adidas Spezial has teamed up once again with Italian fashion brand C.P. Company to finish the 10th Anniversary celebrations for Spezial. The first time the two came together saw the release of the adidas C.P. Italia SPZL and one piece of clothing, the C.P. Company x adidas Spezial 50 Fili Camouflage jacket. This time, a full range of apparel, including two jackets, a tracksuit, multiple hats, and even gloves, amongst other items, will be released alongside six different pairs of footwear that encompass various styles.
The first is the Wimberly SPZL, which will be available in Tech Khaki and Sand colorways. The shoe's design is, in essence, a new silhouette, as inspiration comes from a rare, vintage pair, the Made In Canada adidas Universal. But the sneaker has been reworked with multiple changes, hence the name change to Wimberly. One pair features a leather upper with suede overlays adorned in sand and cloud white. This colorway is a nod to the color of the vintage inspiration, with a gum rubber sole underfoot. The other pair features a premium suede construction in Tech Khaki with preloved bronze, providing a pleasant contrast that is recognizable to fans of C.P. Company. A darker gum-colored rubber sole finishes the classic look.
After working on the model before, it seems befitting that the Italia is revisited and labeled the Italia SPZL. The pair arrives with a collegiate royal upper comprising tumbled leather. Chalk White leather is utilized for the back heel tab, lace stay, and Three Stripes branding along the midfoot. A blue suede overlay appears at the toe, with the white rubber toeguard wrapped around the front. A white EVA cushioned midsole is finished with a light gum-colored rubber outsole.
A previous classic from the adidas catalog is once again reimagined by Spezial, taking form in the C.P. Manchester. Still, with C.P. Company having signed a sponsorship deal with soccer club Manchester City, the terrace connection makes perfect sense. The original Manchester was released in 2002 to coincide with the Commonwealth Games being held in the English city. A limited production run was made, which is highly sought after by collectors. Spezial has reimagined the shoe twice, with the 2016 G.T. Manchester SPZL and the 2020 Manchester 89 SPZL. This time, elements from both pairs are blended, with the original Manchester colorway (used for the G.T. Manchester) of light blue and bright red enveloping the suede and nylon upper, contrasted by the dark blue lace set and rubber sole unit (a primary color of the Manchester 89). Gold foil runs parallel to the Three Stripes on the sides, declaring C.P. Manchester.
Next up is a low-cut walking boot titled the Helvellyn SPZL. The upper is crafted from cardboard-colored nubuck with a light brown woven mesh underlay on the heel, collar, tongue, and midfoot. A leather panel on the lateral features debossed Adi-Tex branding that denotes the weatherproof lining, a product of adidas innovation from a previous generation. Once discarded, it was brought back to life by the Spezial team. Underfoot, a two-layer grey and brown midsole is finished with a black rubber outsole for extra grip.
Lastly, the SL 83 emerges as a new model inspired by the admiration for previous adidas S.L. (Super Light) sneakers. Using the SL 80 as the base for the model, this is reworked and changed entirely by adding a T-style overlay to the toe, akin to the SL 72 and SL 76. The upper is constructed from night cargo-colored Dyneema, the strongest fiber in the world. Overlays of dust-green suede are on the heel, toe, and lace stay. A black suede tongue is in place, with sand hues applied to the Three Stripes branding along the midfoot. A black EVA midsole is joined by a multi-color rubber outsole, matching the upper color.
Each pair is finished off with dual-branded graphics on the tongues and heels, and all six pairs have textured Three Stripes branding with overlaying stitching, paying homage to the 2018 collaboration between adidas Originals and C.P. Company. Each pair has a C.P. Company leather hangtag and comes in a bespoke blue shoebox (with the iconic C.P. 'sailor' graphic and adidas SPZL), wrapped in co-branded tissue paper.
The C.P. Company x adidas SPZL Collection is set to release on November 12, 2024, via adidas and select retailers online and in-store. In men's sizing, retail is $200 for the Helvellyn, $150 for the Italia and Manchester, $140 for the SL 83, and $130 for the Wimberly. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Images via adidas
C.P. Company x adidas Helvellyn SPZL
C.P. Company x adidas SL 83 SPZL
C.P. Company x adidas Italia SPZL
C.P. Company x adidas Wimberly SPZL Tech Khaki
C.P. Company x adidas Wimberly SPZL Sand
C.P. Company x adidas Manchester SPZL
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Craig Bell happily talks about sneakers or as he calls them "trainers" every day of the year. An avid Bradford City fan, he's also a big supporter of the Philadelphia Eagles. He will forever profess that Cricket is better than Baseball and that Rugby League is better then Rugby Union. Among his many hot takes, he believes the adidas ZX range is the pinnacle of sneaker design.
