UrlfreezeShops 2018 Collaboration Retrospective

Another year for the history books at UrlfreezeShops, 2018 has been punctuated with a programme of top-tier co-signed streetwear and sneaker product from a careful assortment of first-time collaborators and long-term partners.

With a range of new projects already in the works for 2019, it's time to reflect on a year of successful collaborations with our 2018 project retrospective.

Linking up for our second collaboration, UrlfreezeShops and ASICS opened 2018's special projects programme with the GEL-LYTE III 'Wasabi': A fashion-food fusion inspired by the asian ingredient.

A fresh take on the future icon, the new split tongue model packed serious heat. Drawing on the flavour of the native Japanese herb wasabi, the GEL-LYTE III 'Wasabi' was designed to whet the appetite of sushi and sneaker enthusiasts around the world.

Repackaging the sushi experience for the global sneaker enthusiast, the sneaker arrived in a custom UrlfreezeShops x ASICS bento box complete with UrlfreezeShops branded wasabi bowl and chopsticks; elevating the collaboration to deliver an immersive food-fashion experience grounded in traditional Japanese cuisine and custom.

Next, UrlfreezeShops partnered with Danish streetwear stalwarts, Wood Wood for a limited edition capsule collection built with sustainability in mind.

Embracing the global mindset, UrlfreezeShops x Wood Wood welcomed a small drop of co-branded basics from Wood Wood's 'Double A' sub-line. Consisting of a tee, a sweatshirt and two hoodies, the capsule featured the Double A embroidered patch laid atop an UrlfreezeShops graffiti tag.

To learn more about Wood Wood's journey towards sustainability and affirm the partnership, we spent A Day in Norrebro at Wood Wood HQ ahead of the capsule's release.

The catch of the day for early spring, UrlfreezeShops linked up with US-sneaker brand, Saucony for a fresh runner inspired by the King of the ocean.

A nod to one of New England’s most beloved dishes, Saucony offered up their GRID 8500 for the special edition 'Lobster' release with END.

Paying homage to the local delicacy - favoured along the East Coast shoreline - a shellfish-inspired fabrication decked out the GRID 9000 uppers and GRID 8000 sole for a hybrid silhouette. A delicate ‘jaffa’ suede and rich ‘orange peel’ leather mimicked the bright crustaceans, with weathered patina leathers on the tongue and collar.

Fastened with an orange or blue rope lacing system, the release was finished with right and left claw printed leather insoles. The sneakers arrived caught in a statement fish net, boxed in its own bespoke display tank.

Empowering the youth of tomorrow, UrlfreezeShops joined forces with Champion in June for an exclusive capsule informed by the political and societal messaging that surrounded us this year.

Championing love and unity, the 15-piece collection was designed to empower the individual with an inclusive offering of the American label’s iconic athletic pieces. Inching towards total and radical inclusivity the message was clear: our youth will always unite us.

The home of the hoody and pioneer of the Reverse Weave technology, UrlfreezeShops worked with Champion to regenerate the favourites in a mesmerising myriad of colours, marked with unrefined edges and tied together with dual-branded drawcords. A symbol of authenticity, the signature ‘C’ integrated itself into the UrlfreezeShops logo at the chest; an honest reflection of the capsule's mission and meaning.

Inspired by the darkest stage of twilight, New Balance and UrlfreezeShops joined forces for a fresh iteration of the X-90.

Delivering a duo of statement X-90 silhouettes, the transatlantic partnership celebrated the freedom of the 90s and the gamut of colours that stretch across the sky at dusk.

An ode to the inspiring vista, vivid navy and purple captured the spirit of the horizon, and the lookbook took inspiration from an eternal component of youth culture - driving out of the city to witness nature’s own magical, soul-soothing visual production as day fades and night begins.

Descending into the Earth's atmosphere, an otherworldly discovery landed at UrlfreezeShops in September.

Travelling through the stratosphere, the UrlfreezeShops x adidas Yung-1 'Atmosphere' explored the unknown and returned to the Earth’s surface to leave a new footprint in adidas history.

