Reebok Classic continues its ongoing celebrations of the Ventilator’s 25th anniversary, this time joining forces with Certified Network partner Burn Rubber. The Detroit-based boutique plays a crucial part in the sneaker culture of local Michigan communities, and the owner’s childhood memories from Motor City inspired their latest Reebok Classic collaboraiton.
Loved by locals and the wider sneaker industry alike, Burn Rubber’s founders Rick Williams and Roland Coit take an active role in running their business and in establishing themselves within Reebok’s Certified Network. Recognizing the opportunity the network allows them in creating culture and using it as a platform to express themselves, Williams and Coit have taken their own personal experiences of Detroit to inspire their Ventilator design, and in doing so bring a little piece of Burn Rubber to the world.
Featuring a variety of textures and tonal colors, the Burn Rubber Ventilator was inspired by Coit’s childhood trips to the island-based Boblo amusement park, which involved a 45-minute ferryboat ride. From chasing girls and cracking jokes to playing games in the arcades, the boat ride became, and remains, a favourite part of Coit’s youth. Not privy to the amusement park trips himself, Williams took a great interest in hearing the stories and sought to bring the memories to life in sneaker form. The boat’s yellow smokestack tip is reflected in a subtle lace detail, while the Ventilator’s grey, white, and blue accented upper imitates the boat’s main design. The shoe’s icy soles reference the water, while Burn Rubber’s signature hangtag and heel branding were redesigned to imitate the boat’s docking area, for a final, authentic Boblo touch.
The Burn Rubber x Reebok Ventilator will be releasing at Reebok Certified Network accounts worldwide on the 16th of May.
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