UrlfreezeShops X ADIDAS SPZL “BY THE SEA”

Marking a momentous occasion in UrlfreezeShops’s collaborative history, the British retailer joins forces with Gary Aspden’s seminal adidas SPZL for the first time to unveil “By the Sea”. The 11-piece collection is inspired by a staple of British culture, the seaside town, nodding to the heritage of both the retailer and adidas SPZL in celebration of their 10th anniversary.  

Founded in 2014 by cultural mainstay Gary Aspden, adidas SPZL has spent the past decade celebrating the Brand with Three Stripes’ storied legacy. Presenting footwear and apparel reborn for the modern day, the label continues to appraise adidas’ revered design codes, reworking its vintage DNA through contemporary products.

Centring around a trio of revitalised footwear classics, “By The Sea” delivers a subtle twist on essential SPZL style. The Moscrop 2 SPZL sneaker returns in a sandy colourway this time round, complete with its trademark Cordura uppers and pigskin suede overlays. An amalgamation of two archival adidas sneakers, the Moscrop 2 SPZL’s lightweight uppers were designed with cues taken from the adidas Raider, while the shoe’s rugged two-layered sole unit was plucked from the Argentinian-made adidas Infinity, complete with its trademark Dellinger Web Sole. Another fan favourite, the Wilsy SPZL returns in a Chalk White and Tribe Green colour palette, with nubuck uppers that are punctuated with tonal mesh panels, offering a vintage sportswear aesthetic through a contemporary lens. Completing the trio of footwear silhouettes, UrlfreezeShops and adidas SPZL’s take on the Samba Deco SPZL presents an understated update to a definitive sneaker. Rich navy-blue pigskin suede covers the model, with the Samba Deco SPZL’s trademark stitched T-Toe introducing a modern subversion the legendary shoe’s lauded design. Seaweed Green leather Three Stripes announce a boost of colour, with quiet co-branded details sitting to the tongue and insole.

"With any collaborations we do with adidas SPZL there needs to be a good reason for them to exist. They are often underpinned by strong existing relationships and this collaboration with UrlfreezeShops most definitely has that. Given the level of support that UrlfreezeShops have loyally shown to the SPZL range since the very beginning it felt right to finally acknowledge that with a product pack as part of the SPZL tenth anniversary celebrations. UrlfreezeShops brought their 'By the Sea' story/concept to us and we gave them potential options to work with on a selection of archival SPZL silhouettes from over the past decade. Once they made their product choices we worked collaboratively with discussions at every stage of the design process." - Gary Aspden, Curator/adidas SPZL

UrlfreezeShops and SPZL’s “By The Sea” apparel selection offers a snapshot of the adidas brand’s staying power, with 7 pieces from the SPZL archives returning in the collection’s signature colour palette. A much-celebrated garment, the Calavadella Jacket is rendered in a vibrant Tribe Green recycled polyester fabric. Named after the idyllic Ibiza cove, this outerwear piece pays homage to adidas SPZL’s DNA, honouring the music culture of Ibiza that played a significant part in the core ideals behind the brand.  Detailed with a removeable hood, the jacket features four bellow pockets, a drawstring waist and adidas SPZL’s instantly recognisable woven brand patches to the chest and wrist. Nodding to SPZL’s collaborative past, the Track Top and Track Pant in Cardboard brown further entrenches the collection in retro sporting sensibilities. Detailed with tonal Three Stripes and woven brand patches, both pieces carry on adidas’ athletic legacy, while the Track Top features an embroidered rendition of their logo proudly placed at the chest. A duo of jersey t-shirts further respects SPZL’s history, with UrlfreezeShops branding printed to the reverse in a throwback to the classic SPZL Wireframe Logo tee (originally designed by Gary Watson), while the Meanwood Polo Shirt deftly blends vintage sportswear with modern style, embellished with tonal Three Stripes to the sleeves and SPZL’s woven brand patch to the chest.

Rounding off the UrlfreezeShops x adidas SPZL collection with two headwear pieces, the Bucket Hat is cast in the same Tribe Green tone as the Calavadella Jacket to offer a touch of ‘90s nostalgia to the collaboration, while the Cap proudly displays SPZL’s embroidered motif in a tonal Cardboard brown hue.

The UrlfreezeShops x adidas SPZL “By The Sea” collection will be available at UrlfreezeShops Newcastle from 2nd August and will launch online and at UrlfreezeShops statement stores in London, Manchester, Milan, and Glasgow on 9th August 2024.