Football Is At The Forefront of adidas' New Exhibition
Presented by adidas and retailed END. SPEZIAL F.C. will feature archival styles and reissues from the German sportswear giant.
Presented by adidas and retailed END. SPEZIAL F.C. will feature archival styles and reissues from the German sportswear giant.
Cricket might be the U.K.’s national sport but there is no denying that football is the most popular. This great nation’s beautiful game is as integral in the culture as fish and chips, so it's no shock that football exhibitions pop-up over-and-over. Well, adidas and cult retailer END. are taking their turn at celebrating the sport with a free footwear focused exhibition in Manchester this month. Highlighting its contribution to the sport, the German sportswear giant presents SPEZIAL F.C.
Presented in a purpose-built space at Circle Square, Manchester SPEZIAL F.C. will allow sports fans to get up close and personal with adidas’ vintage and reissued trainers. Featuring styles strongly associated with football culture (including match-worn boots), the exhibit will showcase a complete adidas Spezial archive, including every adidas World Cup football design dating back to 1970. First released in 2014, the brand's premium sub-line Spezial – curated by Gary Aspden – highlights the brand's instantly recognisable three-stripe motif and classic streamlined silhouette. For football fanatics and sneakerheads alike the exhibition will have archive designs and prototypes on display.
To coincide with the exhibition, adidas planned a series of events to take place at neighbouring venue Canvas which hosted a headline show from none other than Manchester icons Happy Mondays who played classics 24 Hour Party People and Loose Fit and Step On to the crowd's delight. Other music events included performances from Confidence Man, Graham Massey and Liam Fray. And if music doesn't interest you, Canvas also hosted talks and special screenings throughout the month, one of which invited local film students to watch 'The films of Spezial', some dating back to 2015. The screening premiered with a Q&A hosted by Fenners with adidas Spezial curator Gary Aspden, Nick Griffiths and Kevin Cummins.
With a DRS show on 25 November, the final SPEZIAL F.C spectacle will take place on 26 November, headlined by acts Pastel and Afflecks Palace. Still here for the football? World Cup screenings will also be taking place at Canvas' 'Clubhouse', where limited edition SPEZIAL F.C. exhibition t shirts - designed in collaboration with Soho Warriors - are on sale to raise funds for community interest company, Manchester Young Community Champions.
Whether you rep Manchester United or Arsenal, SPEZIAL F.C. has something for everyone.
SPEZIAL F.C. is open from 18-27 November. For all the info head to www.spezialfc.com.