adidas Aloha Super Karol Winthorp
A tribute to Krooked Skateboards’ 2006 ‘Krooked Kronichles' film directed by New Yorker Spike Jonze that featured the likes of founder Mark Gonzales, Dan Drehobl and Van Wastell, the adidas Aloha Super Karol Winthorp pays homage to The Gonz’s perky moniker and the iconic all-brown dress shoes worn by long-established director Jonze during his whimsical pop-ups throughout the fast-paced edit.
A sneaker originally released in 2018 by adidas team-rider Mark Gonzales, the adidas Aloha Super has become a canvas of celebratory achievement for the pioneering skater across the years. Host to only a handful of unique colourways, each exploring some of the skater-turned-artist’s most memorable achievements, including the 2019 ‘Wallenberg’ profile in honour of his San-Fran Wallenberg Ollie and the black and purple profile designed with respect to his ‘98 Städtisches Museum Adistar performance, these all-brown Aloha Super Karol Winthorp’s arrive as the first design to celebrate his ordained pseudonym in line with his Krooked Skateboards leadership. Unknown to most, Karol Winthorp is to Mark Gonzales, what Spike Jonze is to Adam Spiegel. Known for his part in directing Blind Skateboards’ debuting ‘Video Days’ edit from 1991 and Lakai’s ‘Fully Flared’ part, Girl Skateboards co-founder Jonze/Spiegel’s against-the-grain filming style is a trait that has continued to inspire the skate scene, with his grainy VHS footage acting as the main inspiration behind his now critically acclaimed box-office stature.
A friendship that stretches over 35 years, there’s no real surprise as to why Gonzales chose Jonze’s iconic ‘Krooked Kronichles' dress-shoe as his muse for these 2021 Aloha Supers. Redesigned in a slightly darker shade than the 2006 tan-toned profile Jonze paired with his rolled-up socks and tonal chinos, the adidas Aloha Super Karol Winthorp is styled in a classic shade of bark-brown with mixed-material nubuck-suede and full-grain leather combining to curate a playful homage to the design’s formal-wear inspiration. A high-grade EVA midsole is paired with a semi-translucent rubberised trim for added characterised flair, whilst the premium-grade rubber outsole is styled with the Aloha Super’s iconic Shmoofoil traction underfoot for an additional layer of detail that honours adidas’ iconic Trefoil design. Brushed-suede wrap around overlays protect high-stress seams against unexpected abrasions, whilst the traditional triple-stripe leather quarters merge neatly with the recessed 5-eyelet lacing system. An ADIPRENE sockliner ensures ample flex, bounce and impact resistance from first wear, with each Archival mesh-tongue detailed with a sky-blue embroidered Shmoofoil character to honour Mark Gonzales’ skater-come-artist legacy. Custom insoles are styled in a tonal shade of pastel-blue, whilst both ‘MG’ and ‘KW’ embroidery across each individual ankle collar pays tribute to Gonzales’ nostalgic moniker with respect to the Aloha Super’s OG initialed sign off.
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