The "CLYDE CONTACT SBTG x MITA" sneaker collection is a collaboration between sportswear brand Puma, mita sneakers, a globally influential brand, and SBTG, a Singaporean graphic artist collective known for its pioneering sneaker customization scene. SBTG is a husband-and-wife brand created by Mark and Sue, who call themselves "Mr. & Mrs. Sabotage." Their designs are based on collages of punk rock, skateboarding, '80s American culture, and military motifs, all of which inspired them as individuals. They gained international recognition after winning a sneaker customization competition in 2003. This collaboration embodies SBTG's Mark's passion for sneakers from his youth. At the time, Mark was a 14-year-old exchange student in Miyazaki and Fukuoka, where everything he saw and experienced in Japan was an inspiring experience. He was blown away by the Puma Clide he encountered there, but had given up on it due to a lack of pocket money. A classmate then surprised him with a Puma Clide. It was a precious memory of his first encounter with the C807 Clyde, featuring a Contact sole. This backstory inspired the product's subtitle, "First Contact." SBTG came to Japan from Singapore to coincide with the release of the "CLYDE CONTACT SBTG X MITA" collection, available exclusively at mita sneakers, KICKS LAB, and the Puma Store Harajuku starting November 14th. On November 20th and 21st, SBTG held an event at the Puma Store Harajuku, where customers were randomly selected to have their choice of text engraved by SBTG. At the event on the opening day, November 20th, we spoke with him about the story behind the creation of the SBTG logo. -What was the catalyst for this collaboration? 。
"I sent a photo of a PUMA basket that I had painted to (Kunii) Hideyuki of mita sneakers. Hideyuki said, 'Let's make this!' So we went to PUMA for a meeting, and that's how it all started. We then discussed it further via email and Facebook...that was probably about a year ago."
- What was the idea for painting?
"The first basket model we painted was not suede like the products, but real leather. We painted it in the tiger camouflage pattern that we've been using for 12 years, and used our signature colors of green and black, with red as accents. I think that this combination will make it clear to people who know us that it's a Sabotage product at a glance."
- How do you feel when you see it actually become a product?
"I think I've created something wonderful that's completely different from what I normally do. With paint, you can't actually make a lot of it. But by making it into a product, more people can get their hands on it. I'm happy that what I've created can be delivered to the Japanese market and to people in Japan."
