Erik Ellington and Li-Ning Debut a Skateboarding Line
Featuring modern silhouettes inspired by ’90s NYC skate culture.
Skate legend Erik Ellington is partnering with Li-Ning to launch the sportswear giant’s first-ever skateboarding line. Ellington has a long history of designing and producing popular skate shoes, and after a brief interlude, is back with new creations.
The sneakers take inspiration from vintage basketball and running shoes Ellington grew up wearing and are a blend of retro-inspired style and modern-day performance. “The tongue flap is an homage to the double tongues we used to rock on our shoes in the mid-90s. With this design, we explored new material combinations that have never made their way onto a skate shoe before, like the ripstop toe-cage and sealed double tongue flap,” explains Ellington. “I had been looking for a new story to tell through performance design. When Li-Ning approached me about partnering to launch their first skate collection, it felt like a good fit. They effortlessly intertwine style and function in a way that stands out from other athletic brands.”
This drop also draws from New York City and its ever-thriving skating scene and the easy attitude of the ’90s. “The best style is always effortless. Skaters I grew up idolizing, like Tom Penny, Keenan Milton, Mark Gonzales, and Kareem Campbell didn’t try hard to look cool, they just did. When I approached the Li-Ning x Ellington, I looked back at the sneakers I designed in the past and merged key elements to creating a futuristic skate shoe,” said Ellington.
To capture the energy of this historic collection, street photographer Lukas Gansterer shoots a raw and candid campaign lookbook seen above, featuring the skaters Zach Allen, Tinga Johnson, and Davey Sayles in NYC.
The Li-Ning x Erik Ellington Signature Model retail for $180 USD and will release in three colorways: “Astro Pop”, “Polar Night”, and “Tropicana”. The shoes will be available at US retailers KCDC, Andrew Downtown, Black Sheep, Kingswell, and Humidity, and globally at SSENSE and Luisa Via Roma on July 30. The accompanying apparel items will release later this year.
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