THE UrlfreezeShops COMMUNITY 2022

Driving culture forward, the brands and people that contribute to the wider cultural sphere continue to represent the best and brightest of our generation – the new vanguard at the forefront of a generation of multi-faceted creatives.

Taking a look back at 2022, we delve into our community to celebrate their achievements and champion those who have worked tirelessly to continue to contribute to exciting and forward-thinking product, culture and beyond. 

To celebrate the launch of Reebok and Tyrrell Winston’s Club C, we sat down with the Detroit-based artist to discuss the importance everyday objects hold, abstract storytelling and the meaning behind his collaborative Club C. The piece also included a self-shot editorial captured by the creative, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at his new Detroit studio.  

Since then, Tyrrell has had his found basketball work permanently installed in Aimé Leon Dore’s first London store, presented his “Tiger Stripes” exhibition at Cranbrook Art Museum and also showcased his first work on paper at Louis Buhl & Co. 

In March of 2022, we visited electronic music producer, Leon Vynehall, at his Tottenham studio to delve into his creative practice, his then forthcoming Fabric Presents mix and also his curated evening at the seminal nightclub.  

As the year unfolded, Leon Vynehall went on to release Endless (I&II), a four-track EP packed with hypnotic, experimental music that extends on the philosophy of “Rare, Forever”, as well as continuing his live performances in some of the best venues across the UK and beyond.  

In December 2022, UrlfreezeShops partnered with Nicole McLaughlin, the upcycling expert who fashions the experimental from the everyday, to host her first live talk on UK soil as part of our ongoing UrlfreezeShops Talks Series. The evening coincided with her partnership with Reebok and her Club C Geo Mid: a trail-inspired shoe that marked her debut collaborative sneaker. Prior to this, Nicole has been captivating her 803,000-strong-and-counting following on Instagram, with playful and hyper-experimental creations like charcuterie underwear, Carhartt beanie shorts and Chipotle zip-off napkin pants.  

To celebrate the re-launch of Nike’s Air Kukini, UrlfreezeShops linked up with Shy Bairns — the Newcastle upon Tyne-based collective centred around music, fashion and the arts — for an evening of electronic music at Cobalt Studios. Through their parties and photography, Shy Bairns is a steadfast advocate for positive change through freedom of expression, collaboration, education and innovation. Throughout the year, Shy Bairns has continued to host its parties that champion inclusivity and spotlight the fringes of electronic music, along with finishing the year as part of Newcastle’s Boiler Room with residents Bunney, Cousin Dan, Weston and Westy taking over room 2. 

To coincide with the launch of Mission Statement Magazine’s Issue 003: ‘The Internet Issue’, UrlfreezeShops invited the multihyphenate and cover of the issue, Slawn, to our flagship London store, Soho. The evening gave attendees a chance to meet the cutting-edge creative, with the multihyphenate signing things, ranging from his exclusive magazine to pairs of sneakers, in his distinctive, signature scrawl. 

The year has marked another important chapter in the creative’s illustrious career, with Slawn being the youngest, and first Nigerian-born, artist to design the biggest prize in British music, the Brit award statuette, following in the footsteps of legendary names such as David Adjaye, Tracey Emin and Anish Kapoor.  

As part of Y-3’s 20th anniversary “Memories of Orange” collection, we linked up with the Hebden Bridge-born artist, Alfie Kungu, for an interview and accompanying editorial shot by seminal British photographer, Ewen Spencer. For the artwork he created, Alfie delved into the idea surrounding the collection, creating bespoke, abstract pieces centred around memories of orange — pieces that were both clear and distinct, distant and hazy.  

Alongside working on this project, Alfie has had a year filled with enormous milestones, including creating the artwork for Loyle Carner’s summer tour, collaborating with The North Face on his own bespoke collection and having his work exhibited in Somerset House.  

