adidas ZX 800 “Vine”

• MODEL: ADIDAS ZX 800
• SERIES: ADIDAS FLAVOURS OF THE WORLD
• TYPE: RUNNING
• MADE IN: CHINA
• MADE ON: 11/07
• ART.NO: 014776

The November release of the 2007 Flavours of the World was honoring the VINE in the form of the ZX 800.

The upper, toe box, and tongue are made of deep, forest green, patent leather. A black strip slices through the side panel to meet the ankle collar and give the side stripes a starting point from which to emerge.

Accented with gold trim as well as the subtly embossed model name, attention is drawn towards the green eyelets and black ghillies. The tongue is elegantly decorated with a wrap-over, burgundy patch displaying the model name in gold thread, above a bunch of grapes.

The heel patch is split between an upper black patent leather piece, lined with three horizontal, gold stripes, and a soft, white leather patch emulating a wine bottle label. The black midsole extends, seamlessly, down to the outsole, which is then broken up by black and white rubber.

The tread is combination of burgundy and green to match the shoe upper, tongue patch, and sock liner. The most novel part of this extremely creative shoe is the innersole, comprised entirely of cork.

The shoes come in a Consortium-style box, with the most noticeable difference being that the base color is brown instead of the blue and the stripes are gold instead of silver. The box is labeled on the side with a small, square sticker specifying which release of the series it is, and the inside of the box is decorated with a pattern that matches the style and theme of the Flavour. The box also comes with a thick, cardboard placard inside which reads:

“Serving up a monthly double-helping of iconic adidas models, the Flavours Of The World provide a special blend of sneaker tastes. Authentic silhouettes have been interpreted and inspired by annual, ingredient-based, famous events for your delectation. Cooked up with luxurious materials and dished out in limited portions, the Flavours models should be savoured and sported with a soupcon of style.”

“November’s Flavour comes from the VINE: a unique type of grape that, when combined with a special set of weather conditions, produces a phenomenon commonly known as ‘noble rot’. This effect, called Botrytis, means that the grapes can be harvested later than most wine-producing grapes in this month. They are then used to create premium wines of often vintage quality, that mature years, and sometimes decades, after being bottled.”

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol