One of the sneakers of the summer has been Nike’s ZoomX Vista Grind. Released earlier last month, the sneaker, specially crafted for the female consumer has already been seen on the soles of women and men everywhere. With a statement silhouette and bold features yet a level of comfort fit for athletics, the shoe is a fusion of both streetwear and high fashion. This concept was said to have been sparked by the Women’s World Cup and the city of Paris, with the intention of creating a clash of the city and suburbs, creating something both rebellious as well as refined. Sustainability was also a key driver in the creation process of the shoe, as foam scraps from the brand’s ZoomX sneakers were used to enable a level of technology fit for sports into the Vista Grind. See the full story in our XXI issue to be released mid-September.
In celebration for this year’s Pride festivities Nike launches it’s BeTrue collection in support of the LGBTQ+ community with a smashing campaign. Earlier this week, in partnership with Out Magazine, Nike released the images for the collection that were done in collaboration with the estate of Gilbert Baker — the political activist who claimed the rainbow for LGBTQ+ people by creating the pride flag.
The campaign shot by photographer Marcus Smith features the likes of some of sports’ most important LGBTQ+ names including Caster Semenya, Sue Bird, Chris Mosier, Brittney Griner, Kerron Clement among many others. All decked out in this year’s updated merch which includes collection of shoes, accessories and clothes highly influenced by the pride flag. Such as the Air Max 720 in a rainbow palette with Baker’s signature on the back, The Air Tailwind 79 with a rainbow heel, the Zoom Pegasus Turbo in a full rainbow stripe with glitter and sparkles among other products. In tune with the initiative, the brand will also grant financial support to 20 LGBTQ+ organisations including the GLBT historical Society, the Hetrick-Martin Institute, The National Gay Basketball Association and You Can Play. The Nike BeTrue 2019 collection is now available online and in selected stores worldwide.
Just in time for the 2019 Women’s World Cup in June, Nike released their new collaborative campaign this week featuring four of fashion’s most promising female designers. For the collaboration Ambush’s Yoon Ahn, LVMH Prize recipient Marine Serre, Koché’s Christelle Kocher and MadeMe’s Erin Magee redesigned the classic football jersey with matching sports bras from their own perspective of these sports staples.
Yoon Ahn of AMBUSH created a jersey that speaks to diversity by reflecting aspects of Asian culture in a unisex hybrid jersey inspired by the Happi coat, which is a traditional Japanese straight sleeved coat.
“ I chose the happy coat because, although we are celebrating the tournament and the incredible female players, I believe it is just as important for the fans, for everyone to have universal piece to celebrate in,” she explained.
Nike x AMBUSH
Nike x AMBUSH
Christelle Kocher’s vision however, stemmed from the idea of creating a sort of elegant asymmetry. “I created this dress by reconstructing the soccer jersey around the female body. The result is a dress that can be worn by a girl who plays, dances or moves in the city,” she stated.
Nike x Koché
Nike x Koché
Marine Serre was of course able to offer a version of the signature print which has aided in gaining her recognition over the past few seasons by presenting it in a printed body suit worn under a slender neon green jersey. “The focus of my design is always hybridity and adapting to daily life. It’s important to create a purposeful line that makes a female feel good without compromising style,” said Serre.
Nike x Marine Serre
Nike x Marine Serre
MadeMe’s Erin Maggee instead paid homage to the U.S Women’s National team of the 90’s with a match ready Nike stadium jersey featuring the USA federation crest. “I wanted this jersey to be sport first, fashion second. It’s meant to celebrate the incredible victorious history of the USWNT by drawing attention to the woman namesake of the iconic sportswear company itself: Nike the Goddess of Victory.”
Nike x MadeMe
Nike x MadeMe
The collection will be available for purchase at NikeLab stores globally and a few retailers as of June 7th.
Sportswear brand Nike recently unveiled their latest womenswear collection titled Nike City Ready which is set to hit stores on September 6th. The collection comprises of nine pieces designed by an all-female team which included Nike Women’s Senior Creative Director Maria Vu.
“Our Challenge was how to take our incredible motion adapt technology and make it beautiful and push it through a transformative lens without compromising the performance,” explains Vu. The campaign features American athlete Sloane Stephens and ballerina/photographer Olivia Burgess who model the pieces which include footwear, bras, pants, tights and crews which are shot by female photographer/athlete Paola Kudacki.
Nike City Ready CollectionNike City Ready CollectionNike City Ready Collection
Mesmerising and inspiring, FKA Twigs has long been a Twin idol thanks to her surreal, boundary breaking style and extensive, highly vibey musical talent. This month, the singer has teamed up with Nike as creative director for their new Nike Zonal strength tights.
