The collaborative efforts between Grace Wales Bonner and adidas continue with a truly 80s-inspired capsule. The British-Jamaican designer has produced two eye-catching collections with adidas previously, primarily focussing on style from the 1970s. For AW21, Grace Wales Bonner has reached into the German sportswear giants archives to update some of the label’s heritage pieces like only Bonner can.
The AW21 capsule aims to celebrate diasporic radical thinkers, drawing inspiration from scholarly iconography, as highlighted by the collegiate long sleeve featuring a fictional academy emblem from Grace Wales Bonner and adidas. Spiritual growth is another inspiration source for this latest project from the dynamic duo, something continuously highlighted throughout the Tyler Mitchell-shot campaign. The images focus on an afternoon spent exploring brotherhood and freedom. Shots of a young man playing the violin on a field or a group of friends playing with hula hoops further emphasise the retro aesthetics Bonner was looking to explore for this campaign. The adidas pieces look entirely at home in these shots; authenticity is vital with this campaign, which everyone involved has managed to deliver.
Alongside the previously mentioned collegiate long sleeve tee, a standout piece is the 80s track jacket. The jacket comes dressed in a classic navy hue, with the three stripes featuring in off-white, perfectly contrasting the coat and giving off the desired vintage vibes. A ribbed funnel neck and ribbed cuffs complete the look, with the Wales Bonner logo present on the back of the jacket.
Another piece that instantly catches your eye is the burnt orange knit that would not have looked out of place on the terraces at a football game in the 1980s. Crafted from a wool-polyester blend, the contrasting black v-neck and black detailing across the middle of the chest break up the vibrant orange knit. Wales Bonner and adidas co-branding are once again present throughout.
In all honesty, every piece from this collection is a standout item. Whether it is the sunhat that gives you that hit of nostalgia or the colour blocked short sleeve tee. The collection, dubbed ‘Black Sunlight’, aims to spotlight the world of Caribbean thought and Black British intellectualism. Something both Grace Bonner and adidas do fantastically.
You can check out the full collection via the adidas website and downloading the adidas Confirmed app.
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