adidas Originals Consortium City Series Part 3

The adidas Originals Consortium City Series rolls out its third batch of releases. The pack’s underlying theme pairs a particular retro adidas model named after cities from around the world with a shop or retailer found within that city itself. Part 3 includes Livestock and the Toronto, VA and the Tokio, colette and the Paris and Crooked Tongues with the London. For more details on each shoe, refer below.

LIVESTOCK ADIDAS TORONTO
The Dellinger web aided running legend, recognisable for that angular panelling and stealthy shape gets a lethal-looking redux courtesy of Toronto’s Livestock. Confining the blast of red the original carried to a patent leather heel tab and the tongue’s underside, the rest of the upper is a darker, more rugged affair for all-weather wear.

Grey ripstop panelling, down to the toebox, leather and suede 3-Stripes, complemented by a reflective trim, and the replacement of ghilly lacing in favour of grey and blue D-rings for the top three lace holes, makes it look more intimidating than ever. Blue printed lettering highlighting both model and store alternately, grey-on-grey Dellinger webbing on the midsole, black and blue on the outsole and a pick of rounded hiker-style laces, or flats, plus a padded lining for comfort, indicates that the Livestock crew thought this project through to the tiniest detail, taking this runner well off the beaten track.

VA ADIDAS TOKIO
Not to be mistaken for the simpler 1964 Tokio that harks back to the early days of adidas, like the Boston Super, this was an update to the shoe’s formula that brought it to the cutting-edge. Dating back to the late ’80s, this was, and still is, one of the brand’s ultimate premium offerings, and in the hands of Tokyo’s VA, present in so many Consortium rollouts, the shoe’s essence is amplified.

Red, white and black was the original palette, and all three are present here, with the addition of yellow on the outsole, ghilly top lacing and tongue branding. Black ripstop makes up the majority of the upper, while premium leather forefoot and heel panels offer extra resilience. A grey padded lining means everyday comfort, and the choice to twin a white midsole with a predominantly white outsole alters the aesthetic of the shoe entirely, allowing a far chunkier feel. A choice of rounded laces match the yellow, red and black, with a plastic fastening system that caps the hardwearing no-nonsense look and feel perfectly.

CROOKED TONGUES ADIDAS LONDON
City Series pieces like the adidas London have a place in the Brit shoe-psyche, and with such a bare-bones, slender and simple design – unlined red suede with leather 3-Stripes, blank heel and lacestays, there’s a sense that the shoe’s purpose is lost if it gets too fussy or bolstered. Inverting the colours so it’s predominantly black water-resistant fabric and red suede 3-Stripes and heeltab that retains the original slouchy shape.

Paying homage to the Soho area where Crooked Tongues is based, steeped in sleazy history, and tweaked for wet weather use, given the country’s climate, a long raincoat theme down to a check lining seems appropriate. The traditional dimpled tongue is mixed with another local tradition, the British pint, while a semi translucent sole captures those perpetual puddles at street level. Gold lettering and branded lacetips captures more of the best of British that this makeup brings.

COLETTE ADIDAS PARIS
Always expect the unexpected from Colette and Consortium – this Paris interpretation is no exception as once again, the Parisian retail experience give a cult design a look that confidently walks the line between simplicity and the avant-garde. Originally incorporating French flag blue, white and red in its early incarnations, for Colette’s redux, a white leather upper and branded tongue are accompanied by three types of dot pattern within the white 3-Stripes – one red, one blue, and one mixing both.

The blue heeltab is accompanied by the recognisable wordless Colette logo on the rear, and more conventional gold lettering reveals both collaborator and shoe name. Red and blue top metal eyelets reinforce the colour picks, while the innocuous looking white mid and outsole conceals the final surprise – a transparent section of hexagons, that reveals a matching pattern beneath. More Gallic flair that rewards close inspection without alienating those adverse to excess fuss.