This recent collaboration invites a new appreciation of sportswear, and FKA Twigs has used the campaign to delve into ideas around the power of modern movement, using the new items as a means to consider wider societal issues – while also creating a seriously beautiful new advertising campaign. With full creative control, from original concept to casting, through to the finished product, FKA Twigs asks viewers to see sports as a means of self expression, a more empowering way to embrace new year resolutions. As to the collection itself, expect a palette of maroons, earthy greens, rich blacks and a collection of crop tops you’ll want to wear every day.
Of the campaign Twigs said: “People don’t always see dancers as athletes, but we are. Through dance, I’ve met young people who work really hard and have dedicated their lives to being active. To me they represent “modern movement,” which I define as exploring any genre of sport without boundaries. As a dancer, I try to embrace my fragility and accept that where I’m at is good enough. Dancers are taught to always look in the mirror, from an early age, to make sure we have perfect alignment. There comes a point when you just have to let go and trust that you’re going to get where you need to be. Overall, dance makes you realize that there’s beauty in the imperfections. I think that’s what can make it most intriguing for people to watch.”
Nike has opened the first women’s only store in Europe on London’s King’s Road. The 207 square metre consumer experience store that offers the best Nike’s performance products and services and is designed to inspire the women of London to reach their athletic potential.
Their latest West London outpost is the third women’s only store for the brand; Nike opened locations in Shanghai, China and Newport Beach, California late last year. Offering bespoke services such as pant hemming, gait analysis and bra fitting, consumers can also get advice on the best products for individual running techniques and training programmes.
The store also plans to become a fitness hub, with free weekly Nike+ Training Club classes and a Nike+ Run Club.
Nike King’s Road is located at 33 King’s Road, London, SW3 4LX.
NikeCourt has collaborated with the infamous Parisian concept store, Colette, in honour of defending champion Maria Sharapova’s return to the clay of Paris. Reinventing the NikeCourt Zoom Vapor 9 Tour and NikeCourt Tennis Classic, both styles have taken Colette’s signature blue colors and iconic dots as inspiration to create a classic design that exemplifies tennis tradition.
The NikeCourt Zoom Vapor 9 Tour features the Maria Sharapova logo on the back tab of the left shoe as well as her quote, “I am not the next anyone, I am the first Maria Sharapova,” on the sockliner. The NikeCourt Tennis Classic honors more than 40 years of refined court style: It’s silhouette represents Nike’s earliest foray into tennis, making this shoe ideal for the current collaboration.
The NikeCourt x Colette footwear collection is available at global NikeLab locations and online.
When the Stan Smiths came back on the scene, with it came fashion’s obsession with all white kicks. Understated, chic and classic, there’s so much to love about them, although keeping them clean can be rather tedious in this rainy weather. Here we pick our favourite styles to see you into the new year.
It’s not exactly news that trainers are having a renaissance of sorts in the fashion world, so it seems fitting that a Parisienne artist has made them the central theme in his work. Christophe Guinet, aka Mr Plant, has turned Nike’s moto Just Do It into Just Grow It, and created a series of living plant sculptures that feature mid-top dunks adorned with flowers, grass and bark.
Twin contributor Robert Storey has designed the new Nike womenswear pop-up in New York. The space is broken into distinct areas that include pro bra, train, run and live. Running with the designs within the collections, the space focuses on symmetry and bold colour schemes of blue, green, pink and orange. You’ll also find an all-white gym for lucky visitors to work out whilst trying on the merchandise, as well as a fitting room for bespoke sports bra measuring.
Nike Womenswear Pop-Up – Mulberry Street, New York, NY 10013
One print that made its way onto a catwalk or few back in February was camoflage. The military pattern was seen at Micheal Kors and Christopher Kane emblazoned on classically cut skirts, trousers as well as accessories. The print has connotations of 90’s street dressing but this season it’s matured, and struts it’s stuff in a much more elegant fashion. So instead of blending into your surroundings, get any of these Twin picks and go marching into AW13.
Sport lux is going to be one of the big themes this spring, although filtering through in seasons past it’s been building to a crescendo of sorts. But be warned, with this trend it’s easy to get sloppy, and it can cause many a wardrobe malfunction. Opt to wear your high tops with regular staples, those go-to pieces we all love such as leather trousers and over-sized blazers, and keeping to muted colours allows you to be a little more playful with the rest of your outfit. Here are Twin’s favourite trainers to run around and play in.
Saint Laurent Malibu high top china blue trainers, £320, Cricket-fashion.com
Marc By Marc Jacobs 70mm Cut Out Calfskin High Top Sneakers, £330, Luisaviaroma.com
Maison Martin Margiela High Top Trainer, £401.21, Farfetch.com
Nike Dunk Sky High Olive Wedge Trainers, £85, Asos.com
A.P.C. has teamed up with Nike for a collection of casually cool kicks.
