John Elliot x Lexus Car Tyres
Would you ever wear a car tyre? How much difference is there between the trusty hard-standing road-ready tyre and the undersoles of the trainers which you are probably wearing right now. With a long line of history between the automotive industry and designer sneakers - SATORI & SCOUT have documented many Adidas, Puma and Nike articles this past year - it is little surprise that someone has decided to go the other way, a sneaker inspiring the design of a car tyre.
With the form of a car - or any vehicle for that matter - often considered beautiful in the way curves, lines and silhouettes exist, it is little surprise that many fashion designers find inspiration in suchlike. Going one further, fashion designer John Elliott's latest product launch is titled 'Lexus UX' which has been designed for New York Fashion Week, featuring a set of car tyres that are all-white and really do look something else. Drawing inspiration from the Nike Air Force 1, you might be able to see the similarities without any explanative reading needed.
The designer's custom-designed tyres feature treads, patterns and angles are perhaps more appropriate for footwear, by every stretch of the imagination, but they are said to perform on the road too. Complete with all the typical Nike details, from the recognizable Nike Swoosh to the famous Air logo, the tyres also make reference to the now-iconic Nike circular undersole imprint pattern. Entirely white - they look so cool, don't they(!) - these tyres super complement any black or white vehicle body. Certainly kind of amusing at the same time impressive, these monochromatic tyre solutions also include some of Elliot's signature detailing such as double-stitched leather and a specific metal air valve similar to that of his own special edition Air Force 1 sneaker collaboration. These limited edition tyres are certainly aesthetically pleasing, but would you want these as much as you might a limited edition pair of sneakers?
As Elliot explains, "...we were excited to merge the streetwear narrative and design cues of our Air Force 1 with a brand like Lexus. We're thankful they've allowed us to use this moment to celebrate the arts and to bring extra energy to our take on a classic. It's fun to partner with brands that typically live outside the fashion community because it allows us to evolve and continue to push our own boundaries.