Nike SB x The Killing Floor
A meeting of Pacific Northwest minds, the legendary Nike SB joins forces with John Vitale’s The Killing Floor for their latest capsule collection inspired by a shared eagerness to breathe fresh air into the evolving skate scene. Rolling through Portland, Oregon, the home of creativity, the Willamette Valley and of course both parties’ origins, this unfettered SS21 release combines a selection of seasonal apparel with an accompanying VX filmed short form that features the likes of Tameron Eaglehorse, Tino Rincon and Ty Johnson amongst some of the cities most favoured skate spots.
Founded in 2009 and famed for their creative influence that hails from founder and artistic mastermind John Vitale’s own love of old blues, jazz, classic rock and the simpler times of when skate was purely seen as an individuals own creative outlet, demonstrative skateware pioneers The Killing Floor continue to bring people closer together through a shared love of art, self expression and untamed imaginativeness. Named after Chicago blues singer Howlin’ Wolf’s 1964 single and born from Vitale’s post-Californian skate shop days, The Killing Floor has continued to challenge the contemporary constraints of the ‘often stagnant’ skate industry, with collaborations with KMHD Jazz Radio, State Salem and the Abdeldayem brothers’ Carpet Company mirrored by their pioneering edits such as 2015’s ‘Prism’ and last year’s ‘Aquarius’ release.
Designing all the brand’s artwork himself since they ran their first set of boards in early 2009, John Vitale’s latest collaboration with Nike SB welcomes an array of seasonal apparel into the mix, with custom tees, jackets and hoodies pairing an expressive aesthetic with both brands’ passion for the sport at hand. A staple of both sportswear and transferred skate heritage, the Nike SB x Killing Floor Hoodie is styled to a relaxed fitting from an eco-conscious blend of organic cotton and recycled polyester, whilst its warm pollen colouring is a complement to its fleece lined insulative construction. In keeping with The Killing Floor’s ode to artistic design, the centre of the chest is decorated with a custom print collage decal, displayed with commemorative ‘Nike SB’ and ‘The Killing Floor’ logo intricacies. For warmer weather skate sessions, the duo introduce their Nike SB x Killing Floor T-Shirt styled in either crisp white or light dew, both of which showcase a free spirited sun face design that shines down across a pastel toned mountain range decal. With changing weather fronts considered, the tropical underlaid Nike SB x Killing Floor Hooded Jacket pairs lightweight breathability with all season protection thanks to its packable nylon shell and its concealed hood. Bright orange toggles and bungee cords bring added depth to its white seamed design, with the seep through botanical underlayer a playful tribute to the warmer weather to come. Catering to the transition to warmer days, the Nike SB x Killing Floor Flatbill Cap is designed to keep the sun at bay with its colourful six panel design and bold navy flattened peak, whilst its creative design bodes well to the collection’s open minded vibe.
Filmed by Utahn Seth Haupt to a soundtrack compiled by Omari Jazz, the VX filmed Nike SB x The Killing Form edit takes pride in honouring some of the cities most favoured locales, with Tameron Eaglehouse, James Alby, Tino Rincon, Tyree Johnson and Vitale himself making an appearance across its 3:50 minute debut.
The Nike SB x The Killing Floor collection will be available online at Flatspot on Wednesday 26th May 2021 at 08:00am (BST).
Shop all Nike SB at Flatspot.
