Undeniably, basketball changed the shape of the footwear industry forever. With a focus on technological advancements for the court – later followed by celebrity endorsements and pop culture hype, athletic sneakers inspired by the sport have been a non-stop trend of the last half a century. For Spring/Summer ‘18, the Filling Pieces team reverted back to their years of youth, remembering the classic basketball silhouettes for design inspiration.
The capsule collection inspired by the vintage styles consists of two luxury new trainers, the ‘Lacy Up Icey 2 Flow’ and ‘Alley Oop High Icey’. Both featuring and named after a “brand new custom designed and produced sole unit which was built upon a basketball specific tooling”, ‘The Icey’, the sole of the aesthetic is meant to give the impression of movement whilst stationary.
The ‘Lacey Up Icey 2 Flow’ is crafted to mould to the foot and is produced in both all leather and a sporty mesh/leather combo. Featuring basketball inspired uppers, toe-box detailing and an embossed basketball logo, the aesthetic is retro-fresh.
The ‘Alley Oop High Icey’ mimics how the tape on an athlete’s ankle as well as being inspired by the “basketball shoes worn on the streets”. Bedecked with a triangular perforated pattern, the trainer appears both sleek and alluringly aggressive.
Check out the nostalgic shoot by Mark Kiszley that flaunts the new sneakers:
