The fun part about writing fashion articles is finding the why. Why should you care? Sometimes the answer to that is because a brand is doing something cool, or they’re innovating existing designs. Sometimes, they’re even experimenting with newfound materials to blow us away.
When it comes to Patta, the why is pretty straightforward: You’re dealing with the OG’s of streetwear.
Patta was founded by Edson Sabajo and Guillaume “Gee” Schmidt in Amsterdam’s red light district. Surrounded by narcotics, live sex shows and naughty shops, Patta grew from a pop-up sneaker collection to a preeminent streetwear brand.
Initially, the pair opened Patta as a way to sell the sneakers that they’d accumulated through global travel. Every single pair was acquired for retail with the hope of selling customers on the sneakers story. Even the store’s name, Patta, carried a story, with a ‘Patta’ being the type of flip-flop which was popular in Gee’s home nation of Suriname.
Eventually, Sabajo and Schmidt would grow the brand exponentially, garnering global attention from a multitude of clothing and apparel brands. Now, the pair can enjoy the universal love and growth which is engrained in the Patta ethos.
The brand has collaborated with many of the world’s most formidable brands, which you’ll find below. As well, you’ll find six of Patta’s most influential pieces alongside the history of each and every garm.
Patta x Umbro football kit
Similar to the folks at Palace, Patta has done a number of terrific collabs with the UK-based sporting Good Company. However, the best of these came about in 2018 when the brand released two kits inspired by Ajax’s 90-91’ kits.
Although it’s easy to say both jerseys are gorgeous, the pink and black top is really what draws people’s attention. The vibrant pink is stacked against black accents and blue highlights, which accentuate the vintage, blocky design. This set was the second of many Umbro collabs, as the initial releases flew off the shelves in a similar fashion to modern goalkeepers. Like Thibaut Courtois, the price and quality of these garms are through the roof.
Cherrywood Air Max 1
The Cherrywood AM1 was Nike and Patta’s final hoorah in their 5th-anniversary collection of 2010. After months and months of releasing collaborations, they opted to save the best for last. Released at just under 300 pairs, the Cherrywood AM1 combines a multi-material burgundy upper with a cocaine-white midsole and Crayola pencil sole. As well, the pair features mismatched lateral and medial swooshes, which were coloured to match the asymmetrical eyelets in blue and yellow.
Patta x Napapijri pants
Napapijri takes its Italian outdoor aesthetic and merges it with Patta’s longstanding tradition of ridiculously unique patterns. On this pair of paisley cargo, the durably constructed cotton is plastered in all-over paisley for a robust, opulent finish.
The pants are finished off with subtle tactical details such as the elastic waist, seatbelt style belt buckle and massive pockets ready to fit anything of your choosing. Patta X Napapijri was full of garms such as the one above, which filled customers void of somewhat luxury-looking outerwear. However, these pants are the best piece from the collab by a country mile!
Liger Tee
One of Patta’s most infamous graphic designs is the liger, a fantasy creature which looks straight out of your last acid trip.
The graphic was seen on a copious amount of garments, with the most popular being their T-shirts. Crafted from soft jersey material, these Tee became a gateway into the brand for a very reasonable price. What makes the shirt so great is its simple design. The details on the Tee itself are simply a ribbed neckline. Nothing else. The rest of the attention is found in the centre of the shirt as you try to make out what exactly you’re looking at.
Sports Caps
The final garment is the brand’s sports caps which serve as a terrific alternative to being a part of the brand. Their best releases come in the corduroy material, which is often compared to the ones from Supreme and Palace. However, Patta’s designs stand the test of time due to the accents and details found within the corduroy.
Although the shape might not be for everyone, there is certainly a colour and material to suit all.
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