The brand founded by Jean Touitou in 1987 has garnered a cult following thanks to its minimalist but covetable styles. Putting a French spin on the sportswear brand’s timeless Dunk and Air Max styles, the collaboration brings a more sophisticated touch to the wardrobe staple, thanks to muted colours such as navy, ecru and brown, plus suede paneling.
Following the A.P.C. mantra of the most desirable wardrobe items being those that whisper instead of shout, we say strike while the iron is hot.
A.P.C. + Nike launches tomorrow and will be available exclusively through A.P.C.‘s retail stores and online shop.
Spring is sprung. Continuing their collaboration with Liberty of London, Nike Sportswear have taken the luxury store’s iconic floral motifs and flowerbombed their classic running trainers. From the Cortez to the Air Max 1, the Make It Count collection is about making fashion work hard for you.
Twin has its eye on the Destroyer Baseball Jacket in particular. Make sure you check out the Nike pop-up space if you’re in London this April.
Trust Nike to make working out hip and fun. For their new collection, Made By Nike, they’ve enlisted quirky blogger/DJ extraordinaire and Twin friend Bip Ling, to talk about her love of boxing.
The project, worked on by Twin’s Creative Director Becky Smith, uses the Tumblr format in order to make shopping an easy click and buy experience. Meanwhile the pieces, a slick collection of purple hued, grey and black sportswear could easily make it into our everyday wardrobe for some added sports luxe.
Twin caught up with Bip to talk about her involvement…
How did Nike find out you were a fan of the brand? Through my blog bipling.com
You’re known for your fun style, what was it that appealed to you about the Nike Made For You collection? I think every day is a stylie day, so when working out why not get into a stylie style.
Can you remember your first pair of Nikes? My Indian grandmother Didas bought me Nikes when I first learnt how to walk. They were white with a blue Nike swish swoosh and with Velcro.
What are your top tunes to listen to while you work out?
I like to listen to Drum and Bass when I work out. It seems to give me lots of energy; it’s great fun to listen to when I punch the peanut ball in the gym and also for runs outside. Makes me feel like I am Sonic the Hedgehog.
1. Big Tings by Drumsound & Sion Bassline Smith feat. Skibadee
2. Dr Feels Good by Original Sin
3. Aztec by Spor
4. You’re Mine by Potential Badboy Deat. Yush
5. Feelings by Shy FX & T. Power
6. Big Bad & Heavy by Leviticus
What’s been your most fashion moment since starting your blog?
I’m not entirely aware of when a fashion moment occurs, but I do love living in the moment.
What would you do if the Internet disappeared for a day?
Learn how to sing.
Tell us another thing about yourself that nobody knows?
I really enjoy eating black pudding.
Last but not least, can you give us any boxing tips?
Punch with your core strength. 😉
Punch with a smile…
and style. 🙂 hahaaaa lol.x
If you’ve found yourself on the corner of Bethnal Green Road and Shoreditch High Street recently you will have undoubtedly noticed that a space which has been uninhabited for the past four decades has new residents. A cluster of shipment containers have been erected to form the world’s first ‘pop-up mall’.
Founded by Boxfresh’s Roger Wade, whose ethos is all about the ‘brand experience’ rather than sales, the 60 containers house retail outlets with a streetwear slant. Up-and-coming designers like OnePiece and Playful Promises vie for attention amongst established brands Evisu, CalvinKlein, Nike and Phaidon.
Diesel has launched its Fifty Five DSL line here and, alongside such nosh outlets as Foxcroft & Ginger, Frae frozen yoghurt and Hop-Nano, charities Amnesty International and Art Against Knives have spaces on the first floor selling artworks and collaborative designs by such East London-based designers as Lucy Jay and Tracey Emin. Welcome to the anti-high street.
Boxpark opens on Saturday 3rd December boxpark.co.uk
For Twin V we’ve gone to the roots of female creativity and taken a look at the growing young talent working right now. Twin spoke to Grace LaDoja, whose ambition and hard-work has singled her out from her peers. Grace’s eyes and ears are firmly locked on the youth culture pavement. The filmmaker has been documenting youth sub cultures since her first job at 17 and it was her childhood in London that shaped her world.
“Growing up in a three bedroom house with eight other kids around me I learnt if you don’t get up and do something you’ll be unnoticed,” says Grace. “In London you are surrounded by everything culturally relevant. I sucked it all up. I wasn’t the stereotypical black girl living in north London. I was into different music, different scenes on every level. I started running with the things surrounding me. I didn’t even skate but I was fascinated by the scene.”
As part of her first job at sneaker community Crooked Tongues, Grace flew around the world shooting films for brands like Adidas, Stussy and Etnies. Finally a year ago she set up her own production company LaDoja and Sons and has since worked with brands like Nike and Swatch as well as making documentaries such as London to Paris – a film about the cycling scene.
“I love youth culture and I want to document what’s happening now. In the same way as people look to the Eighties and Nineties I want to give kids in the future something to reference from this era. Eventually I’d love to make films like Spike Lee and Martin Scorcese, telling the story of what’s happening.”
“We live in a generation where everyone’s someone and wants to be their own boss. I feel proud to be where I am. I’ve got a space with 15 people working in there and we’re working with big brands. I’m doing something I love and I’m making money. I’m not faking it.”
Irish photographer and filmmaker Niall O’Brien is fascinated with youths on the edge of society. His GoodRats series, the result of following a group of young South London punks across Europe, was a stand-out story from Twin‘s debut issue. Having shot for McQ and Nike, for his latest video project, Anger, he turned to the subject of youthful rage.
Twin spoke to O’Brien about the project.
Why did you chose to make a film about anger?
It was originally part of a commission that fell through. I was given an emotion and the idea of angry kids appealed to me and fascinated me. Temper tantrums are almost in everyone’s breaking point and I think it can come out easier in youth. I know I was a bit of a shit when younger. Recreating it was almost a salute to the way we once were, or still are as the case may be.
Where and when did you shoot the film?
I shot Anger a year ago. It was shot in an estate below my flat in Tower Hamlets. I’d been looking at it for over a year, so when the project came up it was a perfect location.
How does your film work fit with your photography?
I don’t know really, I try to keep the two separate and use it as an opportunity to collaborate. I’m confident in my photography and in my film there is still room for learning.
I’ve been shooting films for four years now and I’m still looking for my voice, I only found what I felt comfortable sticking with in photography about 12 years after I picked up a camera. I love it and have a great crew but I don’t want to be employed to shoot a film because of my photography. I want to be chosen because of my films. But… it all comes from the same person so it must relate somehow.
When and why did you start taking photographs?
I used to be involved with the skateboard industry in Ireland and started taking pictures of my friends. A few magazines and board companies started commissioning me and buying my photos so I decided to study it. I thought I was going to further sports photography, but I ended up doing fine art.
What draws you to documenting the adolescent sub-cultures you’ve photographed?
Reliving my youth I think. Being a kid was a very important time for me. The boy I was then and my friends needed to be documented, but I never had a camera. Some mental stuff went on as a boy, so when I met the punk kids it was the perfect opportunity to recapture it and in many ways relive it. It took me two years to feel like part of the group and when I did, I got a kick out of it. It is a rare opportunity and an almost VIP ticket into the lives of an amazing bunch of lads.
How do you build trust with your subjects?
Getting arrested to protect them helped (for Good Rats), but I think becoming one of them is important. If I approached them with questions and with a mature way I’d be told to fuck right off. It’s easy enough for me as I’m a bit of a kid at heart and don’t mind going there.
Who are your creative influences, photographically and otherwise?
I’m influenced by people who have drive and get stuff done. No matter what they do so long as they put their heart and soul into it and most of all stick to their guns. There is a risk of losing what you have by watching other people too much. Keep the blinkers on, move yourself forward and don’t worry about the other person.
What would you do if you weren’t a photographer?
I’d be a painter decorator.
Guilt too often goes hand in hand with a spending spree. This Sunday though, the marvellous Wah Nails are hosting a huge sale where every pound spent equals good karma. One hundred per cent of the money raised will go to the British Red Cross, in aid of those affected by the Japanese earthquake and Tsunami.
As organiser Grace Ladoja says, “It’s difficult to know what the best way to donate is when disasters like this happen. Especially when it affects people you know. Donating online doesn’t often feel real because you are just pressing a button and you never know how much to give.”
As a result, Grace has called upon her artist and designer friends to donate the items on sale, as well those who simply have wardrobes stuffed full of clothes they don’t wear. Ranging from lables such as Moschino, Nike and Cassette Playa to old records cakes and art, it’s a white elephant stall like no other. And on top of wordly goods on offer, Wah Nails will also be offering a discount on nails and dip dye hair.
I liked the idea of doing a physical sale at WAH because it brings people together,” says Grace. “As well as buying stuff, they can hang out, listen to music, get their nails done and just have a fun Sunday, all knowing they are part of something that is helping people.”
Japan Relief Fund Blowout Sale, Sunday March 27 · 12-6pm at WAH NAILS, 420 Kingsland Road, London E8 4DG London.
To donate items, drop them at Wah Nails, 12-8pm Sat.
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