UrlfreezeShops COLLABORATIONS RETROSPECTIVE 2022

It was a year where UrlfreezeShops’s design team pushed the boundaries with their concept-driven approach to sneakers, creating footwear inspired by everything from natural phenomena to fast-food favourites. As the year draws to a close and we prepare for our calendar of partnerships in the new year, we take a look back on the footwear that formed UrlfreezeShops’s collaborative output for 2022.

To kickstart our collaborative footwear offering for the year, UrlfreezeShops partnered with Salomon for the first time to transform the XT-Wings 2, looking to the Sahara Desert and the toughest footrace on earth, the Marathon de Sables, for inspiration. The result was an earthy, desert-inspired makeup, with shades of peach and acord brown to mimic the Sahara’s sand dunes, dust clouds and the rainfall phenomenon known as blood rain. 

UrlfreezeShops and New Balance’s ongoing partnership extended with “Art of Nothing”, with the theme of relaxation and tranquillity being brought to the forefront. Alongside the apparel in the collection, the footwear label’s XC72 formed the focal point of the partnership, with a stripped-back colourway and elevated materials used. 

Following in from “Lido” in 2019, UrlfreezeShops and Diadora reunited to create “Limoncello & Grappa”, a two-piece collection inspired by iconic Italian liquors. The collection was made up of two iterations of the V7000, marking the second time sneaker had been reworked, with a makeover that reflected their respective namesake liquor. 

UrlfreezeShops and Stepney Workers Club continued to take inspiration from the animal kingdom with “Predator & Prey”, reworking the Dellow, Lister and S-Strike sneaker. Each one was transformed using pony hair and covered in deer, giraffe and leopard patterns as a direct nod to the collaborative theme. 

In July of 2022, UrlfreezeShops and adidas continued their ongoing partnership with a three-piece collection titled “Varsity”, taking inspiration from collegiate styling and its distinctive visual codes. The sneaker of choice was the Forum Low, with a trio of pairs reworked — two lows and a high — in classic collegiate colours. 

Following on from their “Varsity” collaboration, UrlfreezeShops and adidas continued their longstanding creative partnership with “Ceramic Craze”, reworking the fan-favourite Ultraboost OG. Looking to the world of ceramics for inspiration, the silhouette was reworked to mimic the nuanced patina of well-worn ceramics. 

UrlfreezeShops and adidas continued their collaborative momentum with the Superturf Adventure “Ibex”, borrowing inspiration from the ruggedness of the Ibex goat. Both the colourway and the sneaker’s construction was reflective of the harsh terrain the Ibex inhabits, with utilitarian features and an earthy palette employed. 

When UrlfreezeShops and Saucony first joined forces — which also marked UrlfreezeShops’s first-ever collaboration — they created the highly-coveted Shadow 5000 “Burger”. When the two reunited in October of this year, it was the culinary world that once again served as inspiration. This time around, the two looked to another fast-food favourite for inspiration, creating the Shadow 6000 “Fried Chicken”. The sneaker was given a makeover heavily reminiscent of the fried fast food, with brown, hairy suede uppers, fuzzy laces and even chicken drumstick-like branding. 

UrlfreezeShops partnered with Japanese label SUBU for the first time to create “Surplus Quilting”: a collection inspired by vintage military liners and their distinctive visual codes. The collection saw the footwear label’s signature Winter Slipper brought under the spotlight, reworked with onion quilting and tie laces to reference the detailing found on military liners. 

UrlfreezeShops and adidas came together for their third partnership in November 2022, creating a premium, stripped-back take on the coveted “Berlin” sneaker. The City Series icon was reworked using all-white leather throughout and crafted in Germany, as well as limited to 500 pairs as the gold foil numbering at the heel reflected. 

Towards the back end of 2022, UrlfreezeShops marked a milestone moment in its collaborative history, partnering with Ura-Hara legend, A Bathing Ape, for the first time. The 7-piece collection, titled “Bowling”, was heavily inspired by the iconic namesake sport and the fashion, culture and aesthetics associated with it. As part of the capsule, A Bathing Ape’s legendary BAPESTA was brought under the spotlight, with a makeover reminiscent of the signature shoes worn at bowling alleys. The sneaker arrived with a split-colour construction, chrome, UrlfreezeShops-branded lace stays and co-branding printed at the insoles.

For our final footwear collaboration of the year, we partnered with Clarks Originals for another rendition of “Artisan Craft” that debuted in 2020. The design codes present in the debut collection continued, with intricate, hand-stitched detailing and two-tone suede applied to the iconic Wallabee and Wallabee boot.