Adidas‘ BW Army, the sneaker widely believed to be the original German Army Trainer, is going the way of the Campus 00s by getting a chunky reintroduction.
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW 2000 sees the classic low-profile shoe take up more real estate as an exclusive for the parent company of A Ma Maniére, Social Status and other boutiques. A thicker sole unit brings greater elevation, while the tongue is made fatter and padding has likewise been added to the collar. Chunky laces continue the theme, and the upper’s overlays stand out further by being applied in a shaggy suede.
Two colorways usher in the BW 2000’s debut, “Clay/Navy” and “Cream,” both of which feature a gray cracked leather base, as well as a natural leather eyestay and mustache. The former iteration then uses navy suede for its overlays, carries natural leather over to its tongue and puts a white midsole atop a gum outsole. The latter opts for khaki suede overlays, an off-white tongue and a fully gum sole unit.
Alongside the two BW 2000s will also come two Handball Spezials in a more vibrant mix of colors and similarly shaggy suede overlays. One puts purple, yellow and pink atop a white base, while the other mixes several shades of green with gray and pink.
This four-sneaker capsule is the latest entry in The Whitaker Group’s “Do Not Duplicate” series with Adidas, which began in February and has quickly grown with a succession of releases. The baseline BW Army model appeared in a capsule themed for the Houston Rodeo, and the Evo SL got four colorways across two releases this month alone.
While record-keeping oversights have thus far made verification impossible, it’s generally accepted that Adidas produced the original German Army Trainers for the West German Army. The silhouette has been riffed on by a number of other brands, most famously by Maison Margiela.
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW 2000s and Handball Spezials will release through a raffle open now through Wednesday. First-come, first-served releases will then follow on Friday through the websites and stores of The Whitaker Group’s portfolio of boutiques. Pricing for all four sneakers is set at $140.
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Clay/Navy” (pair)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Clay/Navy” (lateral)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Clay/Navy” (front)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Clay/Navy” (heel)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Clay/Navy” (outsole)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Cream” (pair)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Cream” (lateral)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Cream” (front)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Cream” (heel)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas BW Army “Cream” (outsole)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas Handball Spezial “Green” (lateral)
The Whitaker Group x Adidas Handball Spezial “Purple/Yellow” (lateral)
