Matt Varga The Saucony SILO collection, including the Grid Ultra X, Gripper S, 586i, Endorphin Elite 2 and Kinvara I, is available now HERE.
Some may have been taken by surprise as Saucony’s has risen back to the forefront of sneaker culture in the past few years, but long-time sneakerheads know this is far from their first go-around. Indeed, their suede runner-driven peak in the 2010s presents almost a one-to-one comp to what they’re currently enjoying. However, even if there are parallels between those two eras, the running giant is hell-bent on making the most of the moment at hand, continuing to push into unexplored territory. Case in point, the announcement of Saucony SILO, a new “pinnacle” sub-category set to tip off its first collection on April 17th.
Introduced as a blend of Saucony’s “rich heritage and technology with high-fashion influences,” SILO is unquestionably of a different train of thought compared to mainline releases, well represented by the avant garde campaign imagery that accompanies this news. Moreover, the increasingly blurred lines between performance wear and high fashion across the industry makes this an opportune time for Saucony to step into that intersection, teeing up five distinct silhouettes in a range of colorway options.
A Breakdown Of All Five Saucony SILO Models
Paul Ruffles, creatives director of the new sub-brand, cites the Grid Ultra X as the “best expression of Saucony SILO,” and it’s easy to see why. You can pick out certain hallmarks of the Grid 9000, from the wavy mudguards to the arched tongue shape, but a sock-like foot entrance, strapped mid-foot cage and molded Vibram sole unit mark this as something entirely new in the catalog. Retail is set at $225 for the “Black/Shadow,” “Cloud/Wheat,” “Navy/Black” and “Adobe/Moss” variations pictured above.
The Saucony Shadow series is easiest comparison point for the Gripper S, maintaining the archival suede/canvas build and overall simplistic hardware. However, for all three of the colorway options presented here, cracked leather branding and heel cups elucidate the headier design language that defines SILO. Four editions, in “Adobe,” “Flint,” “Silver” and “Black” (not pictured), will carry a $135 price tag each.
The 586i S sees the brand tread towards the low-pro movement and soccer inspirations, sporting the grooved leather uppers and extended tongues that mark plenty of cleat-turned-lifestyle shoes in the marketplace. A slim cupsole and suede mudguards join up for contrast bottoms across all four palettes on offer. Notably, the silhouette is a reinterpretation of an already-existing archival style, spinning off of the 586sci from the 80s. The “Adobe/Ivory,” “Navy/Black,” “Ivory/Clay” and “Black/Flint” pairs above will each retail for $165.
The final leg of the collection wears the running DNA of the brand front and center, first executed with the Endorphin Elite 2 S. Pronounced stack height and thin uppers squarely place these in “super shoe” territory. While the orange and yellow edition isn’t too much of a step away from usual running shoe palettes, the “Triple Black” arrangement carries the cut-above atmosphere. The Endorphin Elite 2 retails for $300, on offer in two “Gold/Adobe” and “Black/Shadow” looks.
Last up is the Kinvara 1 S, again branching off of a flagship performance series. Molded sole units and no-sew uppers execute the futuristic lean, veering closer into the territory of tech runners. For concrete proof, look to the all-white edition, managing to sneak faux-vintage notes into its next-gen composition with an off-white stripe in the midsole. The Kinvara 1 S retails at $175 in the “Silver/Moss,” “Adobe/Flint,” and “Black” colorways pictured above.
As mentioned up top and throughout this piece, Saucony SILO will tip off on April 17th, debuting all five silhouettes via sauconysilo.com and partnering retailers. Specific pricing for each model hasn’t yet emerged, but we’ll update this post as soon as we have specifics.
