Why A–Cold–Wall’s Samuel Ross Is Rejecting Streetwear’s Resale And Hype Culture

Concerned by how resale culture has damaged the relationship between product and consumer, A–COLD–WALL*’s Samuel Ross has used his second collaboration with sportswear behemoth Nike to reposition the wearer as a central figure in the design process. His radical reworking of the 2010 “engine on the exterior” Nike Zoom Vomero +5 has removed the PU coatings to accelerate the aging process, which basically means that they won’t remain box-fresh for long. “I’m interested in how a garment ages and in taking the user on that journey,” he explained from a quiet corner of the immersive installation, made in partnership with the Architectural Association School of Architecture, inside Nike 1948 in east London. “Ultimately, I want the shoe to live, [and] that’s been achieved by removing the film between the product and the effects of our environment.” While challenging streetwear’s blind hype-culture, the limited-edition London drop saw more than 2,500 sign-up and queues snake across Shoreditch. As ever for A-COLD-WALL*, it’s about shifting the narrative. Read more at i-D.