From the 1960s to 2016, from grunge kids to skate crews, the adidas Originals Gazelle has adapted with its owners, seamlessly injecting three-stripes iconography to the DIY dynamic of the world’s subcultures.
Never did this sentiment run truer than during the Gazelle’s golden era of the ‘90s. For FW16, the Gazelle reclaims its cult classic status by channeling the spirit of these ‘90s style tribes through those that drive them today: teen spirit Selah Marley carries the flame of her family’s Reggae musical heritage; Pro Era talent Kirk Knight remakes Brooklyn’s Rap game on his own terms; Bully singer Alicia Bognanno leads the charge for Grunge now; this generation’s leading skateboarding talent Tyshawn Jones rides his way from the Bronx to burn up the world stage; and on-the-rise indie pop upstarts Palmas bring the raucous energy of classic Britpop to the States.
Grunge | Alicia Bognanno
Founding member of Nashville-based grunge rock four-piece Bully, singer, songwriter and guitarist Alicia Bognanno combines the passionate howl of rock and roll’s modern spirit with the brutally honest lyrics and thrifted style of her forebears. Citing ‘90s heroines as her lifeblood, Bognanno is the unapologetic leading voice of rock music now.
Britpop | PALMAS
Made up of members Eric, Matthew, Adam, Pat and Kurt, indie pop band Palmas released their debut record, To the Valley, in November 15. They might hail from different parts of the US – from New York to Philadelphia to Southern California – but the band’s guitar led music and personal style channels the laid-back pep and lyrical humour of classic Britpop and indie.
Hip-Hop | Kirk Knight
Kirk Knight, born Kirlan Labarrie, is the versatile Pro Era collective talent who first made his mark on Joey Bada$$’s song “Where It’$ At?” as a teenager; now, after last year’s release of his first solo project, he is remaking the game on his own terms. Drawing inspiration from his experiences coming-of-age in Flatbush, his music conveys the boundary-pushing, true grit of Brooklyn’s hip-hop heritage.
Reggae | Selah Marley
Selah Marley is a 17-year-old model, aspiring singer and soon-to-be NYU student. Outspoken about the unrealistic beauty standards projected by the media, she wants to model to show other teens how to have confidence in themselves. Growing up surrounded by her family’s musical heritage, she is better positioned to drink in the influences of Reggae roots than most – telling Dazed in a recent interview, “My dad would always play our family’s music, and I could always look through infinite amounts of CDs”.
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