Running shoes leave the gym for the catwalk
Nike’s 2007 fall and winter collection at the COEX Convention Center. By APR
The new Adidas Gym Dance line by Stella McCartney. By Imok Communications
Puma has also collaborated with Alexander McQueen, Neil Barrett, Philippe Starck and Marc Jacobs. In the process Puma, the world’s second- largest sporting goods company after Nike, came up with high-end sneakers known as Puma Black Station.
Since then Black Station has graced the feet of trendsetters everywhere, at least those who don’t mind paying top dollar for their slick sneakers.
Mint International, Puma’s distributor in Korea, released the latest Black Station models last month. There were four hot lines: 96Hours, Alexander McQueen Puma, Mihara Co-op and Rudolf Dassler.
While a pair of regular Puma sneakers costs around 60,000 won ($67), the most coveted pairs of Rudolf Dasslers, designed by Alexander van Slobbe, or 96Hours, by Neil Barrett, sell out fast and can cost more than 500,000 won when they are traded among avid collectors.
In pursuit of top-flight sports couture, Puma rose another notch last December when it announced the launch of exclusive made-to-order leather shoes and bags produced by Schedoni, a noted Italian leather manufacturer, best known for designing custom-made luggage for Ferrari. The customer can choose his or her color and leather combinations and must wait around 45 days to receive the final product.
Upon launching her line of Adidas sportswear in 2004, Stella McCartney famously said, “Why should women have to sacrifice style for sport?”
McCartney’s vision stretched the commercially creative element of fashionable sportswear.
Nike’s 2007 fall and winter collection at the COEX Convention Center. By APR
A lot of layering, with leggings, tanks and shirts in soft colors and fabrics and delicate rope details, was added to the wardrobe with current fashion in mind, but the highly functional yet stylish outfits seemed to be designed for treadmills, yoga mats or ski slopes.
At Nike Korea’s 2007 fall and winter collection sporty fashion from the basketball court was the main design theme ― a pair of old-school Nike Dunks didn’t need a basketball as an accessory but seemed better matched with a cool vintage-inspired windbreaker designed for an uptown clubbing night.
And who says pairing glossy high heels with a shiny hoodie is tacky?
On the circular runway in the COEX Convention Center in southern Seoul, top Korean models sashayed in what looked like a clever combo of fashion-meets-function for real comfort.
Puma by Schedoni and Puma Black Station. By Brand Polish.
There were also the real training outfits for the work-out buffs, who run miles, lift weights and play ball games.
But by combining 1980s-style hooded jackets, T-shirts and classic Cortez, Nike’s flirtation with fashion can be viewed as more of an essay in elegance and funky futurism than a mundane sporting sidenote.
With sparkly metallic accents and highly fashionable styling, from skinny pants, bright leggings, silver hot pants and tall patent leather boots, Nike is head over heels with high fashion and the only place it’s running is to the designer’s atelier.
By Ines cho Contributing Writer [inescho@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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