For Setsumasa Kobayashi, footwear is a native language. Growing up in a shoe factory that his father owned and spending time in Europe working for an Italian footwear manufacturer, Setsumasa developed a mind for design without any formal education in fashion.
Kobayashi’s fashion label Mountain Research embodies the love of nature while also incorporating his anarchist attitude towards authority, influenced from punk music. Previously teamed up with Reebok on the DMX Trail Shadow in 2020 and the Reebok Alien Stompers earlier this year, Mountain Research now reimagines an ’80s sports classic, the Club C II Mid.
During the ’80s, white sneakers were crowned as the footwear color of choice. From hip-hop scenes to the tennis courts, white silhouettes flooded the streets as uniform. Setsumasa takes the Club C II Mid and outfits the sneaker with an all-white upper along with blue accents on the mid-panel logo, top eyelet, sockliner, and outsole. The silhouette is shrouded over with a removable lace guard resembling cricket footwear protectors known as “pats” Mountain Research branding in blue on the lace guard provides a subtle yet distinctive detail.
“The idea was to create something basic yet decorative,” says Kobayashi. “The minimalistic look is meant to correspond to the strict tennis club dress codes of the era.”
The Mountain Research x Reebok Club C II Mid is set to launch on June 10th exclusively on the Mountain Research website, followed by a wider release on June 17th on Reebok.com and at select retailers.
Mountain Research x Reebok Club C II Mid
Color: Core White/Cobalt Blue
Style Code: GX9046
Release Date: June 10, 2022 (Mountain Research)
Release Date: June 17, 2022 (Global)
Price: $140 USD
