Following on from a previous collaborative drop in 2021, Hanon and Mizuno are back together once again, this time with the special edition Contender trainer, which is available now through an online raffle.
Back in 2021 Hanon followed in SoccerBible’s footsteps by collaborating with Mizuno on a remix of Nagoya Grampus’s cult classic ’93 jersey, and as part of that drop there was a sneak peek of a classic shoe from the Japanese brand’s archive… the Contender. Now, Hanon and Mizuno have revealed that same Contender, which arrives in a look that’s inspired by dolphins. Grampus dolphins to be specific…
So, the grampus dolphin is a prominent symbol of Nagoya: the two golden grampus dolphins on the top of Nagoya Castle, and the Maru-Hachi (Circle eight), make up the city’s official emblem. The grampus, also known as the Risso’s dolphin, can be seen off the coast in Scotland and has a distinctive grey body characterised by its unique ‘scored’ markings which appear over time. It was this unique natural quirk that provided the basis for Hanon’s interpretation of Mizuno’s 90’s running classic, the Contender.
Combining elements from the Risso’s dolphin, the Hanon x Mizuno Contender features subtle grey markings applied to the nubuck toe cap and heel. The shiny silver mesh underlays are contrasted by a mix of luxe teal suede overlays, teal pebble leather on the tongue and heel, and the upper is finished with a pearly light teal leather Runbird with white backer. Details include an embroidered Hanon Flame logo and Mizuno ‘M’ logo on opposing tongues, dual embroidered branding on the heels, a bespoke insole with markings and a collaborative logo lock up.
Head to hanon-shop.com to enter the raffle.
