Matt Varga Now in its 10th year, adidas Spezial has racked up a considerable fanbase on the back of Gary Aspden‘s refracted takes on old adidas classics. The adidas Spezial Pre-Spring 2024 collection only launched last month, but the imprint’s creatives are circling back for the Spring DECADE collection, reaching into the program’s own archives for the first time ever.
Though these are true retro releases, Aspden spoke to the urge to keep original collectors’ product unique: “We didn’t want to completely reinvent these styles that have in many ways become SPZL classics but we did want to ensure that each style could be subtly differentiated (and hopefully improved) from their predecessors.” It’s an overarching theme for this whole collection, modifying the shoes on offer just enough while maintaining the design aspects that made them fan favorites in the first place.
The foremost product in this capsule is the adidas Ardwick, a debut Spezial style initially limited to just 500 sample pairs. Revitalized in this showcase, the shoe’s compositional similarities to the adidas Topanga remain, as does the emerald shade inspired by the titular Manchester district. A sleeker tongue tag stands as the biggest tweak for the 2024 pair, gold typeface landing on a deep brown canvas.
Similar aesthetically is the adidas Blackburn, bringing the DNA of its 2021 Spezial release to its initial 2019 debut edition. Titled after Aspden’s hometown, the commemorative shoe was even more limited, minting only 200 pairs in its debut. All proceeds from that launch went to the Nightwatch organization, an outreach group in the district. A navy tongue and gold foil debossed logo set this 2024 pair apart, the stamp on the heel depicting the Red Rose of Leichester that imparted the overall palette.
Rounding out the collection are the adidas Garwen and Lacombe. The former harkens to the UNION LA capsule collaboration from 2018, notably enhancing that composition with a tan leather sockliner inside. The navy-on-white Lacombe makes good on its original DNA, appealing as a low-key fusion of archival tennis silhouettes.
The full adidas Spring DECADE collection launches on May 24th via adidas CONFIRMED and at select retailers. You can find official images and “Where To Buy” lists included just ahead.
Elsewhere for the Three Stripes, the adidas AE1 was back in the news with the AE1 Low “Ascent.”
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- adidas Ardwick SPZL adidas
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- adidas Ardwick SPZL @gary.aspden
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- Adidas Blackburn SPZL adidas
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- adidas Blackburn SPZL @gary.aspden
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- adidas Lacombe SPZL adidas
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- adidas Lacombe SPZL @gary.aspden
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- adidas Garwen SPZL adidas
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- adidas Garwen SPZL @gary.aspden
