Reebok & Mallet London Introduces Special 'Footwear Capsule Collection' Inspired by UK's Music Scene
Reebok, the irreverent sports culture brand, and Mallet London, the premium British fashion label, reveal a collaborative footwear collection that draws inspiration from the iconic UK music scene in the 90’s and 2000’s. The capsule heroes two styles that were prevalent on the streets of London while youngsters were growing up in Europe and the rest of the world: the Workout Plus and Classic Leather.
Bringing together two brands founded in England, the collaboration reflects the culture, style and vibe that are at the heart of the city of London. Both the Mallet London x Reebok Classic Leather and Workout Plus were designed with city kids in mind and feature the original Reebok leather, each being available in triple black and white colorways. The triple black is a nod to the daily uniform of noughties kids while the all-white is made for nights and weekends. Finishing the shoes are signature Mallet London details including a silver heel clip, metal tongue tab, perforated ‘M’ embossing and London bus ticket keychain.
“This is the biggest moment in Mallet's history so far, to be collaborating with one of the giants of the sportswear industry in Reebok is a truly proud moment for myself and the brand,” said Co-founder, Tommy Mallet.
“Reebok was and still is a huge part of the UK music and garage scene, but not only that it was a uniform for me and my friends in the early 2000s and a huge part of my childhood. To be able to recreate the Workout Plus and Classic Leather with a Mallet touch is something I've dreamed of for years."
“This collaboration is something we are so proud of as a brand,” said Co-founder Evren Ozka. “Working with an iconic British company like Reebok has been an unforgettable process, as well as bringing back so many childhood memories. I'm thrilled now that we're able to share it with the public and everyone can get their own little piece of history.”
Paired with the collection is a campaign titled ‘Before, Now, Forever’ which champions the UK music scene in the ‘90s and 2000s and illustrates how Reebok was synonymous with garage music and pirate radio. The campaign stars garage legend Majestic, and shows not only how the Reebok Classic Leather and Workout Plus were stalwarts in the scene decades ago, but continue to be relevant through their status as timeless classics.
Mallet London’s Head of Marketing, Callum Ruane, said “This campaign truly represents British culture at the heart. To be able to work with Reebok on this launch has been a pleasure for us all at Mallet London. It’s been incredible to showcase the roots of the music scene in the country and the effect it’s had across the shores too. Before, Now, Forever is a real homage to the influencers of the past who have paved the way for the legends of today”.
MOBO Award winning music director Kevin Hudson led the creative for the campaign video and said:
“Growing up in the ‘90s and early 2000s within East London/Essex, Reebok Classics and Workouts have always been a stand-out, iconic piece of footwear for me.
So when I got a call from Callum, the Head of Marketing at Mallet, to ask if I'd be interested in working on the Mallet x Reebok partnership I was really excited.
The initial idea was to create a visual that took viewers on a journey back the early noughties showing how the original shoe was a key feature amongst the youth, particularly in the music scene. Working with the Mallet and Reebok team was amazing, they gave me full creative control to build on their vision and create not only a commercial but a nostalgic piece of art for their shoe.”
The Mallet London x Reebok collection will be available for $250 in unisex sizing at Mallet.com beginning November 30th.
More on Mallet London
Mallet London was founded in 2015 by entrepreneur Tommy Mallet and businessman Evren Ozka. It all began with a spark of creativity from Tommy, combined with Evren’s business experience. Mallet, an avid trainer collector and urban fashion trendsetter, had an idea for a unique pair of sneakers.. He couldn’t find anything on the market that spoke to his style sensibility and was both affordable and high quality. Tommy eventually took matters into his own hands and sketched his idea. He reached out to Evren, who worked in the fashion industry at the time, and asked if he could make his dream trainer a reality. Tommy and Evren collaborated on the design and production and sold their creations online as a trial, expecting their friends might be interested in purchasing them. The rest, as they say, is history.