Fresh off their collaboration with Kanye West and Pharrell, adidas Originals has once again teamed up with Mary Katrantzou for a second line of atheleisure wear. And rather unsurprisingly, we aren't the only ones excited about it. "I had such a great time working with adidas on the first collection, so it's been great to develop a second with them and explore a more tropical, summery route," says the designer herself. The capsule range—including tennis-inspired clothes and accessories with symbolist motifs—will be available at adidas Originals stores across India. Think '80s-chic bomber jackets, pastel pleated skirts, neon platform pool slides and the classic Superstar in vibrant prints—things we will definitely be queuing up for.
Katrantzou spoke exclusively to Vogue about the collaboration, her favourite pieces from the collection and how to style them.
How did the prints in this collection come about?
Our Spring/Summer collection for adidas is a nod to '80s sportswear and fitness imagery from that decade. Sportswear paraphernalia are used to create abstract collages of figurative motifs. The prints are bold and intricate; upon closer examination, they reveal themselves to be collages of sports gear in action – a stopwatch, a tennis racket and a badminton shuttlecock. The symbolist motifs are a nod to my mainline Autumn/Winter 2014 collection, but here it's more playful, more colorful.
How is designing for sportswear, especially shoes, any different from designing your ready-to-wear collections?
adidas are pioneers in textile and fabric innovation and I was able to fully appreciate this when we travelled to their headquarters in Nuremberg. It’s an incredible hub of creativity and their archive represents their technological evolution over the years. The technology they work with to develop their range and maintain their reputation as frontrunners in the performance wear market is incredible, so I really felt that we could push the boundaries of what a capsule collection could be. We both have a very distinctive brand identity, so it was important to marry the two and create a line that is a true blend of the two.
How long does a collaboration of this nature take?
A collaboration isn’t something you can enter into half-heartedly and I'm so pleased that my collaboration of this nature has been with adidas Originals. The timing couldn't have been better as I really wanted to open up the brand to a wider demographic and our more aspirational customers. We started working on the second season over a year ago. There are a lot of different parties involved in a collaboration and a lot of decisions, designs which need validating and budgets to adhere to.
Can you tell us more about the collection.
This season has all the elements you would want from a Spring/Summer collection – it's super cool, fun and vibrant. It’s incredibly wearable; there are fun separates like the structured embellished tee and shorts alongside short crepe tank dresses and pleated midi skirts. We wanted the pieces to really transcend the boundaries of day to eveningwear so that they can be easily incorporated into the summer wardrobe. This season we also expanded our footwear offering – reimagining the classic Superstar in vibrant prints with symbolist motifs from my mainline A/W '14 collection. The Flux Tech has also been remade in pastel shades of baby blue, with an '80s inspired athletic motif print and the classic adidas three-stripe in reflective pink. The classic Adilette is new to the summer collection too, with the addition of a platform and a touch of tropicana.
What's your favourite piece from the range?
There's a great printed track top and matching pants—very Miami Beach—which I love. It'd be super cool as a full look but would work just as well styled as separates with a slim trouser and heels for the evening. I also love the varsity jacket with satin stitching and chenille appliqué, and the pleated tennis dresses. This season we've also introduced the classic adidas Adilette slides—perfect for sunny climes and poolside parties.
If there were another adidas collaboration you would be spotted in, which would it be?
adidas have collaborated with so many great people; I'm honoured to be in such great company. It's a testament to how diverse the adidas family really is. The collections with Raf Simons and Yohji Yamamoto were really great.
How do you think people should style your designs?
I'm not sure Wimbledon would allow an orange silk mini dress on the courts. There’s so much fun to be had with the silhouettes and the prints. I'd love to see someone in our leggings and tank or the jersey body.
Mary Katrantzou x adidas Originals launches in stores and online at adidas.co.in on July 17
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE TO READ: Mary Katrantzou x adidas Originals 2.0
No comments:
Post a Comment