Shredding Slopes to Running the Streets: the story of Northwave’s Espresso in Japan
Fashion goes in cycles, trends come and go, but zeitgeist-defining aesthetics never truly die.
As we experience a resurgence in everything vintage, styles from the 90s, moods from the 2000s, and sneakers from yesteryear are making a comeback.
Originally known as a snowboarding brand and currently making waves as a cycling shoe manufacturer, Northwave [@northwave_official] is an Italian sportswear company responsible for causing an unlikely cultural phenomenon in Japan throughout the late 90s. Chunky mid-soles, suede uppers, and the classic gum-outsoles, Northwave's Espresso sneakers were first released in 1991.
A "sneaker designed by snowboarders for people," the iconic silhouette was a bid on marrying their brand identity as Europe's top snowboarding boot provider and their interpretation of street casual into one product.
A sneaker boom dominated by technical running and performance basketball shoes, the Espressos were a breath of fresh air in that they took it back to basics. Outfitted with heavy snowboarding boot outsoles and a street-inspired upper, it was inversive to what was popular, and it struck a chord with the Japanese fashionistas. Famously worn by street legends like Hiroshi Fujiwara, the inevitable wave of public thirst ensued, but the supply could not keep up with the demand. The perfect balance of irony and stock snowballed into a frenzy, causing a cultural phenomenon and forever engraving its legacy. For those who remember, at least.
Much like the Osiris D3s for the skating community and British Knights for hip-hop culture, the Espressos made an unmistakable impression on the Japanese street culture. Unavoidable as the clouds in their heyday but reduced to a myth today, it reminds us of the competitive nature of the sneaker industry. Fortunately, a series of revival projects in the last few years have brought Northwave's signature sneakers back to market albeit on limited supply. Bitches come in seasons, they come and go, grab those sneakers before they come and go.
