[STYLE] SLAWN DELIVERS NEW SLIDERS COLLECTION
Esteemed Nigerian artist Olaolu Slawn is set to release his own range of sliders. The unique new ‘Slawn Shapes’ collection will be available in multiple colourways via the artist’s website from the 22nd of October at an RRP of £69.99 or £110 for two pairs, before being available in retail exclusively at Kick Game after the drop.
At just 23 years of age, Slawn has demonstrated a titanic influence across multiple aspects of art and wider culture. From becoming the youngest artist to design the Brit Award in 2023, to his work with musical icons including SZA, Beyonce, and A$AP Rocky amongst others, there is no doubting the artist as a touchstone for aesthetics and design since his arrival into the art space.
On top of this, the artist has also previously found his feet in the world of apparel, setting up Lagos based streetwear brand Motherlan, becoming an investor in Kick Game, and working alongside UK Rap icon Skepta to produce a piece for Sothebys. An early admirer of Slawn’s was also the late great Virgil Abloh, showcasing why he is so highly thought of in the world of design and fashion.
Teaming up with Shape Shoes, a team specialising in footwear consisting of Alfie McMeeking, Shafae Ali, and Archie Midgley, the new slides make use of Slawn’s signature caricaturistic style and motifs, with a distinct facial representation that makes up the body of the shoe. Making use of a rubber material that is said to have a comfier feel than other competitors, Slawn has chosen for his sliders to be closed rather than open toed, playing into the tagline for the collection, ‘Fuck Crusty Toes’ A lot of thought has also gone into the intricate construction of the tread of the slide, displaying multiple facets when leaving a footprint.
The collection shows growth from the artist after Slawn’s time at Middlesex University just a few years ago, from where he was kicked out. Beverley Speight, Senior Lecturer in Art and Design at the uni, tried to convince Slawn to stay before he was expelled by another teacher. After supporting Slawn at the start of his career by buying one of his earliest paintings, her son Archie has now collaborated on the production of the slide, demonstrating a full circle moment for both teacher and artist. Fresh from a critically acclaimed exhibition at the Saatchi Yates gallery, Slawn is demonstrating himself to be an artistic polymath, with these sliders allowing him to find his feet in footwear.