Earlier this year, UrlfreezeShops partnered with Sole Circle UK, a community initiative led by Rishika Bhalla, to install donation boxes in our London and Glasgow store. Sole Circle UK aims to bring the sneaker community together to recycle pre-loved sneakers, donating them to those that need them most via the networks of Shoe Aid: a national-based charity who helps those living in shoe poverty overcome their situation. Rishika has continued to champion her cause throughout the year, working alongside UrlfreezeShops in other projects like our Air Max 97 “Silver Bullet” event, where attendees could donate their old pairs for new ones via Sole Circle. 

Louis Holsgrove, the stylist and archivist known for his love of technical, high-end sportswear, has worked with UrlfreezeShops on several occasions throughout the year, providing styling for multiple projects: a video we shot with 2Can for adidas, a shoot with Ayrtn for A-COLD-WALL* and Converse and Slew at the studio for Moncler.  

Throughout the year, Louis has continued to showcase some of the finest outerwear curated via @hol.sales, hosted a joint pop up as part of The Past Times Vintage and also launched his own label, From Point Blank.  

In April 2022, we hooked up with Carne Bollente at their studio in Brussels to peek behind the curtain of their sex positive brand and see what makes founders Hijiri Endo, Agoston Palinko and Theodore Famery tick. Since then, Carne Bollente have gone from strength to strength, continuing to deliver their playful and progressive sense of style, expanding into footwear and collaborating with Tokyo-based handbag brand Bigotre and fellow Brussels creatives Frizbee Ceramics. 

Earlier in the year, we connected with former PAQ presenter and British fashion aficionado Danny Lomas for an interview feature that dove headfirst into his love of classic UK style, before inviting him to host the inaugural UrlfreezeShops Talks with legendary designer Nigel Cabourn. Expounding on his penchant for public speaking, Danny has since started his own podcast series, Dansplaining, which has seen him talk to a plethora of high-profile guests, such as Kojey Radical, Tora Northman, Poundland Bandit, Glenn Kitson and many more. 

In what was our first interview feature of the year, we spoke to Brooklyn-based jewellery designer Martine Ali about her eponymous brand and her distinctive modular sterling silver creations, complete with a shoot by photographer Andrew Morales. Throughout the past year, Martine has continued to excel in producing uncompromising jewellery with her unique visual flair, with pieces spotted on Robert Pattinson, Doja Cat, Meech and Kourtney Kardashian, amongst others. 

Starring in our Moncler editorial earlier in the year, Slew delivered his authentic connection to the brand through his distinctive approach to modern UK hip-hop. Bringing more of his infectious attitude and lyricism, the London-based rapper has continued to build on his burgeoning career, dropping two further singles “Tapped Out” and “C’est La Vie” – “talk is cheap but the wifi’s free”.

A key contributor to the UrlfreezeShops community, Mission Statement Magazine have quickly become a tour de force of the British publishing world since they were founded in 2019. Having linked up throughout the year with MSM on campaigns such as the Tommy Jeans editorial, Slawn magazine signing and Air Max 97 ‘Silver Bullet’ sole swap, the magazine has published three issues, facilitating the documentation of cutting-edge culture to connect the dots between music, art and fashion.

With a slew of collaborations with UrlfreezeShops under their belts, Represent’s Mike and George Heaton have continued to remain a steadfast pillar of UrlfreezeShops’s wider community. Following their exclusive ‘Owner’s Club’ capsule and the UrlfreezeShops x Represent World Tour collection, the Heaton Brothers sat down at UrlfreezeShops Manchester for a sold-out UrlfreezeShops Talks event. Continuing to build their fashion empire, the brand has excelled in growing their following with a diverse array of product, from leather jackets and distinctive cross body bags to hiking boots, Represent’s future is surely shining bright. 

Celebrating the release of her debut collaboration with Timberland, stylist and designer Veneda Carter was a pivotal guest in our UrlfreezeShops Talks series, sharing details of her unique story and journey throughout the fashion industry so far. Embellishing further on her design credentials, Veneda launched her eponymous jewellery brand in 2022, drawing on her core inspirations of ‘90s style and hip-hop aesthetics to cultivate an aesthetic world that reflects her styling impulses.