The adidas EQT line, first launched by Peter Moore, the man who also designed the Air Jordan 1, has seen a lot of attention, due to the reissue multiple sneakers from the early '90s. Few people know more about these products than Marc Leuschner, who happens to be the co-owner of Overkill, a sneaker boutique in Berlin. And the shop is now getting its own collaboration on the EQT Racing '93.
Leuschner, along with co-owner Thomas Peiser, searched no further than right outside the front of their shop for a theme on their project, as they took inspiration from the taxis that line the streets of Berlin. This resulted in a beige pair of runners with a cement-like midsole.
The sneakers will release at Overkill on October 31, retailing for $160, but we also got the opportunity to speak to both Leuschner and Peiser about they footwear they'll be putting out. Here are there words.
How did you choose to do the Racing silhouette?
Peiser: This model was reintroduced by adidas this year. It was the first time the sneaker ever had been retroed. We have a strong relationship to the whole adidas EQT program, especially Marc, who’s a big EQT collector and has a lot of knowledge on the line. So we took it right away, and that’s how we got to work on it.
How did you pick the "Taxi" theme for the sneaker?
Peiser: Whenever we do a collab, our product designer plays with a couple ideas. We chose this one because it has such a strong connection to our Berlin heritage. In front of our store there’s a taxi stand. You see them everyday in our city — they have a funky beige color. You use them on the weekend with the nightlife scene.
How many samples did it take to get the shoes right?
Leuschner: We did three. We did two different color ways, and we decided which one we wanted to produce. So it was three samples in all.
You’ve done a couple of collaborations recently. You did the one with ASICS, now you have this one with adidas. How big do you think it is for your shop?
Peiser: When we did theASICS “Desert Rose,” we liked part of the idea, but we were never really sure if it was going to hit or not. What was the customer going to think of this crazy approach to the details? It’s the same now, because the colorway — with the beige of the taxi — makes it hard for us to say. We hope people will connect with that story.
Leuschner: A lot of the time on the EQTs, people stick to the original colorways. But we wanted to step away from that, like we did with the “Desert Rose.” We said, “Let’s try something different, so we can stand out.”
There are a lot of issues at sneaker releases in the U.S., but it looks like things go smoother in Germany. How come?
Peiser: People are more calm here. In Germany the releases are quiet. People know if they make trouble they won’t get the shoe. All the sneaker stores here are so connected with the customer, they know they have to behave.
Is there going to be special packaging?
Peiser: We are going to make a huge package for this. One package will come with the shoes in an aluminum tin box and it will include a keychain, which is an exact mold of the shoe itself. We’re going to have an air freshener, like they hang in the cabs, designed by Peter O’Toole. There’s also going to be a wool hat and two different T-Shirts designed by Peter.
What's going to happen at the release?
Peiser: For the release itself, we don’t want to do a party again. We want to do an EQT walk, where there are friends of Overkill and EQT fans, and we’re going to walk through Berlin and shoot a bunch of photos.
