Words by Adam Cheung @adamhycheung
Picture this: It’s 2015. Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’ is completely dominating the charts worldwide, the term ‘Netflix and Chill’ has just been coined, and the dress debate continues to divide the nation (y’know, is it black and blue, or white and gold?). On top of all of this, adidas is about to rewrite the rulebook. Forever.
In December of that year, fashion journalists and sportswear writers from across the globe gathered at New York City’s iconic Lexington Armory. Suitably moody with dark walls and mysterious lighting illuminating the room, the space was filled to the brim with retro adi silhouettes. Suddenly, all eyes gazed upon a never-before-seen sneaker that flawlessly fuses the classic with the contemporary. Combining elements from the Micropacer, the Rising Star, and the Boston Super, which debuted in 1984, 1985, and 1986, respectively, the end result was the truly breath-taking adidas NMD which was just about to completely change the sneaker world.
When the NMD was first announced, I remember being in my second year of university studying Product Design. This was one of the very first times a shoe had completely stopped me in my tracks.
With a sleek and streamlined Primeknit upper that was unlike anything I had seen before, this sat on top of a full-length Boost unit for comfort and cushioning that knew no bounds. While its overall design was extremely minimal, it was packed to the gills with way too many advanced technologies to list. I knew of sneakerheads who were casually paying on upwards of £1,000 for the original ‘Core Black’ colourway, and while I didn’t have that sort of cash at the time to do this, believe me, I was pretty close to taking out another student loan just to have them in my collection (sorry, Mum).
Fast forward to today, and while the footwear landscape is totally different, the NMD continues to be one of the most talked-about sneaker line-ups ever.
Following the release of hundreds of colourways, styles, and models, the adidas NMD_S1 x RIMOWA is a culmination of everything that the German giant has learnt over the past 7 years.
Made in collaboration with the luxury German luggage manufacturer who very recently teamed up with Off-White and Supreme for two highly-coveted projects, this NMD S1 is their first foray into the world of sneakers, and what a debut it is. A lush militaristic green hue makes its way to the Primeknit, while bold accents of orange add a mighty pop of contrast to the mix. Underfoot, an extremely chunky Boost unit featured complete with a series of tiny Trefoils scattered across the outsole as a nod to the Marathon from the ‘80s, while mesh panelling along the side panels gives the silhouette an avant-garde aura.
One of the best things about the Rimowa S1 that no one really talks about is the special shoebox. Unlike previous NMDs, this comes in significantly larger packaging that slides in and out with ease.
This is crafted from high quality card and is definitely a must-have for all Three Stripes collectors out there. I have mine proudly displayed on my shoe shelf for everyone to admire.
I personally own the ‘Grey’ and Pharrell Williams’ RYAT variant, but when I first held RIMOWA’s take of the NMD in-hand, it immediately gave off a completely different vibe. Boasting a seamless design and a slick colour palette all packed in a cool box, I knew straight away that this was a German sneaker through and through. Back in 2015 when the NMD was first announced, we were all head over heels about ultramodern kicks. While retro pairs have totally taken full command since, I have no doubt that the adidas NMD_S1 x RIMOWA will make you fall in love with futuristic sneakers all over again.
It feels like it’s 2015 again, baby, and just in case you thought that the dress was white and gold, I’m sorry to say this but you’re wrong. Very wrong.
Check out more from Adam on Instagram @adamhycheung