A re-imagination of the Falcon Dorf, the ‘90s chunky runner had orbited the archives long enough, and returned with a colour constellation that resembled the edge of the atmosphere. A combination of nubuck and synthetic suede overlaid the net mesh, with ash silver and grey forms scattered like overcast clouds.

Clarks Originals and UrlfreezeShops teamed up to combine forward-thinking textile treatments with a tactical state of mind with the ‘Digi Camo’ capsule collection.

A reinterpretation of camouflage as we know it, the collection deployed an innovative printing technique across a line of footwear and accessories.

Tactical gear grounded in wearability, the Clarks Originals x UrlfreezeShops ‘Digi Camo’ pack was born for battle.

To mark his 50th year in menswear, UrlfreezeShops partnered with British design legend, Nigel Cabourn for a limited edition British Army Smock in a quad of tactical colours.

Orange for mountain survival, Black Navy for the Naval Forces, Natural to blend against the snow, and Faded Nam Green for the Army, Cabourn once again made use of his unmatched expertise in military-garb to combine contemporary sensibilities with an iconic WW2 garment used by the British Mountain Forces on the Western Front.

Manufactured in the UK by Cookson and Clegg – an authentic British Army manufacturer based in Blackburn, with nearly 200 years of expertise – the smock was 100% British cotton, garment dyed for an authentic finish, and featured four tactical pockets across the body for the inimitable blend of form and function which has come to characterise the Cabourn name.

Limited to just 100 pieces – 25 in each colourway – the 50^th anniversary smock for UrlfreezeShops was a tribute befitting of a true icon of British menswear, whose contribution to military-inspired design has transcended its niche to make an indelible mark on the menswear landscape in the UK and beyond.

Next up, UrlfreezeShops and PUMA collaborated on a fresh take on the PUMA Thunder silhouette, dubbed 'Shadow Rise'.

Commanding attention with a minimalistic aesthetic, the sneaker's grand architecture combined black nubuck and leather with a stacked white sole underfoot.

The perfect setting for dual-branding, the pull tab and cork footbed found light in the shadows, with earthy wooden suedes and concrete leather overlays wrapping around the heel.

An extension of the IMEVA cushioned midsole, a semi-translucent gum rubber outsole took the sneaker to new heights.

Following the launch of the Timepiece Project .01 in 2017, UrlfreezeShops and Timex returned with the second phase of their ongoing collaboration.

Aptly titled ‘Blackout’, UrlfreezeShops x Timex proudly presented another military classic, subtly tweaked for a contemporary audience. Highlighting the Allied Chrono’s rugged military heritage, the watch went stealth in an all-but all-black palette, featuring a slew of precise, co-branded engraving and a graphic flash of colour for unbeatable wrist-appeal.

The timepiece brought an understated edge to the US watchmaker’s time-honoured position as a world-class purveyor of urban utility. Delivering the ultimate gifting experience, the watch came in two unique accent colours – mint and orange – and arrived in a bespoke box, complete with three strap options to wear on rotation throughout the year, including variants with complimenting tones, striking UrlfreezeShops branding and a luxurious Horween leather.

Joining forces again for 2018 - following last year’s cosy ‘Nordic Wool’ pack - UrlfreezeShops brought 2018's collaboration programme to a close by revisiting a fresh duo of VANS sneaker icons, tapping the OG Slip-On and OG Old Skool silhouettes for the mind-bending ‘Vertigo’ capsule.

Presenting a custom remix of VANS’ iconic black and white checkerboard motif, UrlfreezeShops x VANS 'Vertigo' blurred the lines between illusion and reality to create an optical-whirl designed to set heads spinning and dizzy the mind.

An irreverent play of push and pull, steady and sway, UrlfreezeShops took VANS’ global calling-card and puts it on spin-cycle to create a fresh iteration of one of skate and street culture’s most iconic patterns – reapplying it to two of the US-based sneaker institutions most revered styles in a premium textile palette of woven jacquard, 6. 0z canvas, and luxury leathers.