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words & interview // Nick DePaula:
As we branch out and look to expand our “My 5” franchise beyond the landscape of athletes and entertainers, we’ll be looking to the people who actually create the sneakers we all love to rock on a regular basis — the designers themselves.
Our first designer on deck is Brian Foresta, adidas Basketball’s Global VP of Design.
He’s currently at the helm of the brand’s hoops team, leading design across the entire category as of this past September, with product under his watch expected to begin hitting stores next spring. “I oversee all product creation that pertains to basketball, so apparel, footwear and uniforms,” he explains. “You name it, anything that goes through Basketball, goes through my crew.”
Before that, Foresta was the Design Director of adidas Originals, leading the lifestyle lens of the brand and working on projects like the re-introduction of the Stan Smith and overseeing several key collaborations.
I recently caught up with Brian over the phone to hear all about his latest sneaker rotation, though he (like all of us) had trouble keeping to just 5 models.
1.) adidas Consortium Stan Smith
NDP: You’re actually the first designer we’ve featured for a My 5. Do you have a five in mind that you’ve been wearing in your rotation lately?
Brian Foresta: My rotation is pretty tight right now, for the first time in awhile. At the top of my list, and just a shoe that I have a hard time not putting on, is the Consortium Stan Smith. The ones that have the heavy crocodile finish and the Italian leather. It’s great that at 15 feet, it reads like a classic shoe. Then, for anyone that gets close to it, that material is just crazy. It’s really, really well finished and just a great shoe. It’s a great spin on a classic shoe.
NDP: I thought it was interesting how they had the four variations of materials, but still all in the same White / Green colorway that the model is known for. Is there any particular reason that you like that material over the other ones, like the crackle?
BF: I’m super into texture right now, and I just think that material, with the way that the reptile is placed and then kind of burnished off, it’s great. Everyone is messing with that luxe feel, but there’s something grittier on that material that suits the silhouette, since it’s such a clean and classic shoe.
NDP: Definitely, and that’s a great choice. Even though I rarely wear white shoes, I tried to get my hands on that pair, but I just couldn’t track them down.
BF: See, now that’s the problem when you got boats on your feet. [laughs]
NDP: Ah, come on man.
BF: Shots fired!
