adidas Gazelle Vintage x WOOD WOOD

• MODEL: ADIDAS GAZELLE VINTAGE
• SERIES: ADIDAS CONSORTIUM
• DESIGNED BY: WOOD WOOD
• MADE IN: VIETNAM
• MADE ON: --/12
• ART.NO: G63001

Since the Tabula Rasa release in 2011 adidas Originals has been shaking up their Consortium series to quite a large extent, first with those all white canvases and then with the colorful and experimental Your Story Olympics makeups thrown across the chosen silhouettes by a variety of designers and cultural icons. Traditionally known as a venue in which to allow creative collaborations between adidas and individual specialty boutiques, the Consortium series releases began to slip over the years, potentially losing some prestige, and so the Tabula Rasa and Your Story drops really marked a conscious change taken by the three stripes to reclaim the true meaning of Consortium. Now the question on all of our minds is: will they stay the path of high quality materials and unique designs or stray towards the havens of hype?

Face to face with the Winter 2012 Consortium releases, it’s obvious that adidas Originals is sticking to their guns and continuing to treat this very special series as it should be treated. Marking the first time they’ve dropped an all women’s collection, the brand has collaborated with both WOOD WOOD and Sneakersnstuff (which happen to be two Scandinavian retailers) to produce the Gazelle Vintage pictured here and a ZX 700, respectively. Additionally the collection includes a Basket Profi that was completely designed by adidas Originals themselves.

High quality and unique designs are indeed present in this three part pack, especially presented in these plain yet proud Gazelle Vin’s. As far as materials go, these are probably the tamest pair from the trio, sporting a super smooth full leather upper. The colorway, on the other hand, might very well be one of the loudest of the three pairs, pushing out a golden hue that is not only Scandinavian in nature but supposedly plucks its inspiration from California deserts as well.

One the key notes of the build is the simplicity of the upper and the elegant hand stitching in the side stripes. Meant to have a rustic feel, the edges around the collar are left rough, and the laces are given a finer, rounded shape, with an alternative pair in a darker color to match the upper. Further material points include the cork sockliner that is dual screen printed with an adidas Trefoil and WOOD WOOD logo, one under each foot. Final details include aloop tag hanging off the heel complete with a so-called ‘swallowtail’ finish and the refined rivet on the tongue as the newly defined mark of a Consortium release.

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol