Through her collaborations with Adidas Originals, Grace Wales Bonner has imbued sportswear staples with the same elevated sensibility that defines her mainline collections. Tracksuits have been realised in considered, almost tailored, silhouettes embellished with crochet detailing; archive Adidas trainers have been rendered in new materials and enticing colourways. It’s no surprise that most pieces have been a sellout. The best of them are listed at inflated prices on the resale market.
For autumn/winter 2024, the designer – who is known to root her Adidas and ready-to-wear collections in an array of rich references – looked to the style influence of hip-hop in the nineties, the “exuberance” of American street photography and the provenance of Adidas in New York at the time. “I enjoy interacting with timeless items that have had cultural significance and been transformed through people’s personal style,” she tells Vogue ahead of the launch on 24 October. “I’m always interested in reinterpreting classics for bringing an elevated sense of craftsmanship and materiality and colour to the collection,” she continues.
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This time, the three-stripe tracksuit arrives as a brown hooded jacket with a popper closure and drawstring shell pants – both emblazoned with red stripes – and sets in yellow/brown, and dark/light blue. The designer also explored colourful floral intarsia knits seen across a vest, a capped-sleeved polo top and a pair of shorts.
Previous seasons have seen Wales Bonner reinterpret Sambas, SL72s, Japans, Countrys and Gazelles, and for the latest drop, she brings new takes on Sambas once again, in mock croc-embossed materials, alongside two-tone versions of Samba Millenniums.
The hero sneaker silhouette in this release, though, is Wales Bonner’s update on the Superstar; a basketball shoe first conceived in the 1970s which became synonymous with hip-hop. While the original came in smooth leather with a rubber shell toe-cap, Wales Bonner offers new appeal with a cream croc iteration stamped with deep blue croc stripes. “I wanted it to be a reflection of the wider collaboration as an elegant reinterpretation of something that feels familiar.”
The accompanying campaign, captured by Renell Medrano, brings the collection to life in Harlem, via a stellar cast that includes professional skaters Carlisle Aikens and Kader Sylla. “I wanted to create something that felt box-fresh with a certain sheen to it,” Wales Bonner explains of her newest release. “To me, it was about creating something polished and soulful at the same time.”
Wales Bonner X Adidas Originals launches globally on 24 October at Adidas.com (via Confirmed), Walesbonner.com and at selected retailers including Net-a-Porter, Ssense, Mytheresa and Doverstreetmarket.com.
