NOAH's adidas Originals Gazelle Collaboration Is for the OGs
Dropping in faux-pony hair “Cheetah” or canvas “Camo.”
Brendon Babenzien‘s New York-based label NOAH and adidas Originals are celebrating the late ’80s and early 1990s, this time around reworking the classic Gazelle model.
The collaboration follows on from the duo’s SL 72 and SL 90 sneakers that dropped earlier this year, and follows in a similar vein by taking inspiration from the adidas’ sporting heritage and an agreed understanding of how to elevate a classic design. Where the SL 72 and SL 90 looked to adidas’ running archive and brought awareness of oceanic topics, NOAH’s Gazelles adopt themes drawn from its Fall/Winter 2020 collection all while looking to the past.
Speaking on the collaboration, Babenzien said, “I think the silhouette is appealing to so many groups because of its simplicity. The Gazelles allow people to wear them in any number of ways and they take on the personality of the wearer. They are limitless. We thought it would be a fun challenge to try to capture the spirit of Gazelles in prints. The idea was to select prints that, like the Gazelles themselves, could defy any sort of specific definition. We felt that Camo and Cheetah did that.”
Indeed, the Gazelle’s possibilities are limitless. Its timeless design and almost distraction-free base serve as the perfect canvas for wild interpretations, such as NOAH’s pairs here. Both Gazelles are modeled on the slightly slimmer-fitting style that was popular in the ’80s and ’90s in New York, with one sporting a full faux-pony hair upper printed with a cheetah pattern alongside elements such as white zig-zag Three Stripes stamped with gold NOAH branding, a white leather heel tab finished with NOAH’s signature logo, and an OG white tongue that’s adorned with adidas’ blue Trefoil logo.
The “Camo” pair is made from canvas and features the same make-up of white leather panels on the mid-section, heel, and tongue, each equally adorned with NOAH or adidas Originals branding. Both pairs are finished with a low-profile sole unit that’s tinted in a vintage white hue.
Take a look at the NOAH x adidas Originals Gazelle collaboration in the gallery above. The pairs will drop on December 3 globally on NOAH’s website and in selected regions on adidas’ website, and will also be available on the CONFIRMED app in the U.S. for $160 USD apiece.
In other news, Mr. Bailey has imagined the future of the adidas Originals Superstar.
