West NYC x Saucony Shadow 5000 “Cabin Fever”: Seasonal Heat

It seems like retro running collaborations are all the rage right now, and every brand is eager to team up with the right creative partners to push their products into the spotlight. With an overwhelming amount of options in the market, both in terms of collabs and desirable general releases, anyone sitting down to the design table these days is faced with the daunting task of trying to create something to stand out from the crowd. And even though it feels at times like we’ve seen it all when it comes to different color combos and material makeups on a running shoe, somehow there are still plenty of pleasant surprises emerging on a regular basis.

For West NYC, it’s becoming business as usual as they continue to make it look easy thanks to some cool concepts and ’90s-inspired color palettes. First it was last year’s universally acclaimed “Alpine Guide” New Balance MT580 followed by the “Tequila Sunrise” Saucony Shadow 5000 earlier this fall, both times hitting the nail on the head with appealing renditions that instantly resonated with fans of retro runners and collab-hungry collectors alike.

Now poised to follow up on the success of the Tequila Sunrise with a completely different take on the Shadow 5000, West hits us with the “Cabin Fever” edition – an autumn-approved make-up that takes the classic running model into rugged new territory. Using outdoorsy fall-inspired colors and some more cold weather-friendly materials to bring the “Cabin Fever” story to life, West once again demonstrates a keen eye for parlaying ’90s-informed concepts into contemporary crowd pleasers.

We caught up with West owner and running shoe aficionado, Lester Wasserman, to pick his brain about the “Cabin Fever” Shadow 5000 and more, so continue on for the full interview, as well as a gallery of images caught in the wild to capture the shoe in its natural wilderness habitat. To get a pair for yourself, make plans to hit up West NYC this Saturday, November 9th for the official in-store release. Sizes 7-14 will be available while supplies last for a retail price of $130, but you’ll have to act fast, because these will no doubt be flying off of the West shelves this weekend.

Sneaker News:  What’s the concept behind your “Cabin Fever” Shadow 5000?

Lester Wasserman:  We were looking for a vintage ’90s trail aesthetic that could also double as a fall casual shoe.  The goal was to make it special, yet commercial enough that almost anyone could wear it.

SN:  Can you give us a rundown of the materials and colors and why they were chosen to tell this story?

Lester:  For this project, we used 4 different materials and 3 colors to help articulate the feel we were going for. Olive suede, black leather, red and green fabric, and finally black 3M reflective.

SN:  How did it come about that West designed two different Shadow 5000 colorways and is there any kind of conceptual tie between them?

Lester:  While these 2 projects have absolutely nothing in common, we had two strong ideas that we wanted to project through the Shadow 5000.

SN:  Do you have a personal favorite between the “Tequila Sunrise” and “Cabin Fever” Shadow 5000s, and if so, what gives your choice the edge?

Lester:  I choose to invoke my 5th amendment rights on the grounds I may incriminate myself….Just kidding. Personally, the Cabin Fever is one of my favorite sneakers I have ever laid eves on.  I can’t say one bad thing about it.

SN:  How important is a good concept in creating a memorable collab shoe?

Lester:  Concepts are cool, but product is king.

SN:  You guys obviously went above and beyond by producing that cool teaser video and the special box. How exciting is it to now have your very own shoes to promote and be able to do these types of things around it?

Lester:  Unbelievable.  We are lucky enough to have an in-house team that covers all ground from soup to nuts.

SN:  At this point, all three of West’s sneaker collaborations have been retro runners. Why the focus on the running category and are there any plans in place to expand into other footwear genres?

Lester:  As a lover of the sport of running, and the classic running silhouette, these are the shoes I naturally flock towards.  We are currently shopping a few other ideas around.

SN:  Can you give us any hints on what’s coming up next from West NYC on the collaboration front?

Lester:  Big things!!  This is just the beginning!!!!!