The link between Adidas and Bob Marley can’t be understated, with some of the most famous images of the legendary singer featuring the three stripes. The musician is even credited with being the first to wear the brand head-to-toe in a non-sporting context.
But Marley was never officially affiliated with Adidas, with the link-up probably just being more one of convenience – it just makes sense for a travelling musician with a love of football.
This time around though, for the Spezial’s SS17 launch, Chronixx is the face.
The reggae artist brought a level of spirituality to the short film that you’d expect from him, with some stunning imagery all the way from Jamaica to the fields of Blackburn.
The Spezial line is one of the most popular in the UK, and speaking to GQ, Chronixx drew parallels between Jamaican roots reggae culture and British casual culture.
“The more modern British fashion, art and culture is very impacted by Jamaica and Jamaican music and vice-versa. Adidas has always been a part of that connection throughout the last few decades. I also think the football is at the centre of what British casual culture and Jamaican casual culture have in common. Analysing the Jamaica football federation wouldn’t give you the true picture of how popular and loved the sport is in Jamaica,” he said, also revealing he’s an Arsenal fan.
Gary Aspden, who heads up the Spezial range, told Complex: “On the surface they can appear to be very different, they actually share a lot of commonalities, and we wanted to focus on people’s similarities rather than their differences. Both of these subcultures are essentially motivated by music, football, and fashion,”
Speaking about the collaboration, which features reworked retro trainers, football shirts, parkas and more, Adidas said: “Chronixx and his peers are creating something that has echoes of the past, but is reinvented into something entirely new – a philosophy that is shared by Adidas Spezial.
“The film explores the roots of culture. The roots that allow life to connect to the source. Adidas has long been connected to Jamaican culture through the roots of music and love of football, the beautiful game. All these connections are close to Chronixx’s heart.”
You can check out some of the range here, but Spezial is only on sale in 13 stores in the UK so you might struggle to get your hands on it.
