Any dapper gent can tell you that the world’s best bespoke tailors are holed up in London’s world-famous Savile Row street. And among Savile Row’s top tier caste is Henry Poole and Co. Known as the go-to suiting maestro that the likes of model David Gandy to finance savant J.P. Morgan trust their stylish eveningwear with, its tailoring history can be traced way back to the 1860s when the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, commissioned tailor Poole to make a laid-back tailcoat.
It may seem surprising, then, that the long-standing British Royal Family’s tailor has now teamed up with sportswear behemoth Adidas for none other but, gasp, a sneaker collaboration. This unforeseen “high-low” union can almost rival Louis Vuitton’s shocking partnership with skatewear brand Supreme.
Two limited edition sneaker designs inspired by the tailor’s storied suiting merge the best of both worlds. Made from custom crafted fabrics Henry Poole is renowned for, the revival of the ’80s NMD silhouette takes on a bespoke twist.
Having launched on 21 July to a rapid sell-out, the NMD XR1 evening shoe translates Poole’s signature dinner jacket elements onto the kicks. The body is awash in midnight blue, black and white with corded silk detailing hidden within the heel loop, designed to replicate the corded silk lapel of said jacket.
The second style, the NMD R2, is set to launch come 4 August. Paying homage to the house’s famous flannel day suits, this pair is designed for casual yet dapper daywear. The upper part is cut from chalk-stripe fabric with claret accents — a trademark Cundey Weave red lining that’s usually found in Poole’s ties and suit linings.
Both limited-edition models are exclusive to Size? stores and will run in UK sizes six to 12. As getting a suit crafted in Savile Row is made more special thanks to the added extras, each pair of these comes with a specially-made branded garment bag and custom wooden shoe box that’ll keep them spick and span for black-tie fetes ahead.
Adidas x Henry Poole NMD R2 (Churchill) sneaker drop is on 4 August at 3pm Singapore time, here.
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