《Crepe City》解密－adidas Originals × Kanye West 未曝光合作鞋款流出

adidas Creative Consultant 的 Gary Aspden，最近在球鞋天书《Crepe City》#2 撰文，陈述 adidas Originals 与 Kanye West 的甜美感情生活，官方重点有两个－早在 2006 年，adidas Originals 已经与 Kanye West 商讨合作计划，那时市面未有任何 Kanye West 名义鞋履；当年「幸而」双方缘份未够，才有今日更精彩的 Yeezy Boost 神鞋系列。

文中 Gary Aspden 盛赞 Kanye West （当年）没有架子，面谈时只带经理人，身为 A Bathing Ape 与 adidas Originals 支持者（当年），非常欣赏 Gary Aspden 一手策划的 adidas Originals x BAPE 系列，促成双方合作商谈。Gary 形容当年的 Kanye West 已经很有抱负，认为合作计划内自己是设计师多过名星，双方最终不能合作，却为 9 年传奇的 Yeezy Boost 系列埋下伏线。Yeezy Boost 由 Gary Aspden 同事负责，而他引述同事说，Kanye West 为了 Yeezy Boost 而专程到工厂检视进度，大家都很敬佩大忙人相当投入与著紧。

Gary Aspden 略过了的细节，相信大家一清二楚；当年 adidas Originals 放在谈判桌的筹码是一双 Rod Laver，大概是历史的转捩点，若果 Kanye West 真接受这个条款，肯定是球鞋界的遗憾。事后 adidas Originals 要用甚么代价笼络 Kanye West，值与不值只有内部才懂了，平民百姓对营商策略这回事，识条铁咩～大家可以在这里回顾全文，另可在这里阅读《Crepe City》#2 球鞋天书的介绍。

In 2006 there were meetings held between Kanye West and adidas, back before he had ever done a trainer collaboration with anyone. As I was in charge of adidas’s Entertainment Division at the time I was asked to lead those discussions along with one of the team who was based over there. We met with Kanye in the studio in L.A. where he was recording – I was impressed by the fact that he had no big entourage, just him and his manager Don. He was immediately welcoming and respectful when he realised I had been instrumental in that first adidas x BAPE collaboration (at the time he was a big fan of A Bathing Ape and adidas Originals). The discussion revolved around working with adidas on versions of the Rod Laver Vintage which was his favourite shoe at that time.

After much to-ing and fro-ing between Kanye’s team and the then head of adidas Originals, the project didn’t end up coming to fruition which I now believe was no bad thing, however, years later as everyone is aware, adidas and Kanye finally hooked up and collaborated. The result of that I believe has been something far more substantial than anything that was potentially on the table back in 2006 – a completely new shoe silhouette utilising a groundbreaking technology. Even back then Kanye was very clear about the fact that before anything he saw himself primarily as a designer and was determined to start his own line – I remember him showing us logo ideas for ‘Pastel’. I personally have had no direct involvement in the adidas Yeezy project (that is handled by the likes of Jon Wexler and Rachel Muscat) but in my view it arguably has more parallels with that first BAPE collaboration than anything I have seen in the last decade or so.

It takes a similar approach, and like BAPE in 2003, it creates a level of demand that is indisputable. These products are about so much more than a pair of shoes, they come with a concept and a watertight execution – it’s the entire package. He pays attention to every detail of the product, even down to the string used for the swing tags. I have huge respect for the fact that he personally made trips to the factories with Nic Galway and was hands on with the entire process. Given how busy Kanye’s schedule must be, it’s hats off to him for taking the time to pay that level of attention and showing that level of commitment to getting things exactly the way he wants them to be. No half measures.