Adidas SPEZIAL pays homage to the shoe's cultural roots in commemoration of Manchester hosting the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Directed by Nick Griffiths and produced by &SON, this fashion film celebrates _nwrdrSPZL, a collaboration between adidas SPEZIAL and electronic rock band New Order.

Hetty Mahlich speaks with adidas brand consultant and SPEZIAL designer Gary Aspden about curating the adidas SPEZIAL Blackburn exhibition.

Robert Brooks showcases the second drop from the adidas SPEZIAL S/S 19 collection in a fashion film directed by &SON Founder, Nick Griffiths.

Gary Aspden considers the aspirational nature of sportswear and his developing desire for brands as a youth in Blackburn.

In 2014 Gary Aspden and a gang of adidas fans travelled to Argentina to meet Carlos Ruiz, owner of an adidas dead stock store. In 2015, they returned to present Ruiz with his own very special shoe.

A project exploring Northern identity, depictions of the North of England in fashion imagery and the importance of place in creativity.

Adidas consultant Gary Aspden provides a case study on the cultural history of the trainer using the Stan Smith as a springboard for his analysis.

Lou Stoppard, Stavros Karelis, Gary Aspden, Gianluca Longo and Masha Mombelli discuss the Alexander Wang Autumn/Winter 2015 show.

Lou Stoppard, Dan Thawley, Nick Knight and Gary Aspden discuss the Marques Almeida Spring/Summer 2015 womenswear show.

Daryoush Haj-Najafi, David Lindwall, Gary Aspden, Liam Hodges and Dal Chodha discuss the Calvin Klein S/S 15 menswear show.

Lou Stoppard talks to brand expert and sportswear obsessive Gary Aspden about his passion for adidas sportswear and the thought process behind the Spezial exhibition.

Adidas Spezial: Gary Aspden on the history of some of the celebrity trainers on display in the Spezial exhibition.

In a fan-led celebration of the adidas brand, Gary Aspden put his own sportswear collection on display alongside rare collaborations, deadstock, one-off creations and celebrity signed samples.

Colin McDowell, Jez Tozer, Fred Butler, and Gary Aspden discuss the Christopher Shannon show.