adidas Skateboarding and cult photographer Ari Marcopoulos reveals their limited edition footwear and apparel collaboration capsule – inspired by the artist’s signature documentary photography style, 90’s lo-fi zine publishing, and the creative spirit of New York City skate culture.
Essential to the limited edition capsule and the recently released video is a specially made zine “AIGHT’.” Created by Marcopoulos, the zine is 26 pages capturing a wintery day of skateboarding in New York City’s Lower East Side neighborhood and features a composite of mixed media, vibrant color pops and signature aesthetic made consistent throughout the entire collection.
Photographing select members of the adidas Skateboarding team, “AIGHT'” is a modern approach to Marcopoulos’ early and now iconic work documenting the unique styles and personalities of New York skateboarders during the 1990s Golden Era of skate.
Marcopoulos’ influential career as a photographer and filmmaker spans 40+ years with over 200 of his books and zines published to date. He is known for capturing intimate portraits during pivotal moments in subcultural history through his lens, one of them being skate culture.
Designed in collaboration with Marcopoulos, the Seeley x Ari Marcopoulos shoe boasts the same lean, low shape and great board feel of the original Seeley with updated features including an embossed, full-grain leather upper, screen-printed foxing for durability, and converted woven lining for comfort. Numbered graphics along the sidewall of the shoe’s outsole imply film contact sheet and the “AIGHT’” zine cover graphic customizes the tongue.
A classic bomber-inspired jacket, the adidas x Ari Marcopoulos Jacket is a reversible outerwear offering two different looks. Rich in strong subtle details, the outer jacket features a zip pocket on the sleeve with an Ari Marcopoulos signature pull tag, an embroidered, metallic gold trefoil logo hit on the front with heavy-duty gold hardware. Playing off of punk scene patchwork, a fabric appliqué of the “AIGHT” zine cover is hastily fastened on the bomber’s back. The reverse side includes front welt pockets and a bold, allover photo print inspired by the vibrant color pops and pages from the limited edition zine.
In the early 1990’s, Marcopoulos transplanted himself into the intimate lives of skateboarders, artists and musicians in New York City, documenting their roles in this iconic period in time through honest, raw and intimate film photography. Using photography, video, and film as his creative mediums, his work is featured in the collection of San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, FRAC, and Fotomuseum Winterthur in Switzerland.
Marcopoulos has worked with some of the most influential people across art, music, sports, and film from the Beastie Boys, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Irving Penn, and Supreme to A$AP Rocky, Keith Haring, Quentin Tarantino, Saint Laurent, Justin Pierce, Harold Hunter, and Jay-Z, who he collaborated with on the cover of the “Magna Carta Holy Grail” album.
The limited edition adidas x Ari Marcopoulos apparel and footwear collection will be available at specialty adidas retailers in the U.S. and the adidas Skateboarding website starting March 3.
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About adidas Skateboarding
Founded in 1998, adidas Skateboarding creates footwear and apparel for skateboarders distributed through a global network of skateboarding retailers. adidas skateboarding supports a group of iconic, elite, and trend setting professional and amateur skateboarders from all over the world including Mark Gonzales, Dennis Busenitz and Na-kel Smith. adidas Skateboarding is a segment of adidas Originals, a division of the adidas Group.
