With the World Cup now over the big boys can focus their efforts on Retro re-releases and new grails instead of million pound advertising campaigns on players who had tournaments to forget.
Adidas have thrown up another fruity range from fashion designer Jeremy Scott. Here we see the Adidas Forum in many incarnations some eye catching (the license plate blue’s) and some downright terrifying (the Teddy Bear Highs look like something Gary Glitter dreamed up).
Kicks and Canvas is a new exhibition by Soleheaven and Zero Cool Gallery, and features 21 artists customizing 21 pairs of kicks and 21 canvases. Running until 18th the artistic talent involved includes Goldie, Insa and Mr Jago and representing Leeds Jon Lawrence. Jon provided visuals for issue 03 of Bonafide and his sculptural work puts a new twist on iconic hip-hop products. In other words, it’s proper boxfresh art.
With the snow hopefully gone for another year we can look to throw out the thermals and winter boots and get on with some new kicks for 2010. One of the most inspired releases in some time sees Adidas resume its Star Wars project with a whole bunch of new footwear and apparel collaborations. The most interesting are the classic white and black Stormtrooper Superstars as well as the Darth Vader version of the classic shoe. If rocking the darkside isn’t your thing then there are other personalised efforts for Yoda, Skywalker and the gold bikini’d Princess Leia. Other styles include kicks inspired by specific scenes as well as the Death Star. Peep the vid below. …Read More.
Adidas and in particular their Superstar shoe have had a tight relationship with rap and specifically Def Jam since the early 80s. With a long line of collaborations over the years their latest joint effort sees Redman, Method Man and Ghostface each serve a superstar as well as a Forum Mid and a Stan Smith. Personal favourites are Red’s “Funk Doc” Red Superstar and Meth’s Dark Blue and Turquoise Superstar which without a crazy amount of colours or something like horsehair and diamonds are both eye catching. With the line also including efforts by Young Jeezy the Def Jam collection is widely available now in places like Size? and Crooked Tongues.
Having served up uninspired, readily available dunks most of the year Nike SB have released the Brain Wreck, a joint effort with regular collaborator Todd Bratrud. An interesting effort which includes detailed stitching on the inside to resemble a human brain. These Dunks are likely to stay US only and your best bet to get hold of a pair is eBay for around $200 US. One dunk that will be hitting these shores is the now infamous Gucci Dunk High. Having been cancelled in 2005 these should now be with us next month. Also worth keeping an eye out for from Nike SB is the Stefan Janoski which is of the boating shoe style that is becoming increasingly popular. Samples with a possible release for next year include a Black Corduroy and a Peacock design.
On a psychedelic arty tip the legendary cartoonist Robert Crumb has got together with Vans on a line of sneakers which include a Fritz the Cat slip on and a Mr Natural Sk8 High. Along with two other models this line should be in the UK shortly and is a welcome addition to Crumb’s contribution to fashion having previously worked with Supreme.
Speaking of Supreme to wrap things up the chaps at Sneakernews have posted a nice gallery of their joint efforts with Nike and Vans. Covering everything from the infamous and very expensive Dunk Low’s from 2002 to this months Micro Check old school Vans available at Hideout it’s a nice tribute to Supreme’s understated but always very prestigious and exclusive designs. O F
April 28th saw the launch of a new mix by old school legends De La Soul. In collaboration with Nike, who are currently commissioning some very innovative artist led projects, the group have gone one step further from designing their own dunks and have crafted their own sound-track for the city runner. Entitled Are You In?: Nike + Original Run, and following the likes of electronica deviants A-Trak, LCD Soundsystem, Aesop Rock and Crystal Method, this is the groups first full length release for five years and listening to it, it’s a nice introduction to the 20th anniversary of Three Feet High and Rising and the perfect reminder of why the group matter.
It doesn’t seem five minutes since Three Feet High and Rising came out and when we interviewed Posdnous, Trugoy the Dove and Maseo, it’s easy to see the energy, passion and excitement, that marked their first release is still there. Witty, articulate and full opinions, they stand for all that is good in hip-hop. Look out for a full length interview on the group in issue 03 of Bonafide. In the meantime download, get your running shoes on and go and stretch those legs. Or if it’s raining (sic you are feeling bit lazy) why not sit back, reminisce over this and then drool over this piece of beautiful piece of Escher-meets the Running Man-meets James Jarvis animation.
Sneaker geeks and Kanye fans prepare to get your knickers twisted in a fit of excitement: Nike and Kanye West have collaborated on a new shoe, the so-called Air Yeezy
West isn’t the first rapper have a go at designing and releasing his own kicks, with the help of certain sportswear giants, here’s some examples of the good, the bad and the downright ugly
