Author: Bradley Martinez
Thirty years ago, adidas unleashed their game-changing running collection to the market – the coveted ZX Series.
Each of the original silhouettes were designed with individually tailored technology to suit the needs of slightly different runners and the problems they faced, meaning that everyone could benefit from the performance-enhancing features that came with each model. One of these hugely successful innovations had never been seen before, the Torsion System.
The Torsion System was an instant hit with runners of all capabilities. The X-shaped system sat in the midsole, a solid TPU arch which bridged the heel and forefoot for heightened support and stability. It allowed the front and rear of the foot to operate independently from one another, while also reducing excessive twisting and adapting to whatever terrain you were running, therefore providing high levels of support and stability.
Creating instantly recognisable silhouettes, the ZX series featured an array of different colour blocks with each one representing the shoe’s performance capabilities. Blue was for cushioning, green represented guidance and yellow was the key for support.
For SS19, adidas has revisited this period in their history and in celebration and recreated four ZX Series silhouettes in their original colourways. Providing a modern touch on these iconic silhouettes, adidas has added new lace jewels which have been graced with ’30 years of Torsion’ branding.
The adidas Consortium ’30 years of Torsion’ collection will be coming soon to Footpatrol.
The ‘Cool Grey’ colourway was initially released in 2001 on the Air Jordan XI and set a tone of new iterations of the model, respectively. In 2004, the ‘Cool Grey’ colour palette was introduced to the Air Jordan IV, adding a unique spin on the original silhouette.
15 years later and for the first time, Jordan Brand have brought back the eluded colour in time for its 30th anniversary. Dressed in a monochrome upper made up of nubuck, ‘Dark Charcoal’ hits were featured on the wing tips, lining and tongue tab. “Knowing that materials and textures can create dimension (on the same colour), I thought it would be cool to do a shades-of-grey shoe”, says the Footwear Product Director at the time, Gentry Humphrey, revealing the inspiration behind the colourway’s creation.
The white midsole added contrast along with yellow detailing on the tongue label, behind the tongue, outsole and airbag. A chrome Jumpman on the heel finished off the subtle silhouette.
The Air Jordan IV ‘Cool Grey’ is now SOLD OUT.
For 2019, Nike continues to delve into its archives, gifting us with revivals of some of their most standout silhouettes over the millennial period.
First released in 1999, the Ghost Racer was Nike’s newest running sneaker silhouette on the market. The Racer was Nike’s first to utilise a full-length Duralon BRS-1000 midsole system, benefitting from a faux carbon medial post and midfoot shank. With a Zoom Air unit also built into the Ghost Racer’s heel, the technological twosome was a combination that provided high levels of comfort that a long-distance runner needed.
Up top, the sneaker boasted breathable mesh and suede overlays which allowed for a more stable, yet breathable feel. With this blend of lightweight construction and comfort, the Ghost Racer proved to be a very popular silhouette.
Fast-forward to 2019 and Nike has reintroduced the Ghost Racer to the market in near-replica form. With a more lifestyle approach taken, the Ghost Racer has been updated with modern materials, elevating the already comfortable creation to new heights.
Available in two colourways, a subtle black and metallic silver (available now), and a more vibrant colourway of volt and white, the Nike Ghost Racer is Now Available in-store and online, sizes range from UK6 – UK12 (including half sizes), priced at £105.
Last Saturday we hosted an in-store meet and greet with AWAKENY founder Angelo Baque in celebration of the ASICS x AWAKE NY Gel-Kayano 5 360 collaboration.
The family tree of New York City skate brand and streetwear mainstay Supreme has seeded numerous independent clothing labels, not limited to Jason Dill’s Fucking Awesome, Brendon Babenzian’s Noah, and more recently, Awake NY, the brainchild of former Supreme brand director Angelo Baque.
