India’s most exciting creative voices are emerging far beyond traditional design hubs.

What followed was nearly nine months of collaborative development between the creator, CMF and Gully Labs teams, eventually transforming a digital concept into a physical sneaker now positioned as one of the more distinctive culture-tech crossovers in India’s growing streetwear ecosystem.

And that intersection matters.

India’s youth-focused brands are increasingly trying to move beyond product marketing into cultural participation especially as Gen Z consumers show stronger attachment to collaborations that feel community-built rather than corporate-manufactured.

The Xoloni Orange drop leans heavily into that sentiment.

The sneaker itself carries CMF’s clean industrial design influence while retaining Gully Labs’ storytelling-driven approach to footwear. But more importantly, the collaboration reflects a larger shift in how modern brands are building loyalty: not by simply selling products, but by involving consumers in the creation process itself.

In many ways, the campaign mirrors the internet generation’s favourite idea participation over passive consumption.

Rather than designing behind closed doors, the brands turned sketches, votes and online conversations into a real-world product that travelled from social media feeds to sneaker shelves.

Now, with the final drop approaching, the collaboration is getting one last victory lap.

And in an era where limited editions disappear faster than IPL tickets, the Xoloni Orange sneaker may not stay on shelves for very long.