Adidas debuted its second collaboration with British fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner Friday.
First previewed during Paris Fashion Week in September, the Spring/Summer 2021 collection continues Wales Bonner’s exploration of the diasporic connections between Britain and the Caribbean.
The designer’s first collection with the footwear brand, “Lovers Rock,” explored the ‘70s subcultures from the perspective of Caribbean youth in London. First previewed in January 2020 during London Fashion Week, that collection released to the public Nov. 20.
The follow-up, dubbed “Essence,” channels the early ‘80s origination of dancehall music in Jamaica while also evoking British morning dress. The apparel offering features reimagined ‘70s-era pieces, including shorts, T-shirts and tracksuits, with vintage cut lines, rich ribs, mesh and check prints.
The collection includes updates to Adidas’ Samba and Nizza silhouettes. The WB Samba sneaker sports a full leather upper with a suede toe cap and heel tab, as well as contrast topstitching details, satin lining, leather stripes, co-branded details throughout and supplementary crochet laces. It comes in two colorways: black and green and navy, white and yellow.
The WB Nizza Lo features a canvas upper, vulcanized outsole, thick topstitching details, enamel eyelets and co-branded details. It is available in three colorways: white, pink and yellow; indigo, yellow and white; and purple, yellow and white.
Wales Bonner previewed a third collaboration with Adidas at Paris Fashion Week in January. Titled “Black Sunlight,” the collection represents the concluding chapter of a trilogy exploring the connections between Britain and the Caribbean.
In December, Highsnobiety and global fashion search platform Lyst named Wales Bonner’s self-named fashion house one of the “Next 20” brands to watch. Saam Emme, consultant and member of the report’s advisory board, described the designer as “one of the most quietly influential designers of the moment.”