If you haven’t come across the name of Saucony's latest release, that’s no coincidence; it’s by design. Officially, the GRID Azura 2000 model never existed in the first place, and to suggest otherwise is extremely inconvenient for the top brass at Saucony. Like many of life’s inconveniences, the uncovering of this mysterious, clandestine affair actually began with a complete accident.
Like many of life’s inconveniences, the uncovering of this mysterious, clandestine affair actually began with a complete accident. During preliminary research into a new project, a photograph that should never have seen the light of day was discovered, having inadvertently been stuck to the back of another shoe’s file photo. After over a decade of working together, and with over 40 individual footwear styles under their collaborative belt, the brand thought they had seen even the most arcane corners of the Saucony archive, and yet the response to this discovery was a mixture of repressed panic and tight lipped brusqueness. The model name, GRID Azura 2000, hand written on the photo, is the only reason that the name ever, initially, made it out of the building.
A closer examination of the mystery silhouette revealed that a departure is putting things mildly. The chunky physical forms utilized to accommodate the advancements in cushioning and guidance technology that occurred throughout the 1990s had been slimmed down significantly, a change reflected in the upper’s construction, which was dominated by lightweight, in some places, transparent mesh. The shoe possessed a more agile build, which served to amplify the impact deflection and dispersion of foot strikes of Saucony’s signature GRID technology. Stylised overlays with a wavy, saw toothed design took a more aggressive visual stance than, perhaps, any previous Saucony model. In short, the prototype suggested a shoe that was ready not just for new challenges, but for unforeseen obstacles. It’s abundantly clear that the GRID Azura 2000 was meant to be nothing less than the face of Saucony in the new millennium.
The online raffle for the Saucony Grid Azura 2000 is live until Friday 14th February 12:00GMT. Enter now via the button below...
Saucony Grid Azura 2000
S70489-1
White/Blue/Lime
£95.00
