Adidas Originals and Austin-based sneaker boutique Kicking It pay tribute to the city’s musical legacy and blues heritage with the “Live Music” Gazelle, named in honor of Austin’s reputation as the “Live Music Capital of the World.”
Arriving at the heart of Weekend 2 of Austin City Limits, the silhouette’s design cues nod to Austin’s rich blues culture. The sneaker comes in a suede upper dipped in five shades of blue. A red tongue and yellow Three Stripes complement the palette, mirroring Antone’s nightclub’s legendary entrance, where Stevie Ray Vaughan, Ray Charles, and other icons cut their teeth on its stage. A matching set of 512 lace charms, a direct callout to the city that Kicking It calls home, rounds out this wonderful sneaker.
For ‘Kicking it’, though, this project means more than releasing a sneaker as an ode to the city they know and love. To support the next generation of live music torchbearers, a portion of “Live Music” Gazelle sales will fund scholarships for students at East Texas University, benefitting its jazz band and future music programming.
The release arrives with a dual celebration hosted by the collaborators. An in-store gathering opens launch day with hat customizations, grill and tooth gem molding, and in-person first looks at the “Live Music” Gazelle. At night, Antone’s will open its doors for a free community concert headlined by rising hip-hop artist J. Soulja and blues band The Keezy Experience.
“This project brings our love for sneakers, music, and community full circle,” said Naja Dorsey, Creative Director of Kicking It. “Austin has always been about live music and culture, and the ‘Live Music’ Gazelle celebrates both while giving back to the city that shaped us.”
For the better part of the Summer, adidas and their collaborative partners have been hard-pressed to release projects that celebrate important cities in our country. Whether it be through their regional food or a sub-culture of a major city, these recent projects have worked hard to uplift the communities they celebrate. Kicking It’s tribute to the Texas capital city is no exception. From the hues of blues to the guitar strings the “Live Music” Gazelles embrace the beautiful quirkiness of Austin. All the while, paying their respects to the musical acts that helped make the city of Austin an institution for music and music culture.
The adidas x Kicking It “Live Music” Gazelle will retail for $120 and be available in limited quantities beginning October 11, exclusively at Kicking It’s Austin store and online at kickingit.com.
