Luxurious and sporty, Gucci presents Gucci Basket, a high-top genderless sneaker, paired with its own individual identification tag. Designed by House Creative Director Alessandro Michele, the sneaker is made out of Gucci’s pioneering material, Demetra, a result of dedicated research and practice by Gucci artisans and features a durability and softness to the sole of the shoe. Designed for style, the shoe is able to balance the life of sport and on-the-go activities while remaining upmarket and fashionable.
A distressed and vibrant contribution to streetwear, the shoe is informed by the impact basketball legends have had on popular culture. Not only is the shoe’s launch a cultural significance in the world of basketball and city life, but the shopping experience is also as intriguing as the sneakers themselves Recently opened at NorthPark Center is an ephemeral yet interactive shopping experience that is exclusive to the Basket shoe. The new wave of immersive environments is dedicated to replicating pins on a digital map—the NorthFacexGucci pin experience was seen earlier this year.
Straddling an installation and physical outing, the collection will tout many variants of the shoe as well as a space specifically designed for the Pin experience. Those looking for a new pin on their own map need to go only as far as NorthPark rather than Gucci’s birthplace in Italy. The Pins-experience replicates a pop-up, an intimate reaction to a traditional shopping trip. Spanning across the country, as if the continent was a map itself, these Pins drop their mark in the world of basketball.
Inspired by neons, the colorway of the American flag, and traditional basketball shoe design, the Basket shoe recalls styles from the 90s and the outfitted streets of players off the court. The style emulates a rendition of a classic while balancing contemporary aesthetics.