The recent launch of the END. x adidas Laundromat Collection gave us at Sole Retriever the opportunity to sit down with designer Charlie Irwin, who, alongside the collaborations team at END., was responsible for the creative behind the pack.
Originally from the Midlands in the UK, Charlie moved north to Newcastle to work as a Collaborations Designer at END. after achieving a First in Footwear and Accessory Design at Northampton University. After four years at END., Charlie recently switched to Clarks Originals, where he moved back down south to design inline and collaboration products for the prestigious brand. We were able to sit down with Charlie and ask a few questions about the Laundromat collection and the design process that goes on behind the scenes.
Thanks for joining us, Charlie; it is much appreciated. To jump straight into it, can you say if there was a brief overview of the project and what exactly it was?
Sometimes, we have a brief to follow; other times, we have the freedom to choose, and this project was the latter.
How did the choices of silhouettes come about then, particularly the Prototype TRX that had never been retroed before?
The silhouettes tend to be a discussion between the teams. Off the back of Samba-mania, we thought the Gazelle Indoor would be an excellent candidate to fit that low-profile terrace offering, but that isn't a Samba. A similar thought process applies to the SL 72 as well. Having seen this style gain some traction in the background of the Samba, we wanted to pick it up.
In addition, between the design process and release, Grace Wales Bonner also put work into the SL 72, which helped reaffirm the silhouette choice. The TRX was offered to us by the adidas team, with its design language being slightly different from the other two; it certainly felt additive to the collection, and it had the bonus that it had never been re-released before.
How did the concept of the three stages of the dyeing process come about?
Off the back of the Round 3 ZX 8000 'Future' that I worked on for the Consortium Cup, I wanted to re-explore the dyeing concept and give it its project. The Laundromat story felt like an excellent setting to bring this to life as it offered cliches like the red sock and white wash. As you explore the idea more, many of them (laundromats) still have that stereotypical aesthetic you imagine, leading to a lovely retro palette.
When choosing which colors and materials to utilize, how did you decide which design would feature on each model?
It's often a case of experimentation and trial and error, as some styles don't take color the way you'd hoped, so it's up to you to find what works. The material selection comes directly from the storytelling, so in this case, we wanted something warm, comfortable, and soft, which led us to the suede mix, crinkled nylons, wide meshes, and terry linings that feature throughout the range.
With that being said, how much fun is working on a project like this?
CI: A project like this is always fun because there wasn't a particular brief, as I mentioned before. It allows you to explore whatever comes to mind, and when it's with a brand like adidas, you can always be sure they'll execute it flawlessly.
Thank you so much for your time. Last but not least, are there any shout-outs for the team?
So much love for the END. Collabs team, shout-outs to Sarah Thompson, Callum Hill, Sara Carney, Lorenzo Brunetti, and Zack Meays.
You can follow Charlie on Instagram (@charlieiirwin_) and keep looking out for future projects from Charlie with Clarks Originals.
The END. x adidas Laundromat Collection is available now exclusively from END. in-store and online.
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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.
