The Scottish shop HANON has partnered with the Italian brand Diadora to present a new version of the emblematic N9000 silhouette. Named « Alternative Route », this « Made in Italy » shoe is the continuation of the two « Saturday Special » iterations launched in 2014.
This collaboration extends the 30-year celebration of the N9000, which began in 2020, and pays tribute to the lasting partnership between these two prestigious brands. Highlighting the wealth of craftsmanship and the love of beautiful materials, the two partners present a high-end sneaker handcrafted in the OG factory in Diadora, located in the famous Montebelluna district of Caerano di San Marco. It’s adorned with premium materials and has been enhanced with inspiration from both Diadora’s buttersoft soccer shoes and the iconic tennis silhouettes of the 80s.
The design of the shoe was taken from the original drawings and tests that were done in 2014 during the design process of the first N9000 « Saturday Special » and the next iteration released shortly after. Ideas left behind yesterday are now being re-evaluated and exploited in this « Alternative Route » version.
Like the previous iterations, this N9000 is inspired by the emergence of soccer culture and the impact of Italian sportswear in the UK during the 1980s. When away games could create tension and violence between fans, special trains were chartered to ensure complete safety. The wagons dedicated to fans were called « Football » or « Saturday Special », hence the name of the 2014 collaboration.
For this new « Alternative Route » version, the color palette also refers to these trains. The shoe is dressed in a combination of teal green and navy blue with red and black accents. Nappa leather is combined with pigskin overlays and a mesh toe box, reinventing the runner of the 90s in a luxurious spirit. A keen sense of detail is evident in the inner lining and back of the tongue. These elements are covered with a print with the names of the two brands in white on a red background. The brandings and logos also appear elegantly embroidered in white on the heels and black leather tongue. The final touch of the design is brought by a white midsole with grey under the heel and a black outsole. To complete the look, the pair comes with three sets of laces in colors matching the upper.
The HANON x Diadora N9000 « Alternative Route » will only be available at HANON via a raffle that is open for registration until January 29, 2021, https://launches.hanon-shop.com/products/diadora-n9000-x-hanon-alternative-route-17744660104 and it will cost around 200€. The pair comes in a special 1-to-1 box, with a printed cotton bag and 3 sets of laces to complete the look. Good luck !
