Author: Tom

Last weekend we were invited out to Long Beach California to attend this year’s ComplexCon, a two day celebration of sneaker culture, music, fashion and all things hyped. Aside from being there to check out the latest sneakers and indulge in American cuisine we were also lucky enough to be launching our collaboration with FILA throughout the weekend. For this collaboration we reached into the vault and put our spin on the FILA Silva, which is a 90’s running silhouette named after accomplished long distance runner German Silva. Our collection with FILA payed homage to the cities where our two stores reside and the city that was kind enough to play host for the weekend with a UK, PARIS and Los Angeles COMPLEXCON exclusive colour-way.

As well as hanging around the FILA booth we were also able to check out the rest of the event, which featured panel talks, installations and performances from some of the industries most influential brands, performs and figures. The convention was hosted by hip-hop’s favourite artist Takashi Murakami and Pharrell Williams, with speakers including the likes of Virgil Abloh, Ronnie Fieg and Tommy Hilfiger, all of whom took to the stage to share their insight on the industry and showcase some new product in the process.

While it would have been easy to just watch the wealth of speakers for the entire weekend, hitting the conference floor was the best way to see what event was truly about. Brands from all over the world, such as Chinatown Market, PUMA, Diamond Supply, Reebok and adidas took their retail installations to the next level to deliver truly unique customer experiences.

It’s no secret that Nike often look to the animal kingdom when it comes to choosing the designs and colour-ways of their shoes. The Swoosh has sat over animal camouflage on a number of well known silhouettes, such as the Air Max 1 and 95, which were famously given an animalistic makeover for several of Nike’s collaboration with Atmos. However it isn’t just the big name collaborations that this treatment, as many in-line Nike products also utilise animal prints in an effective way, such as the Nike Air Safari SE.

This season another sillhoutte is being given the animal look, in the form of the VaporMax Safari Pack. Although the VaporMax is a few years old at this point, it still remains one of the Nikes most contemporary silhouettes, both in terms of the design and the technology utilised. However the Safari Pack helps to tie the VaporMax in with the OG’s, while simultaneously taking the animal print motif to the next level.

So far we’ve had stealthy colour-ways in form of the VaporMax Snake and eye-catching prints from the Zebra and Tiger iterations, however for this next entry Nike are taking things in the subtle direction once again. The Nike Air VaporMax ‘Lizard’ is dressed in a Wolf Grey/Pure Platinum colour-way, reminiscent of the very first VaporMax offering, with a stealthy lizard print across the heal-tab and in-sole. Although the VaporMax Lizard isn’t the most eye-catching of the animal prints thus far, it definitely takes the most inspiration from it’s animal namesake, in the sense that sometimes it’s better to slip by undetected than to instantly grab everyones attention.

The Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit 2.0 Safari Pack ‘Lizard’ will be available Friday 9th November, sizes range from UK6 – UK12 (including half sizes), priced at £170.

When adidas first introduced the NMD in 2015 it grabbed people’s attention in a big way, the utilisation of the adidas’s boost technology, the futuristic Prime-knit upper and overall aesthetic of the shoe was a breath of fresh air to sneakerheads around the world. However it wasn’t until 2016, when adidas Originals teamed up with Pharrell Williams for the first Human Race collection, that the true potential of the shoe was realised.

Fast forward to 2018 and the adidas Originals by Pharrell Williams Hu collection is still going strong, with the two meeting again this season to continue their creative partnership and further develop the Hu story. This collection is a continuation of the SOLARHU collection, which is inspired by the fearless colors, bold patterns, and stylistic flair of East Africa, and sees Pharrell continuing his experimentation with bold prints and textures.

Alongside the visual aesthetics of the area Pharrell and adidas have also reiterated their shared belief that, through sport, we all have the power to transform lives, therefore the collection draws heavily on the tradition of long distance running that has a rich heritage in the region.

Revisiting his now iconic Hu NMD, Pharrell plays with the established aesthetic markers of the SolarHu collaboration. Expressed in four bold colourways, Power Blue, Clear Blue, Black, and White, each sneaker in the collection features a printed collar, designed to evoke traditional East African weaving techniques in a medley of colours. Continuing the motif of motivation through language, each pair is emblazoned with the words ‘Empower’ and ‘Inspire’ embroidered in Chinese lettering across the Primeknit upper.

The adidas Originals by Pharrell Williams SOLARHU collection will be available in Footpatrol London and Paris and online from Saturday 10th November. Sizes run from UK6 – UK12 (including half sizes), priced at £220.

The Air Max 97 is quite possibly one of the Nikes most recognisable and, in recent years especially, one of the brands most desirable silhouettes to date. As the name suggests the shoe was originally released in 1997 and completely revolutionsied Nike’s Air Max Range. The first iteration of the shoe was the now classic Silver Bullet, which at the time represented in a huge step forward in both the design and technology, among other innovations the Air Max 97 featured a hidden lacing system, a futuristic design and the most visible air unit of any Nike shoe on the market.

The 97 was designed by then Nike new-comer Christian Tresser, who drew inspiration from both his love of mountain bikes and the design of the Japanese Shinkansen Train (or Bullet Train as it’s more commonly known in English) to inform the sleek look the Silver Bullet iteration. Upon release the Air Max 97 gained a small cult following who appreciated the forward-thinking design, however it wasn’t until 2017 that the shoe blew up in the mainstream, becoming one of the most widely known and sought-after shoes of the year.

The longevity of the Air Max 97  is being celebrated again this year with the Nike Air Max 97 B-side pack. The B-side collection sees the two classic AM97 colour-ways – Silver Bullet and Metallic Gold – inverted to create entirely new silhouettes that still manage to feel familiar. The B-side pack updates the metallic look of the original AM97 offerings with a luxe matte finish in the Black/Gold, Black/Silver and White/Silver colour-ways.

The Nike Air Max 97 B-Side collection will be available in our London, Paris and Online stores on Friday 9th November. Sizes range from UK6 – UK12 (including half sizes), priced at £155.

It’s no secret that Nike often look to the animal kingdom when it comes to choosing the designs and colour-ways of their shoes. The Swoosh has sat over animal camouflage on a number of well known silhouettes, such as the Air Max 1 and 95, which were famously given an animalistic makeover for several of Nike’s collaboration with Atmos. However it isn’t just the big name collaborations that this treatment, as many in-line Nike products also utilise animal prints in an effective way, such as the Nike Air Safari SE.

This season another sillhoutte is being given the animal look, in the form of the VaporMax Safari Pack. Although the VaporMax is a few years old at this point, it still remains one of the Nikes most contemporary silhouettes, both in terms of the design and the technology utilised. However the Safari Pack helps to tie the VaporMax in with the OG’s, while simultaneously taking the animal print motif to the next level.

So far we’ve seen a Zebra and Snake iteration that took inspiration from their animal namesakes with the former being a loud head-turner, while the latter was a more subtle and stealthy offering. For the next entry into the series Nike have returned to the eye-catching animal print, in the form of the Nike Air Vapormax FK 2.0 ‘Tiger’. The VaporMax tiger features a striking orange and black blend Primeknit upper and tiger stripe adorned heel-tab, as well as a translucent air bubble sole, which helps the tiger motif stand out even further.

The Nike Air VaporMax FK 2.0 Safari Pack ‘Tiger’ will be available Friday 2nd November, sizes range from UK7 – UK12 (including half sizes), priced at £170.

2018 has been a strong year for PUMA. The iconic sports brand has put out new offerings in the shape of the PUMA Thunder Spectra, brought back iconic silhouettes such as the PUMA Cell Endura, and reinvigorated shoes from the vault to give them a contemporary look. The latest being the PUMA RS – X Reinvention.

The PUMA Running System line was first introduced in 1986 with the PUMA RS-100, a shoe already ahead of it’s time in design and functionality, the RS-100 is perhaps best remembered for the forward-thinking iteration that allowed athletes to actually track and analyse their runs using a computer. Since then RS-100’s and the more lifestyle focussed offering, the RS-0 have been popular silhouettes for the legacy sports brand.

For Fall 2018 Puma are set to re-invent the Running System line with the PUMA RS – X, and silhouette that embraces the past while simultaneously improving on it to deliver a contemporary rendition of a classic. The PUMA RS – X features patented RS Technology on the midsole and moulded sicklier for added comfort and wearability, the upper is mesh for breathability and suede and leather for that premium feel.

