crooked tongues magazine News Features

There's lots of northern DNA up in these ASICS, and having played with their clever 'Northern Sole' concept before, Hanon Shop have added some intergalactic touches to it this time around. What we always enjoy about the Aberdeen store's collaborative pieces is the thought process behind them, and how the end execution can be appreciated at face value too. Old soul and the space age also brings to mind that weird video with the man made of stars for Soft Cell's cover of Gloria Jones's 'Tainted Love' but in fairness we don't think that was on the Hanon mood board, more likely the product of our MTV and VH-1 fueled mass of reference points. Since Proper did a fine job with a collaboration that doesn't get its full dues all those years back, the GT II has been on our radar as a top model to rework - technical, well-regarded without a need for false nostalgia, and surprisingly versatile when it comes to makeups.

Beyond talcum powder, torch songs and pharmacy raids on the northern soul themed tongue label and footbed logos - respect to the boys for drawing the parallels between those hoarders and connoisseurs sick with a love of dusty black private pressed vinyl and those fiending for footwear, the use of different colours on the Tiger stripe branding, alternating between the medial and lateral sides is based on the northern lights. It's an ambitious level of high concept, but on such a down-to-earth silhouette, it works admirably. In fact, this might be the most pleasantly grounded multicolour execution on a shoe we've seen in a long time. What could have gone off, out of orbit, looking like the technicolour monstrosities of old before everything went black, looks extremely wearable too. Suede, mesh and the inevitable Scotchlite play their part, while the night sky pattern on that heel counter and on the outsole is pretty subtle. In fact, the more we look at them, the more we like them. Just in case 7 days is, as Chuck Wood once complained, is too long, chill - these drop at Hanon on the 10th, and hit select accounts outside the UK on the 17th.