Last Resort AB D5
The latest venture and the start of dream number four by Polar Skate Co. founder Pontus Alv and long-time friend, skateboarder and creative director Sami Tolppi, Last Resort AB is an independent company with a focused vision to create performative skate shoes, including their latest VM003 vegan skate shoe range, that are crafted by and for skateboarders all around the world.
Having recently introduced fellow Polar Skate Co. skateboarder Dane Brady to the Last Resort AB skate team in September 2021, we’ve been keeping our eye on the slow but steady reveal in Last Resort’s character, but to keep us on our toes the duo aren’t giving away anything before its time. Accompanying Chris Millic, co-founder of NYC based Frog Skateboards, California native Nick Rios and July 2021 appointee Billy Trick, the addition of Brady hints at a growing international collective being formed in the wake of the brand’s growing, and notedly independent success. In the hope of pulling skateboarding away from capitalist culture, or at least creating their own creative havens away from the mainstream, the team selection builds upon the idea of building great things together which mirrors the market’s current turn towards wanting to back smaller, personal brands alongside their favourite skaters.
Marking the transition into a new year and the start of 2022, the Last Resort AB D5 release celebrates developments of colour across their signature Last Resort AB VM001 series, whilst colour matched revisions to their accompanying VM001 Hi include a new season shade of dusty blue. Honouring contemporary trends and its pastel blue Hi counterpart, the soft suede VM001 also returns in an earthier shade of sage, with the speckled sole VM002 arriving in two mix-match black soled colourways of both navy blue and brushed white. New for 2022, the vegan VM003 maintains all of the core ingredients as its predecessors such as double-stitched panels in danger zones, extended foxing tape and a slanted sole pattern that won’t collect gravel, whilst its eco-conscious construction honours the brand’s inventive ‘Break Free’ mindset for yet another season. Styled with a resilient canvas upper, a material matched inner lining and with sustainably sourced rubber trims, the unpadded VM003’s classic court-sport inspired appeal is one that focuses on performative practicality and conscious design above all else.
A complement to their latest D5 release, new season Last Resort AB clothing also arrives with Europe-made staples such as the 210gsm screen printed LRAB Atlas Monogram T-Shirt and the ‘When I Eat, I Eat Concrete’ Statue T-Shirt styled with the brand’s appreciation for creative custom graphics in mind. For cold weather settings or for use when opting to layer up, the midweight and fleece-lined Last Resort AB Dragon Hoodie features a medieval undertone elevated by rune-style ‘Break Free’ branding displayed across the length of each sleeve.
Encouraging friends and independent brands within the skate industry to get together and create something new, Last Resort AB continues to inspire many with their passion and attention to both community and culture. Merging noted reference to Sami’s time spent as creative director, graphic designer and creator of his footwear line ‘3-3-20’ with DIY enthusiast Pontus Alv’s tenacious character, Last Resort AB’s explorative, ‘intention to detail’ design style is one that brings elevated enhancement to cut-and-sew classics that have been purposely redesigned for skate.
The Last Resort AB D5 collection will be available on Friday 21st January 2022 at 08:00AM (GMT).
Shop all Last Resort at Flatspot.