The PUMA RS – X line comes in colours selected from the most iconic pieces in the PUMA vault, with the first iteration coming in a Whisper White/Red Blast colour-way, with blue detailing.

The PUMA RS – X Reinvention is now available in-store and online. Sizes ranging from UK6 – UK12 (including half sizes). Priced at £90. Head over to the Footpatrol Website to shop now.

Although Halloween may seem like a bit of a non-holiday, the footwear industry would disagree. Every year trainers brands get creative and release Halloween themed offerings as part of their Autumn collection, with Nike in particular being big fans of the holiday. Many classic silhouettes such as the Air Max 95, Air Max 90, and Jordan III have received the All Hallow’s Eve treatment in the past, however this year Nike are keeping things low-key with a subtle Halloween iteration of the Air Force 1.

An all white Air Force 1 might be one of the most recognised and respected silhouettes around, and the Air Force 1 ‘Skeleton’ keeps the classic largely unchanged, instead adding a few festive design the features. The most obvious of which is anatomical skeleton foot that runs down each side of the shoe, combine this striking design choice with the skeletal in-soles and glow in the dark outsole and the Halloween motif really comes together.

The Air Force 1 ‘Skeleton’ | Launching Wednesday 31st October. Sizes ranging from UK6 – UK11, priced at at £85.

For the next instalment of the Communi T project we link up with Tokyo based artist, designer and sneakerhead Sneakerwolf. Sneakerwolf has made a name for himself within the footwear industry for lending his unique artistic flair to a number of collaborations and solo projects. These have included a luxe exploration of contemporary Japanese art in the shape of a Gel Lyte III, through his project with Asics and KICKS LAB,  the aptly named Mita x Sneakerwolf x New Balance 990v4 ‘Bouncing Frog‘ and continued outputs from his own brands Losers and The Wolf in Sheeps Clothing.

Sneakerwolf is perhaps best known to some, for being in charge of the Holiday artwork at all of Supreme’s Japanese locations. Sneakerwolf began this project in 2012 however it was his 2016 Holiday campaign (featuring traditional looking Christmas characters with a tongue-in-cheek Supreme twist) that really caught people’s attention.

Sneakerwolf’s brand of artistry comes from a lifetime of equal respect for Contemporary American artists and culture, and traditional Japanese artistry. People such as Keith Haring and Robert Indiana have had a profound effect on Sneakerwolf, and he’s managed to combine their influence with his fascination and respect for traditional Japanese caligraphy and art movements.

As the Communi T project is about honouring those who have made a genuine impact on the culture we love, linking up with Sneakerwolf was a must. The Footpatrol x Sneakerwolf Communi T T-Shirt is available now online, and in our London and Paris stores. To find out more about the timeless design of the project, check out our interview with the man himself below…

Hi Sneakerwolf, how are you? What was it like growing up in Japan being heavily influenced by American street culture?

When I was 10 years old, I was influenced by Keith Haring, I think that it was my first contact with American street culture. After that, skate culture became a huge influence and is the cornerstone of who I am today. At the time, it was very difficult to obtain American information, so everything was fresh. I think that it was this inaccessibility that led to my interest and exploration.

Upon taking a further look into your catalogue of work, there appears to be two distinct styles that you tend to work in. Are you able to shed some light on this?

You can divide my work into client requests and expression of thought. Both are rooted in Japanese culture. Work presenting characters from Supreme, cartoons or animation are just as important as the series of art work that draws influence from traditional Japanese kanji letters. Both are essential to me.

You’ve worked on various projects from hand painted window displays for Supreme to designing footwear with Mita Sneakers. How did you get involved with working with these brands? 

Everything started with my friends. I am always very happy to be chosen for such things and I feel like I wouldn’t be where I am today without other people. It’s the same story with Communi-T project, I’m so happy to be involved!

Alongside working with a number of reputable brands you also have your own ‘Losers’ & ‘The Wolf in Sheeps Clothing’. How do you approach working on your own brand compared to a commissioned job? 

There is no big difference in designing. However, I think that the goal of the commissioned work is not my satisfaction, but the clients. With my own brand all responsibility is down to me and the reflection is done on my own.

Is there any field you are yet to work in that you would like to crossover to?

For now, I am currently producing works for the Kanji-Graphy series mainly. I would be very happy if I could make the art available to the public, like Robert Indiana’s ‘Love’ sculptures.

