Dr. Martens: Exploring Leeds’ Own C.F. Stead Tannery
To welcome Dr. Martens and their first delivery of 1461 Stead Suede Shoes to HIP, we made the short journey to Leeds’ own C.F Stead Tannery to capture the original environment in which each shoe’s journey begins with one of the most respected tanners of suede leather in the world.
Founded by German doctor Klaus Märtens, Dr. Martens was created when Klaus injured his ankle during a skiing accident – he found that his boots were too uncomfortable for his recovery and so he designed improvements with a softer leather and an air-padded sole made from tires. Dr. Martens shoes were quickly adopted by rebellious youth subcultures globally as a symbol of bold self-expression, attitude and unique style. Dr. Martens is well known for its signature yellow stitching, AirWair soles and long lasting build.
The 1461 3 Eye Shoe from Dr. Martens is one of their most iconic and popular styles that was first introduced on the 1st April 1961, exactly one year after they had introduced the 1460 in 1960. At one point, sales of the 1460 and 1461 contributed to half of the brands revenue thanks to their timeless and sturdy build which transcended style and attracted everyone from punks to laborers. Alongside being a classic British style within menswear, punk, rock and other subcultures, recent collaborations with A Bathing Ape, Engineered Garments, Needles, Supreme, Fragment Design and many more have cemented Dr. Martens as a force to be reckoned with as global tastemakers themselves.
As one of the oldest family run tanneries around – Charles F. Stead in Leeds has been producing the highest quality suede and leather since the 1890’s – back when there were hundreds of tanneries in the UK in contrast to the humble few that remain today. Using a mixture of old and new machines, the Stead Tannery achieves their desired high standards of tanning suede and leather starting with selection of leathers they acquire around the globe depending on the final product. Mostly British leathers are left soaking and pickled until achieving a state known as ‘wet blue’. Following this, the roll is tanned in large drums and then hung before being dried. This deep understanding of suede and the tanning process and craft is what helps Charles F. Stead achieve the rich colours and neppy feel they have become world renowned for in each and every pair.
For AW20, Dr. Martens present their classic 1461 3 Eye Shoe with English suede from C.F Stead in 3 classic and unique colorways of black, green and purple. The Stead suede used has a higher than usual nap level which means it’s softer than your average suede and allows for a fuzzier finish on the surface for added texture and durability.
New for AW20 at HIP – The Dr. Martens x C.F. Stead 3 Eye Suede Shoe is online now. Follow HIP on Instagram to see our latest features and editorials first.
YEEZY 700 V3 ‘Arzareth’
adidas Originals and Kanye West join forces for an all new iteration of the coveted YEEZY 700 V3. The YEEZY 700 V3 Arzareth features an upper composed of monofilament engineered mesh with RPU overlays for structure and durability while the bootie construction provides a snug adaptable fit. The RPU cage has glow in the dark features that provide a unique look and feel. This model features no-tie stretch laces for easy on and off wear and comes equipped with a second set of standard laces. The PU encapsulated EVA midsole provides comfort and durability and the herringbone rubber outsole offers unique design cues and improved traction.
The adidas + KANYE WEST YEEZY BOOST 700 V3 ‘Arzareth’ launches at The Hip Store on 25/07/20 online via our raffle.
The Path to PARADIS3 NYC
New to Hip for AW20 – Paradise or PARADIS3 – is the DIY brand born in 2015 from NYC based pro skater Sean Pablo – who rides for Supreme, Fucking Awesome and Converse. Paradise releases bootleg-style graphics on streetwear staples with fun and eye catching graphics that combine vintage inspired imagery with social commentary. In Sean’s own words he describes his angle with the label – ”I guess I really don’t pay attention to the fashion world because it’s not as interesting as what friends and local brands are doing”.
Growing up in the laid back community of Silver Lake in LA, Sean’s father was a surfer and skater and influenced him to to start skating from an early age. After becoming friends with now fellow FA and Supreme teammates Sage Elsesser and Aidan Mackey, the crew began skating the L.A streets at any moment they could. Following on from growing up watching the more popular typical skate videos like Yeah Right (Girl Skateboards), Fully Flared (Lakai) and catching up with what would go down at the Berrics (private indoor skatepark owned by professional skateboarders Steve Berra and Eric Koston) the three evolved their taste and became fans of a more lo-fi, unique and stylish skating style riders such as Jason Dill, AVE and Dylan Rieder would partake in. Over time they spent many days hanging around the Fairfax area and over time became recognized and befriended by the staff at Supreme. In addition to thinking about how he rode and his trick selection, the influence from Dill and Rieder also overlapped into Sean’s unique and curated fashion sense, which is also seen in the DIY and modern punk graphics seen in each Paradise collection.
Initially rising to fame after featuring in 2014’s now legendary Supreme “cherry” full length, Sean Pablo began working on Paradise as a small side project originally gifting crewnecks and tees friends and family in his circle before fully launching the coveted brand in 2015 to immediate popularity and sell out drops. Soon after this, Sean turned pro for long-standing sponsor Fucking Awesome which further cemented his place in modern day skateboarding.
Coming from a family of forward thinking minds with his dad being a musician and his mother a teacher, Seans venture with Paradise was well supported and had inspiration from the start. Recent projects aside from Paradise include photo zines released with respected publisher Innen books and multiple colourways of his signature Converse Chuck Tyalor, with youthful and angsty elements from both funneling into designs seen in each Paradise drop. Other key figures from the Paradise circle include famed skater Mark Gonzales and underground DIY artist Weirdo Dave who have both collaborated with the brand in the past and have also helped Sean develop his craft across skating, art and style.
The first delivery of PARADIS3 NYC at HIP features a strong selection of hoodies, crewnecks and graphic t-shirts each following the recognizable youthful DIY vibe of the brand. Key pieces include the social commentary led Don’t Throw It Away T-Shirt and the collaborative capsule collection of hoodies and crewnecks with embroidered artwork from Mark ‘The Gonz’ Gonzales.
New to HIP for AW20 – PARADIS3 NYC. Online now.
adidas Originals x Sean Wotherspoon SUPEREARTH Superstar
This Summer adidas Originals partner up with famed sneaker designer, collector and founder of Round Two Sean Wotherspoon to create a new creative vegan friendly spin on the classic Superstar silhouette. Crafted entirely free of animal based or derived products, the Superstar SUPEREARTH was consciously made thanks to a waste-minimizing production method formed by adidas and the use of recycled rubber that creates the sole unit. Adding upon the conscious production of the shoe, the standout visual feature of the SUPEREARTH is undoubtably the floral walled body of drawings and frayed embroidery that hangs down from the upper. A meddow-like aesthetic is created on the shoe thanks to a palette of yellow, black, red, green, orange, and blue contrasting the white vegan leather base. A sky blue eyestay panel gives the effect of clear blue sky whilst SUPEREARTH branding on the tongue and a trefoil logo on the heel round out the pair.
The adidas Originals x Sean Wotherspoon SUPEREARTH Superstar will be launching at The Hip Store on 29/08/20 online via raffle and in Leeds FCFS.
