adidas x Wood Wood UltraBOOST 19
This Winter, adidas have worked with Copenhagen based Wood Wood to create two collaborative colour ways of the adidas UltraBOOST 19. The collaboration is the first part of the adidas Run City Pack, which will consist of four capsule running collections created in partnership with four different leading brands from across the globe – Wood Wood, Universal Works, NEIGHBORHOOD and lifestyle imprint Monocle.
The first of the UltraBOOST 19 colour ways takes form in a cream-coloured silhouette that is accented with contrasting rust and white details. The Primeknit upper, heel cage and branding are a tonal cream, while the inner lining and frontal tag take on a bold rust tone. adidas branding can be seen front and centre on the outer side of the shoe, while Wood Wood takes to the medial side with its logo atop three embossed stripes signature to its collaborator.
To compliment the cream pair there is also an olive coloured edition which offers darker Winter tones from its counterpart’s tonal structure. Olive green can be seen throughout the knit upper and heel cage, while the adidas and Wood Wood branding add some contrast in an off-white hue. A gold inner lining and laces add a dash of colour. Both colour ways are finished off with a white BOOST midsole, an iconic signature to the silhouette.
The adidas x Wood Wood UltraBOOST 19 is online now.
Carhartt WIP x Motown Records AW19 Collection
Coinciding with the 60th anniversary of Berry Gordy Jr founding the label in Detroit, Michigan, Carhartt WIP joins with Motown Records to present an expansive collection for AW19.
In 1959, after a relative degree of success writing songs for artists, Gordy Jr founded Tamla Records, which would lay the foundations for Motown – a name that nodded to Detroit’s motor-manufacturing heritage. Similar to the assembly lines of Ford Motors, where he had previously worked, Gordy Jr set about establishing his own conveyor belt, cranking out hits and establishing stars at a remarkable rate. Diana Ross and the Supremes, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, and Marvin Gaye all passed through the hallowed doors of Motown’s humble two-story house-turned-recording studio on West Grand Boulevard.
Standout pieces in the collection include a sateen bomber and rolled beanie that features the cover art and promo material that accompanied Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On,” and a “Snake Pit” shirt that references Motown’s basement recording studio. Other T-Shirts and Hoodies in the collection draw reference to Motown’s sub-labels and the 1970 album “A Pocket Full of Miracles” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
The Carhartt WIP x Motown Records AW19 collection is online now.
adidas Originals “City Series” Malmo
Following on from the recent release of the Oslo, adidas Originals continue their city series with the Malmo. Originally released in the late 1970’s, the colours of the Malmo represent the flag of Sweden and have become a hugely popular and anticipated style with the last re-release being in 2012.
The Malmo’s upper features a suede base with premium leather overlays and lining, finished with a gum outsole unit. As expected, the Malmo also has the signature “City Series” gold foil branding on its side wall.
The adidas Originals “City Series” Malmo will be launching at The Hip Store on 15/11/19 online at 11:00pm and then in Leeds and Nottingham on 16/11/19 from 08:00am.
Revolutionising Print: Bound Art Book Fair
Since launching in 2017, Bound Art Book Fair has become the leading event for arts and photography publishing outside of London, providing a platform for a diverse selection of artists and practitioners to share their work and reach new audiences. Exhibitors include artists and collectives, small presses, independent publishers, galleries and distributors who are committed to expanding the potential of publishing to communicate radical ideas and amplify underrepresented voices. We headed down to Bound 2019 to see what went down, following on from the event we chatted with two of the three co-founders Robert Parkinson and Lillian Wilkie to learn more about the event.
For those who don’t know, when did Bound first begin and how did the event come about?
RP: It started back in 2017 at the Whitworth where our main annual event happens but we have hosted a number of interim events around publishing and print in between those. It was basically born out of being frustrated about no decent self-publishing fairs being hosted outside of the capital. So instead of moaning we decided to do it ourselves.
LW: It’s also important to acknowledge the context out of which Bound emerged: there were major publishing fairs in London and Paris, and the key annual events for art publishing were the Printed Matter fairs in New York and LA. Most, if not all, of these weren’t accessible to smaller, regional artists and publishers due to the sheer costs of table fees and travel. Bound offered an opportunity to many people who previously hadn’t been able to do book fairs to share their practice, expand their networks, and make sales. With support from the Whitworth and now Arts Council England, we’re able to keep costs low whilst still providing a brilliant space and a top quality programme.
What were your main aims to achieve with the event?
RP: As with every Bound event we put on we aim to celebrate a series of artistic practices which predominantly revolve around print and publishing. We often expand this into performance, film and installation works which we like to intertwine between the stalls. Every year we like to introduce new publishers to the fair we haven’t seen before and instigate collaborative opportunities. Space Afrika’s performance accompanied with Bound 2019 exhibitor Amrit Randhawa’s (of Taxi Cab Industries) visuals was a highlight me while also showcasing what the fair is about.
LW: Every year we’ve had a loose theme which guides the programming and the various collaborations we instigate. Last year, notably, we were really interested in print as a political and pedagogical tool, and we worked closely with the Working Class Movement Library in Salford to create a new commission incorporating a performance and publication. It was really rewarding to be able to work with such an invaluable institution, and introduce new audiences to their collections and ethos. This year our thinking was shaped by ideas around youth culture and collective joy. Good book fairs have a palpable sense of community and shared experience, and we wanted to push that further. It’s always got a politics I guess, but in different manifestations and languages.
Can you give us any insight on what’s it like to organise a big event like this, what’s involved behind the scenes?
RP: Too much to say really! Lots of boring logistical, financial, health and safety bits but at the core of it the real exciting stuff. Inviting practitioners we are really into at the time with most of them accepting the invites! So its a great way to meet people you like at the moment. That on top of it being a fully collaborative process with us all, its really fun to see what comes together. Couldn’t recommend it enough to other people who are thinking about it.
LW: It’s a lot of work! We juggle it alongside full time careers, and we’re all based in different cities. We rely on each other’s flexibility, Skype, and Dropbox. Clear communication is so important. Working with a big institution like the Whitworth is really satisfying but also challenging; they have a really fragile and special permanent collection, so there’s always a conservation issue to grabble with. You learn to adapt. You also learn to listen carefully to exhibitor’s needs and try to develop creative solutions. When the Whitworth’s in house cafe refused to offer exhibitors a discount, we responded by raising funds to buy everyone a fry up at a local greasy spoon. You can’t solve everything, but you can try to make people happy in other ways. Again, it goes back to that sense of community building, too.
What’s next for Bound?
RP: Thats a big question! We are keen to do another fair, expand to some degree and really explore new territories that we are just touching the tip of the iceberg with at the moment. We are hoping to host one or two other interim events between now and the next fair. Publishing has always been on the cards… We shall see!
LW: It’s really crucial for us to maintain some kind of interim programme, to develop the profile of the fair as an initiative. This has included previous collaborations with Sounds from the Other City in Salford, and Format International Photography Festival in Derby. We’re interested in developing ways to help artists realise new work, promoting expanded forms of publishing and performance, and getting involved with education. We’d also like to foster stronger links with what’s going on in mainland Europe – Brexit is going to be really damaging to independent publishing. There are also a load of new, small, interesting fairs popping up across the continent, so we’re keen to get to know those too.
Keep up to date with Bound Art Book Fair here.
Our publications selection is curated by Village Bookstore Leeds and features culture and music focused titles alongside in-depth brand history and archive books from some of our most revered labels. Online now.
