Benji Blunt x adidas Superstar 2 “Spitey”

• MODEL: ADIDAS SUPERSTAR 2
• DESIGNED BY: Benji Blunt
• MADE IN: UK
• MADE ON: --/11

The UK-based sneaker customizer Benji Blunt started off 2012 with a bang, pushing out a brand new pair of adidas Superstar 2′s. The classic kicks were redone by hand for a massive adidas messiah known online as ‘Mr. Spite’ or simply ‘Spitey’. Spite has been collecting only Superstars for a large majority of his life and is definitely one of the underground icons known in the adidas trainer collectors scene in the UK. Together, with Spite’s taste and Benji’s talented wrists, this gorgeous one-of-a-kind shell toe surfaces for a January feature on eatmoreshoes.

The pink leather upper is detailed with a multi-colored animal print that fades away behind the white stripes. The laces, tongue, and heel patch are painted a baby blue, and Mr. Spite’s nickname (Spitey) is written in bold block letters on the heel, with metallic dust on the letter ‘I’. The final touch is Benji Blunt’s signature card attached to the eyestays, featuring his logo on the front and the shoe details on the back.

We sat down with both boys to discuss the shoe at great detail and catch the full story behind it.

First of all, Spite and Benji, how’d you two meet?

Mr. Spite: Since 2005 I have belonged to the one and only ‘adidas Superstar Database’ (aka SSDB). A short while ago Benji Blunt became a member and he showed us his superb transformations of a plain shelltoe into a work of art. I just had to have a pair!

Benji Blunt: Yeah, SSDB brought us together. Spitey had sent me a message after seeing my adidas Superstar 80s ‘Safaristars’ and the custom adidas Superstar vins for EZ1 on eatmoreshoes. I think someone had said to him that the Safari pattern would look good in pink! After a few emails over a month or two he commissioned these. We chatted back and forth about colors and details and we messed around with a few draft images.

So the design was really a collaboration between the two of you?

MS: Right, but the idea of the shoe came from Benji’s already great design of animal print. The mix of animal print and such vibrant colors are a great collaboration from both of our tastes! It’s an eye catcher thats for sure.

Sounds like you really inspired the colors Spite, is there any significance to them?

MS: As a graffiti artist back in the day I always used such paints as soft pink, lilac, purple, and baby blue, as they go so well together. I’m also a firm believer of “wear what you want and what colors you want”. This pair has all these colors, and that’s what makes them so special for me.

How was the process compared to your other work Benji?

BB: It had been a while since I last worked on a Superstar 2, so that was a challenge, especially as some parts of the shoe are synthetic leather which is tricky to work with. The tongue and heel tabs take longer than with the Superstar 80s I had worked on before. The embossed details added difficulty especially as these were on the synthetic parts. The whole job took about twenty seven hours from start to finish. It required a lot of patience and lots of layers of paint to get the sharp clean look. There were no shortcuts, but I think it all worked out.

Quite the challenge! We know Spitey loves the kicks, but what about you; they say an artist is their own worst critic… can you tell us how you feel about the results?

BB: I really like the way the Safari pattern fades in an out of analogous color and tones. Gives the pattern some movement and makes them different from the 80s. The name detailing was fun. If you know Spite you know he likes his shoes bright and bold, so I wanted to add some bling too by adding some metallic dust to the letter ‘I’ in Spitey.

Agreed! The final details are fantastic, especially the finishing touch of the signature tag you’ve added. We’re stumped though, what’s the signifigance of the ‘destination’ label reading “Spitey’s Yard”?

MS: Spitey’s Yard is where I spend most of my time searching the internet for that ‘one pair’, that ‘numero uno’ pair that someone might not have. I also spend a great deal of time on the SSDB website chatting and spreading knowledge to other members! But always keeping a little info held back…

You two seem like a great team, are there any plans for future customs?

MS: No plans at the moment for another custom but if I do Benji Blunt and you guys at eatmoreshoes will definitely be getting a call. Benji Blunt has got mad skills!

BB: I’m currently working on some Superstar 1′s and some Superstar 80s for people and have a pair of Nubuck 80s in a UK 9.5 that will need a good home shortly. I have recently got ahold of a few shoes to try new ideas on, not commissioned work, but you’ve got to keep experimenting and pushing the envelope on this stuff. I am really interested in new materials and techniques and I’ll be working on another classic adidas silhouette if I get the time!

Thank you both for your efforts and your energy on this fantastic winter custom!

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol

shoes contributed by Mr. Spite