Launched in 2012, Awake NY captures the unique cultural spirit and sensibility of New York City. Awake NY is a reflection of the diversity that has defined the city’s cultural landscape. Simultaneously classic and contemporary, Awake NY evokes both the changing aesthetic vibrancy and timelessness of New York.
Thank you to ASICS and Angelo for coming to the store and being there in person to celebrate the first collaborative project, we hope to see you for the next one!
Check out the full recap below…
#TEAMFP
For 2019, we teamed up with Japanese sports brand Mizuno.
After a resurgence in 2018, Mizuno looked to their archives and pulled out their Sky Medal OG model. The Sky Medal was a classic 90’s running shoe first making its debut in 1993 after being seen on all of Mizuno’s athletes.
For this collaboration we wanted to tap into this era of Mizuno and re-imagine the fashion and culture at the time of it’s unveil.
When it came to reworking the Sky Medal OG’s materials, we worked with a mixture of materials that would complement the simplicity of the Sky Medal’s silhouette. These comprised of both real and synthetic suedes and mesh throughout the upper which allowed the iconic shape of the Sky Medal to stay visible using their neutral tones.
Stepping back to the 90’s again for the colour palette, the trainer has distinctive cream and purple hues, this proved prominent throughout the sports stores of that period, representing of what would have been found in your local high-street sportwear store of that time.
Finishing off the design and taking prominence is the Mizuno Runbird logo, featuring metallic gold and purple underlays, complimenting the textures and neutral tones used throughout the design.
Branding on the heel features a reworked Footpatrol logo taking inspiration from the Mizuno’s Transtab logo found in the same position on the original silhouette.
The Mizuno x Footpatrol Sky Medal OG is now available in-store and online.
Shop our latest collaboration HERE.
ASICS and Awake NY have announced an upcoming collaboration that includes two distinct colourways of the recently released GEL-KAYANO™ 5 360. This is the first collaboration between ASICS, the leading global sports performace brand and Awake NY, the destination for contemporary fashion and streetwear.
Launched in 2012, Awake NY captures the unique cultural spirit and sensibility of New York City. Awake NY is a reflection of the diversity that has defined the city’s cultural landscape. Simultaneously classic and contemporary, Awake NY evokes both the changing aesthetic vibrancy and timelessness of New York.
The first colourway in the collaboration combines a reflective silver base with mint green accents, while the other takes gold as it’s focal point with a blacked out sole.
ASICS and Awake NY brand owner Angelo Baque drew inspriation from New York and Paris in creating the unique silhouettes. The silver and green colorway was inspired by Baque’s trips to New York City as a kid and the vision of the stainless steel Unisphere at the center of Flushing Meadows Park in Queens.
The gold and black colourway was inspired by memories Baque has of wandering around Paris and the way the street lights cast golden hues over the night.
The ASICS x AWAKENY is launching in-store Saturday 13thJuly and online on Friday 12thJuly (available online at 8:00AM GMT). Sizes range from UK6 – UK12 (including select half sizes), priced at £150.
Join us in store from 10:00AM Saturday 13thJuly, where Angelo Baque will be joining us for a special meet and greet in celebration of the ASICS x AWAKENY Collaborative project.
The upgrade to NEXT% represents looking forward to each new race day as a chance to cross the line faster. Because as Mo Farah recently said, “As an athlete, you’re always looking for that next percent.”
Fast is the focus with these racing shoes that are designed to meet the needs of every runner from world-class marathoners to those who just want to log miles on the weekends. The 2019 Nike ZoomX launches in a flooded spectrum of neon green (it’s the most visible colour to the human eye).
Designers created a Nike-only version of the neon hue, called Nike Phantom Glow because its chemical makeup generates an energetic glowing effect, for the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%.
Athletic feedback played a huge role in revamping the already successful system that increases running economy. Plus, a new material construction, called Vaporweave, on the upper is lighter than Nike Flyknit, breathable and critically absorbs less water from sweat or rain, so it stays airy and dry over the course of a marathon.
Designers added 15 percent more Nike ZoomX foam (capable of providing up to 85 percent energy return) to the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%, but the shoe’s weight stays the same as the previous version.
They also shaved 3mm from the offset (now 8mm), so you can expect to experience better stability and increased energy conservation before toe-off. Still embedded within the foam is a full-length curved carbon fiber plate that increases stiffness to provide a sensation of propulsion.
The laces are slightly offset to alleviate pressure along the sensitive part of the foot. (It’s a look Mo Farah said he was very into). A new traction pattern improves forefoot grip so the shoe handles better in wet weather. Also, on the outsole are new contoured treads with deep grooves that facilitate smoother movement during turns.
The Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%, coming soon to Footpatrol!
This summer witnesses adidas revisit it’s ZX archives with the ZX Torsion.
The ZX series was first designed as a running shoe for all types of runners, allowing those casual joggers and long-distance runners to have a solid foundation between them and the ground they were running on.
These models also allowed adidas to explore new technologies, such as the Soft Cell Cushioning and Torsion.
Torsion technology first found itself on three adidas shoes in 1989. They were the first of their kind and each had been designed for a different purpose. The ZX7000G was made for runners that needed guidance, allowing for natural energy transfer assisting with how the runners foot strikes the ground. The ZX8000C was brought about with the idea of cushioning and the ZX9000S for support, each being the first of their kinds.
Ever since it’s introduction, the ZX series has grown into more of a cult following and its audience has grown away from just those who run, but also to those who love what the ZX series represents.
When reimagining the ZX Torsion, adidas retained it’s classic silhouette, this is in keeping with the materials and colour palette used. A heavy mesh is used for the base with a vibrant Cyan blue suede and leather are used as over lays which is reminiscent to the ZX8000 ‘Aqua’.
Another thing the ZX Torsion keeps is its distinctive two-piece midsole however, with the 2019 ZX Torsion, it now has the added technology of a full-length BOOST unit within the sole. Coupling this with the Torsion bar on the underside, it brings two ground-breaking technologies together and allows for maximum comfort and responsiveness to the wearer.
The adidas ZX Torsion BOOST is available in-store and online.
This summer see’s New Balance introduce a new technology platform called Triplecell. New Balance have teamed up with Formlabs to help develop high performance materials. Created with the use of 3D printed technology, they have been able to develop components that deliver closer to traditional performance than ever before.
Using a new photopolymer resin called Rebound Resin, this was designed to be a resilient structure on the heel whilst still allowing for the added spring, giving a much higher energy return to the user.
For this introduction, New Balance have taken and reimagined a classic silhouette with the 990 Sport. With the use of Triplecell technology in the heel, the 990 3D Sport manages to deliver the same cushioning experience of the classic with the benefit of being 10% lighter than the 990v5.
Exclusive to New Balance and Footpatrol, the New Balance 990v5 is available Now Available online. Sizes range from UK5.5 – UK11.5 (including half sizes), priced at £200.
Last week saw us host the fourth and final instalment of the Real Talk Sessions that we have been hosting with Future Bubblers as part of Soho Music Month.
This episode saw us delve into performing live and ‘How do I do it?’
This week saw Selassie tbc host this episode’s guest speakers, Mala (@maladmz) and Rebecca Prochnik (@earthmusicagency). Those that came down to the event were able to gain a real understanding into both sides of the musical industry. From looking after your acts and promoting them to the pressures and enjoyments from performing live in-front of a couple of hundred people, too a few thousand.
At the end of the events, we hosted a Q&A section, giving those in attendance the chance to gain a personal insight into their journeys or any advice.
Scroll through the photos below to see this evenings events and keep an eye out for a video to follow soon.
With the Real Talk Sessions now at an end, we’d just like to thank everyone at Future Bubblers (@futurebubblers) to hosting the events, all of the guest speakers who took time to give an insight into their field and for all of those who came down to be a part of this.
