Sports outfits designed by Russian stars

Creating outfits in collaboration with athletes is nothing new for most brands. Some of the most valuable collaborations are Kanye West’s Yeezy, Pharrell Williams’ Superstar Supercolor and Rihanna’s Fenty Puma line. But today we decided to look at the Russian market and tell you about the most striking examples of cooperation between domestic athletes and media personalities with sportswear and footwear manufacturers.

Asics GEL-Quantum 360 5: Artemy Lebedev x Asics x Moscow Metro

In 2019, Artemiy Lebedev developed a unique design for the Asics GEL-Quantum 360 5 sneaker inspired by the Moscow Metro. The upper of the pair is done in white so as not to distract attention from other details: on the soles of the sneakers there are 12 elements, each of which is colored in the color of one of the subway lines, and on the heel there is a ribbon for faster shoeing sneakers with the signature pattern of Moscow Transport. The tongue is quite in keeping with the styling – it’s bright red and eye-catching.

The model was released in a limited edition of 1000 copies, 300 of which come in a special set of a unique “Troika” card with the Asics logo, lace locks, reflective keychain and two badges.

LA Cortez: Nike x Maria Sharapova

In Spring 2018, Maria Sharapova teamed up with Nike to unveil the limited edition LA Cortez. Inside the box with a gold engraving of Maria’s quote was a pair of pink, in tone with the box itself, sneakers. The athlete, she said, was inspired by the style of her second hometown, Los Angeles, and more specifically Manhattan Beach.

I was inspired by my morning walks along the coast on my way to practice, and I think I was able to capture that beautiful atmosphere.

The next pair was released the same year, but the design had a much deeper meaning. It was the same classic Cortez, but in a sand color. The sneakers were once again associated with the city, this time New York in the fall. This model was shot exclusively by women, and the promotional campaign was accompanied by the following message:

When we create a community, it allows us to share brilliant ideas; we help each other move forward and pave our own way. Anything is possible. My mission off the court is to inspire and mentor the next generation of female entrepreneurs. In honor of the power of sports and for the sake of entrepreneurial inspiration, we encourage you to meet the new wave of women visionaries where you live. The new LA Cortez has two distinct sides that represent the grace and fortitude for which I will be remembered on and off the court. We updated the powerful yet unobtrusive silhouette with elegant, earthy tones inspired by New York’s fall.

Nike’s collaboration with the athlete doesn’t end there. Now the model also exists in a rich deep gray colorway.

Reebok Club C 85 TG: Reebok x OXXXYMIRON

In 2017, Russian battle rapper Oxxxymiron collaborated with Reebok to release an entire collection called “Whole life on the road,” referencing the artist’s constant touring. The main color palette consisted of shades of gray and yellow – the colors of road markings. The key item of the collection was undoubtedly Reebok Club C 85 TG sneakers. A classic tennis model made of soft suede was chosen for the collab. On the back is located the very line from the song “City Underneath the Soles”.

Nike “Soccer Box”

Especially for the World Cup in Russia Nike together with the curator and organizer of the Faces&Laces project Dmitry Oskes gathered representatives of street culture with their unique views to create a collection dedicated to the interaction between street fashion and sports. It was called “Football Box”.
Zuluwarrior creative association, DJ Cyber69, Vsevolod “Sever” Cherepanov and the team of Belief conceptual store became the participants of the collaboration.

Zuluwarrior worked on a soccer jersey based on the 2008 Russian national team uniform, a scarf with the association’s symbols and a stylish hoodie.

Sever and Cyber69 presented their view on soccer equipment: jersey and shorts. Vsevolod’s jersey features an integral attribute of most soccer boxes in Russia – a fence net. Cyber69, in turn, endowed the uniform with elements of Via Sacra (Sacred Road) philosophy – a red logo with arrows reflecting movement and development, reflective prints on the solar plexus indicating the place of energy concentration and a “mind map” on the back.

Belief, on the other hand, presented everyday basic clothing: a bomber, T-shirt, pants and sweatshirt with large inscriptions “Moscow”, their logo, a drawing of a soccer box and text telling about the philosophy of street soccer.