Andrew Rizzo If “jawn” and “hoagie” are already part of your vocabulary, Lapstone & Hammer’s latest Saucony drop is for you. The Philly-based retailer is keeping things close to home with its newest release, drawing inspiration from water ice (or Italian ice, as it’s known elsewhere) with a flavorful campaign surrounding two Progrid Omni 9 colorways. And they found the perfect person to help show it off.
Philly-born skater Jimmy Gorecki, an original member of Pharrell Williams’ Ice Cream skate team, ironically enough, stars in the lookbook, modeling the collection at Italian ice shop Via Veneto in his hometown of Norristown, PA. One colorway sports a “Vizi Red” foundation, while the other goes with “Mint” mesh across the upper. Silver, green, blue, and white accents are used interchangeably across both pairs.
Lapstone & Hammer is also dropping a “Jimmy G’s Water Ice” tee featuring a custom logo designed by tattoo artist B.J. Betts, capturing the same old-school, mom-and-pop shop feel of Via Veneto and ice shops like it everywhere. With the MLB All-Star Game returning to Philly next month (see the Air Force 1 “MLB All-Star”), the retailer is also bringing back the LH x New Era “Midsummer Classic” MLB hat in matching shoe colors. Team options including the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and two different Phillies logos.
“I know for most it’s Italian Ice, but for me it’s water ice,” says Gorecki. “I’m sure Dom who founded Via Veneto would not agree with me. Water Ice is too hyper local. That’s the point behind Italian ice. It has a different meaning to everyone. Different neighborhoods. Different store fronts. Some a pizza shop like Via’s. Others a walk up window you can get a pretzel with it. We all understand the significance its played in our lives on hot, humid summer days. Thats what the Jimmy G Water Ice collection entails. Flavors tie back to the Omni 9 colorways. The Lapstone tie-dye swirl on the New Era hats are like when you mix and match the different flavors. And B.J. Betts’ incredible artwork on the tee is reminiscent of the shop you first visited as a little one.”
The Saucony Progrid Omni 9 “Water Ice” pack drops July 3rd at 10:00 AM ET, exclusively in-store and online at lapstoneandhammer.com. A wider release via Saucony and additional retailers is expected to follow soon after.
In related news, check out Westside Gunn’s “Spider-Man” Sauconys.
