BEHIND THE STITCH: ALANI
June 21, 2024
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The sneaker world is set to witness an explosive fusion of retro heritage and boundary-pushing design as Brain Dead teams up with Adidas for a bold reimagining of the classic Forest Hills silhouette. Dropping on Friday, April 25th, exclusively at Dover Street Market New York and the DSMNY E-SHOP, this limited-edition collection doesn’t just revive a vintage icon, it rewires it entirely for a new generation of sneakerheads and streetwear connoisseurs.
Originally launched in the 1970s and named after the historic Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in Queens, New York, the adidas Forest Hills shoe was once a hallmark of performance footwear. Its lightweight construction, developed with NASA-informed technology, made it a favorite on and off the court. Over the years, it faded into cult classic territory–respected by purists but largely dormant in the mainstream. That changes now, as Brain Dead brings its signature brand of organized chaos to the silhouette, splashing it with vibrant colors, plush textures, and expressive detailing that defies tradition.
This latest collaboration sees the Forest Hills transformed into four wildly distinct colorways, each dripping in eccentricity and crafted with shaggy suede uppers, unexpected accents, and co-branded design cues. There’s the Violet Tone edition, marrying green suede with burgundy hits and lime tongue tabs over a Core Black sole; the Shadow Brown rendition featuring rich brown and red with blue zig-zag stitching around the heel; a Core Black variation with cream leather overlays and a subtly rebellious feel; and the Cream White pair that channels vintage adidas energy with bright blue, green, and yellow Three Stripes–an homage to the beloved ‘Metallic Gold’ edition. Each pair is devoid of the traditional rubber toe cap, replaced instead with uninterrupted layers of hairy suede that wrap the upper in tactile depth.
But this drop goes far beyond footwear. Brain Dead is expected to release a complementary apparel capsule alongside the sneakers, bringing its offbeat aesthetic to graphic tees, oversized cuts, technical jackets, and possibly mesh shorts. The apparel echoes the footwear’s boldness–chaotic, clever, and unapologetically unconventional. Whether worn together or mixed into existing wardrobes, the pieces offer fans a unified yet diverse lookbook of expression.
True to form, this drop isn’t just about style, it’s a reflection of Brain Dead’s ethos. The Los Angeles-based creative collective has long stood at the intersection of culture, art, and fashion, turning every product into a canvas for storytelling. With the Forest Hills collection, they embrace the unpredictability of their design language, celebrating asymmetry, clashing hues, and the beauty of breaking the rules. In doing so, they flip the script on a classic adidas model, transforming it from a relic of tennis history into a modern symbol of rebellion.
The buzz online is already electric. Sneaker forums and Discord channels are teeming with anticipation, especially from OG adidas fans who are thrilled to see the Forest Hills finally getting a high-concept refresh. For Brain Dead loyalists, it’s another masterstroke in their growing list of genre-defying partnerships.
In an industry that often moves in cycles of sameness, the Brain Dead x adidas Forest Hills collection arrives like a splash of cold water–refreshing, jarring, and impossible to ignore. Whether you’re in it for the sneaker, the story, or the style, this release promises a little something for every type of tastemaker. Come April 25th, the court is theirs.
