The fact that Aries and Reebok haven't already collaborated is something I find baffling.
Not only do they feel like the perfect pair in terms of their respective back catalog of partners, but I can envisage what an Aries x Reebok collaboration would look like, even prior to the reveal of their actual collaboration.
Nevertheless, Aries and Reebok are finally in cahoots and they’re taking on the latter’s Classic Leather to kick things off.
Inspired by mystics, wizards, and magicians, the Aries Reebok Classic Leather arrives tinted with the faintest of Aries’ signature aqua and stamped with gold forming the London brand’s classic color scheme.
Aries leverages Reebok’s Classic Leather to create its own version of a “Mystic’s Shoe” that’s built from a thousand-year-old tradition and designed to meet the level of quality and performance required by today’s magic-user.
“The idea was to directly replicate our Aries brand colors of aqua green and gold whilst keeping the aqua shade as close to the perfect white version of the Classic as possible,” Sofia Prantera, Aries founder and designer, told Highsnobiety.
“Mystical gold elements were added by holding a seance session in our studio and asking a medium to conjure an ancient wizard to guide us on the graphics and special effects.
"The result was true magic and the shoes materialized as a blend of Aries Classicism for Reebok Classic.”
The Aries Reebok Classic Leather — which officially lands on January 19 — features a premium leather upper doused with nubuck, a reflective heel and logo, gold embroidery, and a vintage tongue with exposed foam to finish.
“We are good friends with Mubi who handles collaborations for Reebok,” continued Prantera.
“He spotted that most of our studio was wearing Reebok Classics, so we jokingly said they were a “platonic ideal” trainer, they are just perfect, easy, comfortable and we all wear them.”
Aries, which was founded in 2009, is fast becoming a brand that can seemingly do no wrong.
Whether it’s turning Crocs into trail-ready clogs, fronting a football collaboration with New Balance and AS Roma, or bringing back Y2K alongside Juicy Couture, Aries is doing it well.
I suppose the only surprising thing about this whole collaboration, for me anyway, is that it hasn’t happened sooner.
But then again, good things come to those who wait — and these delicious Mystic Reebok numbers have certainly been worth it.
