Isack Fadlon of Sportie LA strikes a pose.

Straight to the Art

K-SWISS SPONSORS ARTIST PARTY AND SHOES AT SPORTIE LA

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (Dec. 12, 2006)--Tennis shoe pioneer K-Swiss officially declared its dedication to stencil art with the release of a limited-edition collection of sneakers designed by Logan Hicks and Sixten. For the past two years, K-Swiss has been sponsoring the K-Spray International Stencil Tour. To move stencil art from the streets and into fashion, the brand has hosted events all over the world featuring painting demonstrations and exhibits by numerous artists, including Hicks and Sweden’s Sixten. The tour marked its first appearance in the United States with a launch party for the new collection at Sportie LA on Melrose Avenue.

Stencil artists apply their trade at the K-Spray party.

The evening was as much art show as party--guests could see a live stencil event by the artists. The installation took place directly outside the store, where Hicks and Sixten intensely worked on their first collaborative effort, a mural of a cosmopolitan intersection. The artists meticulously placed numbered stencils against the bare wall to create the vivid picture. With each precisely sprayed layer of brown, guests watched the transformation of stenciled images become a convincing depiction of city life.

When not crowding to see the live-action art exhibit, party-goers crammed inside to sip Finlandia vodka or Bacardi rum with Red Bull. In the dimly lit space, a DJ played music all night long while the photographer bounced around the room, capturing photos of the partygoers. On display were not only the special edition shoes but also a preview of what K-Swiss has in store for spring and summer 2007. Sportie LA owner Isack Fadlon told WSAToday.com that next season’s collection promises “a lot of color.” Fadlon was sporting a pair of grass-green Classics with pink, blue and white stripes. “The colors really pop, and it’s still in the classic silhouette. You just take that classic shoe and you turn it into a colorful shoe that’s very appealing to an audience that maybe they haven’t had.”

K-Swiss shoes from spring 2007 were on display.

The focus of the evening was the exclusive collection of Logan Hicks and Sixten sneakers. Pairs of each of the two designs were on display in glass cases, as well as under glass inset into the floor. The Sixten design, in black leather and dark denim, sports the artist’s portrait on the side and signature on the heel. The black shoebox matches the shoe, free of any decoration but the same picture of the artist gracing the box top. The flashier Logan Hicks shoe combines white leather, a translucent red midsole and white patent faux croc leather accents. The boxes are equally impressive with Hicks’ signature pattern individually laser cut into the top, then hand-painted onto the interior and exterior. So much detail went into the design that even the red fabric insoles were custom made using the same pattern and colors found on the box. Each pair comes with a matching embroidered felt dust bag and limited-edition Logan Hicks T-shirt.

Stencil makes a mark on a Sixten-designed shoebox.

With only several hundred pairs available, the shoes will sell online and in select retail stores, including Sportie LA. The exclusivity of the collection, coupled with the fresh and artistic design approach, is part of K-Swiss’ bid to reach a new, trend-setting customer. “In order to expand and become more relevant, they really need to add some spice,” Fadlon said. “The variety, in terms of the color and bringing in the artists, like they did [at] our event, is one way to infuse this excitement on a broader scale.” Judging by the diverse crowd’s enthusiastic response to the new designs, this collection confirmed that K-Swiss has taken a step in the right direction.

  More Industry News Articles