THE FUSE

Pour one out for your favorite fashion troll. Merrell’s “It Starts Outside” campaign just outmogged the many memes about outdoor shoes only seeing cafe queues rather than the high peaks of a great mountain range. The new creative direction expands on the brand’s legacy as a destination for outdoor shoes, stepping into the digital realm with a simple message: Whether you’re scaling a mountain or simply going for a walk around the block, outside is outside — no matter how far you go. As anyone who has ever paced around their room over-caffeinated and muttering can attest, simply taking a break to get some fresh air can bring about a vibe shift you’ll never reach by doomscrolling.