The Summit
I was in sneaker shop Sole What? in The Gardens Mid Valley the other day, almost getting cross-eyed by the neon colours blaring from them Nike Air’s. Then, a rack consisting of hiking boots, high-tops and topsider-like sneakers caught my eye, beckoning me in its own smug manner.
My curiosity piqued a little more each time I picked up a pair, then the next, and the next. What shoes are these? Are these limited edition sneakers like the rest, or something more? Why haven’t I seen designs like these in KL before?
I find the label. “Ransom by adidas”, it reads. Turns out that this is the collection that I have been reading on the GQ blog just a couple of days back. Them GQ writers are right after all, I have attested to the beauty of these designs. Further google-ing back home reveals that Ransom is a streetwear retail institution based in Toronto, Canada. The guys at Ransom already have a clothing label of their own, mostly Americana and workwear inspired. So it comes to no surprise for them to collaborate with a footwear heavyweight for a collection in a similar, outdoor-inspired style.
What I love about the collection is how it interprets classic and utilitarian footwear into a modern design context. The shape is sleek and streamlined, the colours are updated and fresh, and yet the shoe still remains true to its roots in the American outdoors.
There are 5 models in this collection,
the boat-shoe inspired Pier,
the high-top Valley (Sk8-Hi and Stan Smith crossbreed?),
ankle boots Dune (desert-boot inspired?),
rubber sole lugs Creek
and the excellent hiking boots Summit.
Each model is a beauty on its own, and if given the choice to buy a pair I would lose sleep deciding which to choose. If given the choice to buy FIVE (or seven) pairs though, I would go for:
1. Summit in brown leather, my absolute favourite. (pictured above) I also like the ones in black leather. Them green laces are a mean combination.
The Summit, black
2. Pier in brown nubuck, the patina is just awesome. Although the white leather and grey suede ones are just as tempting. I can has dem all, yes?
Pier in Brown Leather (r), Grey suede (l)
3. Dune in blue or orange. Yummy…
Dune, blue
Dune, orange
5.Valley in black. Simple yet stunning.
Valley
6. Creek in brown. Orange laces for the win!
Creek
Santa, now you know what I want for Christmas (on top of a lappie and a DSLR…) I’ve been a good buoy!
More info on this collection:
Available in KL in Sole What? The Gardens. Price ~Rm400-600+. Click here for available range: part 1, 2.
More Ransom by adidas shoe porn (in video format) here. Drool guaranteed.
Pics taken from Sole What? and Streething blog. More pics here.
Ransom interview here.
The shoes look good but kinda too expensive for me now.. hehe
@Allison: Yup, unfortunately sneaker prices are like that. That’s why my only hope is Santa
Blue dune spells: OMIGOSH! WANT!
@Faer: Check out the youtube video in my links at the bottom. It’ll make you want the blue dunes even more
[...] haven’t been salivating over sneakers this much since the release of the Adidas Ransom collection last year. Loving the fact that they employed a classic shoe shape (chukkas and desert [...]