Continuing their ongoing collaborative partnership, adidas Originals and Wales Bonner present ‘Land of Wood and Water’, their Spring/Summer 23 collection. Exploring the Trefoil’s lasting presence within Jamaican culture, the British designer includes several reference points throughout, with football’s influence again featuring heavily.
Wales Bonner and adidas have enjoyed a strengthening partnership for several years now, with the British designer tapping into her Jamaican heritage as well as the influence of football, and this became most notable with her work on the recent Jamaican national team collection. Now, building off that collection, the latest collaborative capsule from Adidas Originals and Wales Bonner is unveiled, featuring a classic combination of vintage silhouettes and reworked iconic footwear pieces, of which we’ve already had a preview back in March.
With the central focus switching firmly to the Caribbean, the collection draws on the nation’s awe-inspiring landscape and environment, adding further evidence for why Jamaica can be such a canvas for creativity for adidas. The clothing is made up of a matching light teal nylon tracksuit, signature tracksuit in elevated knit construction, striking silver anorak with matching shorts, and the introduction of a Jamaican icon in the form of a Harrington jacket and flared trouser set. Other highlights include a towelling top and shorts set, knitted geometric patten roll neck, knitted sweater vest, neutral sweater sweatpant set, and two vibrant short-sleeve cotton t-shirts.
The footwear offering, meanwhile, sees Wales Bonner reimagine two archival adidas classics. Staying true to the collaboration’s legacy of elevated details and unexpected touches, the instantly iconic WB Samba returns in two distinct makeups: one in a neutral colour palette with a nubuck upper and leather stripes, the other coming replete with a silver leather upper and crochet stripes. In addition, the WB SL72 Knit sees the British designer recontextualise the retro adidas runner with a knitted upper, and arrives in two distinct colourways which pay homage to Jamaican culture.
Captured by photography & directorial duo Jalan and Jibril Durimel, the collection is brought to life by a campaign that extends the visual language of previous seasons, telling a celebratory story of people, place, and home. Evoking an ethereal scene, the stills and short film bring to life Jamaica’s intrinsic mysticism – traversing the land of wood and water, for a narrative rich in expression and style. Styled by Tom Guinness – a renowned British talent and long-time collaborator of Wales Bonner – the campaign mixes traditional portraiture with dreamlike documentary imagery, highlighting the intersection of place and cultural identity. A collective triumph, the visuals centre the intimate connections between landscapes, nature, and people to create an evocative sense of freedom, community, and togetherness.
The adidas Originals by Wales Bonner Spring/Summer 2023 collection is available globally on 9 June at adidas.com, via Confirmed, and through select retailers.
