adidas Zeitfrei: The Complete Ride
Jason Chow (Hypebeast – Special Projects Manager)
Being the first major shoe collaboration for Hypebeast, was the planning overwhelming? What would you change in terms of your own processes and handlings, for the future?
At first when Andy, from adidas, approached us with the idea, I felt curious about the whole project, lots of questions and concerns came to mind, but it was definitely something our team had interest in because most of us here have a profound interest in sneakers and footwear. After reviewing details of the project and several discussions with the team, we felt like this would be a good opportunity to try something new and see how far we could push our creative boundaries. The process was definitely a challenge and a great learning process, as this is our first sneaker collaboration. I think we’ve certainly learned a great amount from the design process, to setting timelines, coordination between all the parties involved, creative directing, marketing and media coverage.
Taken from this experience, I think right off the bat creating a roadmap and making sure everything is managed time-wise well plays an important factor. That is probably something I would emphasize more in future projects and make sure enough time is utilized every step of the way.
There have been some initial comments that Hypebeast isn’t entirely relevant to the fixed gear community, what are your particular thoughts on this?
I think as a media outlet, Hypebeast has taken part in covering many new and exciting stories regarding the fixed gear community. Within our team, we’re among numerous peers and friends that have ridden extensively and it’s a growing sport we’ve come to appreciate and respect. We’ve done our own fair share of research and involved a couple of riders to contribute and provide feedback to this project. I wouldn’t necessarily question the relevancy as I think the entire project ties in well with our intentions and I’m proud of the final results.
How does Hypebeast translate from something intangible in the form of news and content to the world of products?
I think everything happens organically, with the growth of the website we’ve definitely gained a great following and it just fell in place to take the next step and try something new. We see a great amount of products on the daily and in return have developed an eye for design. We aren’t really pushing Hypebeast to become a brand, but taking on special projects that are creative, original, and enjoyable, which is something we strive for. We take great pride in producing a high quality product.
In the past, collaborations have involved personalities and brands and to a much lesser extent media outlets. Do you think this is a changing phenomenon?
There can only be that many collaborations with the same people and same brands before consumers get tired of seeing the same products. I believe everyone is opening up and looking for more ways to collaborate and produce worthwhile products. Companies (especially big companies) in my opinion are taking online media outlets more seriously and I hope it continues to push in that direction.
Creativity shouldn’t have boundaries, work with people that you think can help enhance the project and not always because of who they are and where they stand.
With Hypebeast as a blog partnering with a big, established brand in adidas, do you feel this is ultimately the acceptance of the blogging format as a respected form of media?
I remember years ago when blogs weren’t really taken seriously as a form of media, but that has rapidly changed. Blogs have taken a huge leap and definitely plays a big role when it comes to media presence. No matter what industry you are in, there is something out there for you in the form of a blog. If you ask me if blogs have reached it’s pinnacle, certainly not. There is still a long ways to go for everyone to understand the true value of online media. For those that often compare print to online media, it’s very difficult to make direct comparisons because they’re both similar yet different in their own special ways. We need both.
How did you guys decide on the colorway of the shoe?
As a team, we came up with tons of different colorways and material variations. We tried to play out different themes using more spring colors and see what would play out the best. To be honest, it was a challenging process to really set sight on just one colorway, but in end the colorway seems to have struck a positive chord with the majority of people.
What are some of your favorite elements of the Zeitfrei?
The Zeitfrei is an interesting shoe and it really took time to grow on me. The silhouette of the shoe is simple yet provides both casual and performance aspects. A great job by adidas to construct a shoe with such balance, good for both riding and your everyday casual wear. The front toe perforations are great for breathability, the neoprene pocket on the tongue to tuck in your laces is a nice touch as are the subtle hints of 3M. This shoe embodies a simple aesthetic design yet is accompanied by various performance and technical traits.
From your perspective, how big of a role will bicycles play into the future?
The sport of cycling will always have its place. Either training to be a professional rider or just riding for fun, no matter what age or gender you are, there is always enjoyment from getting on a bicycle. Keep peddling and ride for the passion of riding.
Did you put together any extra items to go alongside the sale of shoes? Any particular reason why you chose these items?
After putting together the colorway of the shoes, we wanted to develop the project further and with the approval from adidas, we brainstormed to come up with complementary items that came along side the shoe. At first, the idea of making a dust bag to put the shoes in came to mind and from there on, it snowballed into the idea of producing a messenger bag with a custom sneaker compartment. Going the further step, we threw in the idea of also producing a cycling cap. All in all, each package will be ultimately tied together with a canvas carry-all sling bag to properly store all the goodies. We found everything to be a perfect fit covering all aspects of riding on a daily basis.
