Ransom by adidas Ransom By Adidas Valley

When a box of adidas Ransom samples arrived at Crooked headquarters - we were bemused at the scale of a project we'd assumed would be confined to two colourways on an existing silhouette, guessing that maybe they'd be tricked out a little with a d-ring or three in line with the favoured aesthetic of the moment. We didn't think they'd take it as far as Ransom and adidas did, and of wave one, this model is the safest bet. It's unashamedly sneaker, but takes in military regulation, an air of vulcanised Sk8-Hi styles and a twist of the current hi-topped designer dabbles in the industry, with the potential for appeal among the disparate tribes who are a little more particular when it comes to what's on their feet, but would rather not be rocking the Timbo look.

The padded collar, and pick of leather textures, from tumbled to gloss to smooth to suede works well. It's a big gun playing at rocky ground level with the current spate of indie startups doing great things, but adidas and Ransom have thought this through nicely, with an confident design process at work that remains constant on every product. Definitely a reliable collection, and one devoid of unnecessary flash.