It’s good to be back! And with a silhouette I have yet to meet on feet.Ā Released in May of this year, Reebok teamed up with NY-based contemporary artist Tyrrell Winston for his take on the classic Reebok Club C. Known for his solo exhibition ‘Family Values’ and instalments of vintage deflated basketballs, this all-white classic sneaker is his latest canvas to hit the streets.
I dive into the day-to-day wearing of this pair and question Tyrrell on his creative process and what part sneakers play in his life.
Let’s go, 30 days in the Reebok Club C 85 Tyrrell Winston…Ā
Field notes
Day one:
- Fits true to size
- Initial reaction: impressed with the material use, quality and leather suppleness
- Tasteful details: Tyrrell got the right amount of influence designing this sneaker with his custom details – outsole signature, NY tongue tab and colour palette
- Aged white laces and outsole flatter the silhouette and make it a very wearable sneaker
- My first time in a pair of Club Cs: wore on a hot day at the zoo with lots of walking, more than satisfied with the overall comfort
Day four:
- Enjoying wearing this pair
- The style and aesthetic of the sneaker is very versatile and easy to wear
Day twelve:
- The sneakers are wearing in nicely
- Leather is showing its quality with subtle creasing in all the natural places
- I’m impressed with the price point the more I wear this sneaker
Day twenty:
- Showing first clear signs of wear on the inside
- The footbed logo print has 80% rubbed away and the terry cloth lining is fraying and pilling
- Has no bearing on the shoe’s outer aesthetic
Day thirty:
- 30 days of daily wear have naturally complemented the primary material
- Wearing like a pair of good jeans – details appearing in the leather depth on the tongue and toe box
- The artists’ input has become more evident as this Wear Test progressed
Questions with Tyrrell
What was your vision for this sneaker? And their primary purpose?
I made a shoe that Iād wear every day. A studio shoe. A street shoe. Something that my friends would want to wear. Itās an ode to conversations with my close friends.
What do sneakers mean to you and where do they fit in your creative world?
I don’t give a f*ck about sneakers in the hype sense. I like shoes that are no frills, and transition easily from studio to street. Club Cās, Chuck 70s, New Balance 990s; Iām not interested in particularly bright or flashy footwear. I save flash for jewellery.
How much freedom did you get on this collaborative project? And how would you compare it to creating on your own canvas?
Complete freedom. Shoes, style, and things pertaining to fashion inform my art quite a bit, but I never look at them as art. Theyāre a piece of the puzzle. A uniform. Something I unconsciously reference in art, but not art itself.
What made you go with this colourway?Ā
What does the world want to see? A shoe that looks like one of my orange and brown basketball pieces? Most shoes I wear are white, black or gray. Again, it comes back to something that I want to wear every day. This colorway has a subtle nod to the crisp smell of money. I want people to wear these every day. Theyāre not meant to be shelved away. Theyāre made to pick up dirt and ultimately become loved beaters, dirty money. This was my first shoe, I wanted to create something timeless. In life, art, design I firmly believe less is more.
Rounding off the last 30 days, this Wear Test has been the most frictionless to date. Every day has been a joy to put them on and my experience mirrors that described by the artist; this is a timeless shoe ready to face the street and the studio every day. When I look down the off-white midsole and horsehair heel tabs with Tyrrell’s NY logo in full view really make this sneaker for me; and it’s these details and this approach to footwear that makes this silhouette shine in a way previous releases haven’t.
A perfect introductory pair for someone new to Reebok or the Club Classic 85. I won’t be taking these off any time soon.
Thank you to Tyrrell for his time and words. Join me next month for another 30 days – what pair would you like to see wear tested?
