Representing the LA contingent is soul singer / songwriter Aloe Blacc, who has risen to considerable fame over the past couple of years. Now, for Consortium SS12, he’s partnered with adidas Originals to bring his own Olympic memories to the Decade Hi.
The ox blood premium leather is suggestive of African soil while the translucent gum outsole represents the bare foot of Blacc’s inspiration, Ethiopian gold medalist and marathon runner Abebe Bikila, who competed in the 1960 Olympics held in Rome.
A debossed logo of Blacc’s sunglasses and bow tie sits on the medial while a debossed Trefoil on the profile. Thick stitching on the midsole give it a street heavy appeal, whilst adding a touch of premium.
Kate Moross is the London based creative whose love of all things geometric has earned her a solid reputation in the design industry. Her distinctive style has her partnering up adidas Originals to interpret the BC, paying homage to the Olympics in her own graphic way.
The predominately grey suede upper features reflective triangles all over, some of them referencing the Olympic colour-way, which pop when the light hits the surface. The grey midsole anchors the look, as do the grey laces, although this version of the BC also comes with a bonus pack containing a selection of bright laces with alternating aglet colours. A bright green fabric loop tag on the heel tab and red one on the tongue featuring Kate Moross’s logo complete this quirky shoe.
Berlin native and sneaker collector Quote is passionate about the ZX 500 running silhouette and brings his enthusiasm to the table to design his own version for Consortium 2012. This version remains loyal to the ’80s original using a mix of nylon and mesh throughout.
Quote’s muted colour-way is directly influenced by the blue and white track of the Berlin Olympic Stadium, where his favourite football team are based and a place he spends a lot of his time in, with the pertinent Olympic colours thrown in on the outsole. On the inside of the tongue’s fabric loop tag sits a fist tattooed with Quote’s namesake.
DJ Muro has partnered up with adidas Originals to create a bold and, as he describes it, ‘aggressive’ version of the Pro Shell with its strong and deep colour choices of dark green, black and pops of red.
Overall, Muro’s Pro Shell is understated, but bursts of detail are found throughout, like the jersey material covering the ankle padding that features engineered stripes reminiscent of a track top’s cuff. Additionally, Muro’s modus operandi can be found on the laces, snakeskin-effect is used on the 3-stripes and unfastening of the velcro reveals bright colours underneath.
A Muro skull and crossbones logo sits on the heel for a tough looking street shoe that represents Tokyo for Consortium SS12.