Separate from branded work you also exhibited a series of artworks entitled ‘Kanji-Graphy’, could you tell us more about this? 

It is influenced by the pattern letters from the Edo Moji alphabet, which was created in the Edo era (1603 – 1868) of Japan, for advertising purposes. Edo Moji is a traditional Japanese lettering style usually associated with the Hanten Jacket and Kabuki font. I define this as graffiti in Japan.

Despite their radically different origins, I recognized that both art forms share similarly complex compositions, bold exaggerations and sublime symmetries.

On to the Communi-T project t-shirt, how did you come up with the design? 

I reimagined the Footpatrol Gasmask in a Kanji-Graphy style and went from there. Footpatrol is a famous sneaker shop, with a long history, and a lot of people know the Gasmask logo. That is why I made it because I think that it is interesting to incorporate lettering in places where you usually don’t find it.

What can we expect to see from yourself going forward? And where can people keep up to date with your work?

I would be happy if we could jump over the boundaries of street culture. I particularly want to deepen my involvement in the art world. In March of 2019 I will have a large-scale exhibition in Shibuya, we are preparing BIG collaborations, which we plan to sell at the time!

And finally a question we like to ask all Communi T partners.. please describe your style in 3 words?

Traditional

Artisan

Fuck off

Thank you!

The Footpatrol x Sneakerwolf ‘Communi T’ T-shirt launches in-store and online Saturday 27th of October (available online at 8:00AM BST), sizes range from S – XXL, priced at £30. Each T-shirt comes with a free tote bag and stickers.

The London tube system may not seem like the most fashionable place at first glance, it’s an integral part of London life. No matter who you are or what you do or where you live in the Capital, you’re going to have to take the tube at some point. TFL is a London institution that has been driving the city (albeit sometimes slowly) from a long time, it’s this storied history and universal appeal that draws footwear brands to work with the them.

TFL have put their stamp on a number of silhouettes beforehand, however adidas Originals are looking to take things to the next level with their latest collaboration. The Three Stripes will be drawing inspiration from London’s intricate tube system to put a unique twist on three well known silhouettes, starting with the Temper Run. The adidas Originals x TFL Temper Run comes in an adidas Grey Three F17/Grey Four F17 colour-way, with pops of colour relating to the Underground. Notable details include the well known ‘Mind The Gap’ slogan written in the iconic Underground Roundel logo, emblazoned on both the tongue and insole.

Each pair of adidas Originals x TLF Temper Run’s include a limited edition co-branded Oyster card and leather wallet, to celebrate the 15 year anniversary of the London essential. The Oyster comes pre-topped up with £80 worth of credit, so you’ll have no excuse not to rock the shoes on the trains that inspired them.

adidas Originals x TLF Temper Run will be available at Footpatrol London on Saturday 27th October, with sizing ranging from UK6 – UK12 (including half sizes), priced at £80.

It’s no secret that Nike often look to the animal kingdom when it comes to choosing the designs and colour-ways of their shoes. The Swoosh has sat over animal camouflage on a number of well known silhouettes, such as the Air Max 1 and 95, which were famously given an animalistic makeover for several of Nike’s collaboration with Atmos. However it isn’t just the big name collaborations that this treatment, as many in-line Nike products also utilise animal prints in an effective way, such as the Nike Air Safari SE.

This month another sillhoutte is being given the animal look, in the form of the VaporMax Safari Pack, beginning with an eye-catching zebra print (available to buy here) with more iterations to follow. Although the VaporMax is a few years old at this point, it still remains one of the Nikes most contemporary silhouettes, both in terms of the design and the technology utilised. However the Safari Pack helps to tie the VaporMax in with the OG’s, while simultaneously taking the animal print motif to the next level.

Nike have followed up their head-turning Zebra colour-way with something a lot more subtle, in the shape of the VaporMax Snake. Similar to the Zebra iteration, the VaporMax Snake takes design inspiration from it’s animal namesake and keeps things stealthy with a khaki green and black blend Primeknit upper paired with a faux snake skin heel-tab.

The Nike Air VaporMax FK 2.0 Safari Pack ‘Snake’ will be available in-store Friday 26th October, sizes range from UK7 – UK11, priced at £170.