“So the size? crew have paid homage with their very own psychedelic Air Stab. As part of their triple-header Clerk pack, theyve dropped this air cushioned assault on the senses. The leather and nylon is an eighties throwback, but from then on, its an acid fuelled makeup that takes in purple and yellow, which as the Lakers colourway proves, arent the most abstract bedfellows, plus some black and white in tribute to Mary Quants designs…
So where does it get strange? How about a cardinal red outsole toe to throw the symmetry of the shoe? or a flower on the insole? And much-maligned multicoloured lettering makes another appearance that makes a little more sense this time given the concept behind the makeup. The least of a pack that keeps a particularly high standard, mainly due to the quality of the Stab retro, whether its a summer of love or (using our forum as a demographic), hate, this is perfect fodder for the warmer weather.
Does the world need another AM90? Do we need a few more months to fully take in the brace of releases from the last few months? Well, yes to both, especially when theyre as strong as the size? Brighton Beach Air Max 90. Mistakenly labelled as a HUF creation on a few hype sites, after initial apprehension after seeing it in the flesh next to the Manchester BW, its grown on us at an alarming rate. Apparently inspired by the beach huts on Brightons sea fronts, the mix of materials at work is incredible- brown snakeskin leather, a washed out pastel pink (a colour that makes a fair few appearances on this shoe) in soft leather and a bone coloured pigskin style nubuck thats particularly impressive. And for an appropriately oceanic touch, blue detailing and a teal swoosh. Tactile and visually appealing, just when we thought this shoe had been rinsed for colourways, a focus on quality materials as well as visuals has paid dividends.
I was never a huge BW fan. They were played-out in my school, the silhouette always seemed too long compared to the compact shape of previous Air Max incarnations and insipid crooners Boyz II Men rocking the OG colourway was the nail in the coffin for me. But somehow, the size? Manchester Rain model has made me a convert. Designed to withstand the erratic weather conditions of North West England, think black and grey all the way, bar some well-timed blasts of orange blaze (reflecting the size? orange) on the lace detailing and air bubble and a touch of white in the contrast stitching, reflecting a forecast that reads cloudy and grey with a chance of sun. In previous previous materials, it seemed the shoe carried less shape. Perhaps its just me, but the whole thing seems much more appealing in rugged materials, with thick mesh on the toebox and parts of the upper, quality black leather complementing the trademark rubberised Swoosh. The laces set the whole outdoor theme off, making this another collaboration that proves that deliberately outlandish palettes arent necessarily the key to a classic collab.” Via CT.
