adidas Forum Mid D HUG

• MODEL: ADIDAS FORUM
• SERIES: ADIDAS CONSORTIUM
• PACK: ADIDAS 3WAY PACK
• MADE IN: VIETNAM
• MADE ON: --/09
• ART.NO: G15327

This intense collaboration between adidas and four other brands marks one seriously loud release from the Consortium series. Together, Dave’s Quality Meat (DQM), HUF, Undefeated (UNDFTD), and Goodfoot have remade the Forum Mid in such an experimental colorway that it’s sure to attract attention and turn heads. This is one of those releases that sneaker freaks either love or hate on first sight. One thing’s for sure though; it’s quite undeniably a rambunctious release, even for the frequently over-the-top or excessively designed Consortium series.

First of all the basic colorway mix of maroon (“light scarlet”), dark navy blue, and cream is pretty nuts, and not in a sexy insane sort of way. The overall print is also a bit much, applying some sort of psychedelic trip to the upper that has the onlooker going a bit sick trying to interpret the meaning behind the lettering. Thing start to get really crazy in the toebox, where the most notable change is the lack of perforations (typical on the adidas Forum silhouette) and the usual leather replaced by a soft, cream colored textile, with metallic gold chain patterns printed on it.

As if that wasn’t enough already, the tongue is a slightly lighter navy blue, with an also slightly lighter red and white pattern of high school style capitol letter U’s (likely defining the UNDFTD contribution to the colab). This pattern is mixed mildly among the upper as while creating a very muddy, almost frustrating effect. If one looks closely each of the four brands can be spotted in various parts of the design (such as the ‘DQM’ letting in cursive around the lower edges of the upper) but just in case these details are overlooked the four way collaboration is clearly labeled on the tongue patch in a full circle around the trefoil.

Probably the bravest and most wild design choice in the already relatively experimental colorway is the blast of neon yellow across the middle of the tongue and on the back of the heel. Given this and the navy blue, maroon majority of the release, it’s no doubt that matching this pair to the rest of an outfit is a serious feat. Is it a comfortable shoe? Certainly. Is it a durable shoe? Not really. Is it an ugly shoe? Quite possibly. But most importantly, is it a memorable collaboration between five brave brands and a group of creative minds? Most definitely, and sometimes that’s the bottom line.

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol