Polar Spring 19 Selections
Born from the playfully creative imagination of Malmö’s Pontus Alv, Polar Skate Co. came to life in 2011. Endeavouring to combat the status quo of modern skateboarding, Alv’s disillusionment with the current industry seeded the notion of treating skateboarding with reverence and not just a temporary commodity for the masses to exploit. After his departure from professional skateboarding in 2005, videos surfaced online, specifically ‘The Strongest of The Strange’ (in which a graphic within the new SP19 collection pays homage to), showcasing the explorative talents of Malmö locals, skating with nostalgic remnants, forgotten tricks and birthing the era of DIY skating. This became Polar Skate Co.
Pontus Alv shined bright during the golden era of skateboarding, gaining success with the likes of Mad Circle, Arcade, Cliché and Emerica. Pioneering the independent revival since his departure from the latter and with the inception of Polar Skate Co., Alv sought to hone a particular style of skating, graphic and media output in which he felt represented the culture faithfully. Polar blends the Nordic skateboarding fraternity with a creative vision inspired by skateboardings past, specifically the nineties. Combining his love of art with skateboarding, Pontus drew one of the most instantly recognisable graphics within the pastimes recent years, the Matisse inspired No Comply logo, which articulates skateboardings creative energy perfectly. Ensuring involvement from the whole team, Polar is not just a direct reflection of Alv’s vision but has been sculpted by team riders, with the incorporation of their art throughout the clothing and hardware collections, check out the graphics from Emile Laurent, Dane Brady, Paul Grund and the ever imaginative ‘Jacob’s Corner’.
For their SP19 collection, Polar Skate Co. sees the brand building on staple silhouettes which have proved strong within their previous seasons whilst also including innovative new styles. The inclusion of toned down, warmer colourways, SP19 proves to be a super wearable collection. Pieces such as the 93 Cords, 90’s Jeans and 93 Denim now feature in light blue, black, brown and navy colour-ups. Key new arrivals include the Patterned Polo Shirt, available in both ivory & black and ivory & red editions, the Stripe Logo T-Shirt in a collection of colours and the Signature Art Shirt, which comes in the form of a boxy fitting, 100% viscose short sleeved design, with an allover all-over printed graphic and a duo of black and brown colourways. Personally I’m a fan of details and this is something Polar SP19 does super well. Contrast stitching appears on the ’94 Denim Jacket, Big Boy Shorts and the Contrast Karate Pants, which fits with a high waist and loose straight leg - perfect for skating in. For the ever changeable spring weather, long and short sleeved t-shirts feature prominently throughout the drop, with strong finishes in place on the elasticated cuffed Gradient Long Sleeve T-Shirt, 69 Fill Logo and last seasons favoured Racing Long Sleeve, which gets topped up in dark green, grey blue and peppermint editions.
SP19 from Polar Skate Co. seeks not to emulate but celebrate skateboardings versatile cultural significance throughout the nineties - an era representing the raw culture before it became saturated with popularity. With loose cuts and boxy fits on display throughout the apparel and accessories, graphics pay homage with the likes of the embroidered and printed ‘Big Boy’ logo (check out the Big Boy Jeans, shorts, socks and tees), Trash Can T-Shirt, which features artwork from Alv’s good friend and ingenious collaborator Jacob Ovgren and of course the sturdy Fill Logo T-Shirt.
Seeing out the season with duly associated finesse, Polar have included some seasonal appropriate accessories to this drop. Incorporating Cordura into the design of the Hip Bags and Dealer Bags means your personal gear remains dry and secure, wherever your outdoor ventures may take you, while the inclusion of the No Comply and Happy Sad Classic Socks in both monochromatic and spring ready colourways ensures a fitting completion for your outfit.
Polar Skate Co.’s impressive repertoire of resourceful originality continues to expand. Coinciding with the collections, Pontus and his troupe explore avenues of creative media including moving image and stills. Full length titles include ‘I Like It Here Inside My Mind, Don’t Wake Me This Time’ and the 2018 release ‘We Blew It At Some Point’, which showcases the talent, style and ingenuity of all involved with the brand. Exploring a different approach to skateboarding ads, abstract illustrations by Ovgren and Pontus accompany photos - get yourself to the Polar website to check an archive of their imagery, to embrace the continuity flowing forward to the present SP19 collection.
Shop Polar Skate Co at Flatspot here.
