adidas Consortium this time collaborates with The Next Door which, for the sportswear giant, revisits two models inspired by the world of tennis: the legendary SC Premiere and the more recent A.R. Trainer, destined to become a classic.
The Next Door was born literally as a “neighbor” from a previous initiative launched in Avignon, in the south-east of France. In 1999 the founder Nicolas Ivars had inaugurated Circle, a somewhat remote shop specializing in skatewear, to then take possession of the largest club vacated by the neighbors in 2006. Within a very short time The Next Door has become a point of reference for French fans of skate clothing, streetwear and exclusive brands: a demanding clientele, always excited to find a breath of fresh air outside the Paris bubble. Four years later Nicolas managed to transform the oldest theater in Avignon into Crillon, a modern concept store that breaks down the boundaries between luxury and street culture, thanks to continuous reciprocal contamination.
And it was this captivating location that laid the foundations for collaboration.
In an interview, Nicolas explains that when he contacted the adidas Consortium for a possible collaboration he was told: “Tell us a good story, we’ll start from there”.
Nicolas then thought of the long theatrical history of Avignon, a destination that every year attracts hordes of fans on the occasion of the famous theater festival. Crillon therefore, represented the link between Nicolas, or The Next Door, and that world.
That’s the story behind the two new sneakers that pay homage to the Avignon Festival, drawing on the very ancient theatrical archetypes of the “Comedie” and “Tragedie”: two apparently opposite genres, but united by a background harmony, just like the proposals that make up the pack.
The A.R. Trainer celebrates the “Comedie”
Inspired by the classic Harlequin style costumes that over the centuries have given life to that form of theatrical representation known as “comedy of art”. The shoe stands out for its discreet allusions to the colors of the costumes, with touches of peach pink between the three stripes and a delicate mint green sole.
The SC Premiere sneaker instead, recalls the “Tragedie”.
With a minimalist palette based on white but interrupted by vivid inserts in cardinal red: “the color of the curtain, of the draping that puts an end to the show,” explains Nicolas. The sober appearance hides a series of exclusive elements, including the upper in full-grain leather and the nubuck undercoats.
Both shoes feature the The Next Door logo and one of the two theater masks, the one that laughs or the one that cries, depending on the model, paying homage to both fashion and theater.
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