grounds Releases Second Collaboration Shoes with YUEQI QI

grounds is pleased to announce the release of its latest collaboration shoes with YUEQI QI, marking the second joint collection following their initial partnership in the 2023 AW season.

Featuring grounds' iconic MOOPIE and JEWELRY outsoles, the new boots incorporate distinctive YUEQI QI details into the uppers, including custom-printed faux fur, tulle, and fringe. These models were first unveiled in March 2026 at YUEQI QI’s 2026 AW collection "ROSA" runway show presented in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

YUEQI QI | AW26 "ROSA"

A rose is a rose.
The ROSA collection takes inspiration from "ROSA," an underground space in Niigata, Japan. It is a place defined by gentle light and a carefully preserved atmosphere where every detail feels dissolved in time—a quiet presence that never seeks attention, simply existing in tranquility. This serene poise served as the starting point for the collection.

This season, YUEQI QI refocuses on taking time for true craftsmanship. Flowers are not treated merely as decoration, but as structural forms brought to life stitch by stitch. Layers are not simple overlaps, but balances discovered through repeated trial and error. Contrasting elements—lightness and weight, softness and structure—are thoughtfully shaped through patient handwork, leaving traces of gradual growth in every seam and silhouette.

MOOPIE x YUEQI QI 02 | PRINTED HIGH BOOTS / WARM PINK

This collaboration model features a rose lace design crafted using spray printing and laser cutting. Traditional lace patterns are reinterpreted with precision and lightness, enhanced by delicate openwork along the floral edges that creates a multi-layered, embroidery-like depth. Incorporating faux fur and sheer materials in select areas lends a soft, skin-embracing impression to the overall design.

Item: MOOPIE x YUEQI QI 02 | PRINTED HIGH BOOTS
Price: ¥94,600 (tax included)
Sizes: 22 cm – 30 cm
Release Date: Saturday, October 31

YUEQI QI | AW26 "ROSA"

The short ankle boot model adds dynamic movement and breathability through panelling details on the upper and flowing fringe accents. The stark contrast between rigid silhouettes and airy materials creates a futuristic, romantic tension between "sweetness & vulnerability" and "structure & strength."



Item: JEWELRY x YUEQI QI 03 | FRINGE ANKLE BOOTS / WHITE
Price: ¥68,200 (tax included)
Sizes: 22 cm – 30 cm
Release Date: Saturday, October 31


YUEQI QI

Graduated from Central Saint Martins with a degree in Knitwear Design in 2018. After gaining experience at CHANEL’s embroidery atelier, she launched her eponymous brand in 2019 and made her collection debut at Shanghai Fashion Week for the Spring/Summer 2020 season. While her early collections drew inspiration from Chinese culture and folklore, her work has since evolved to explore narrative-driven, deeply personal themes. Guided by core principles of integrity and transparency, she stands as a key figure in the revival of traditional Chinese craftsmanship, with a strong emphasis on intricate beadwork. Viewing her creations as wearable, kinetic sculptures, she is inspired by a nostalgia for an era when the present and past coexisted in harmony, revealing what was fundamentally authentic and true.

In addition to collaborating with Gucci on projects such as "GucciFest" and "Gucci Vault," she was a speaker at "VOGUE Forces of Fashion" in 2021 and was selected as a semi-finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2022. Her work has been featured in numerous international publications, including VOGUE, Harper’s BAZAAR China, Marie Claire, ELLE, Wallpaper Magazine*, and Dazed.