For Commonwealth’s second adidas Consortium collaboration, the brand emphasizes the notion of discovery and response through an iteration of the adidas Response CL. The silhouette is a nod to the 2000’s-era running sneakers, Response Cushion and Response Control, that were well-regarded by athletes and the style-oriented crowd alike. Commonwealth approached the sneaker design with a balance of tradition and novelty in mind. The brand tinkered with the lateral and medial sides, utilizing asymmetrical material selection and color blocking. This design gives the sneaker a unique appeal that commands a second look, and another look up close.
Commonwealth’s Design Director, Omar Quiambao, says that the team is “trying to bring back a sense of discovery” when the design was being finished. In the present times where the thrill and excitement of new releases are dampened by overwhelming access to information, Commonwealth creates a design that reclaims discovery back on the retail floor. While there are plenty of exciting details to point out about the intricate design of the adidas Response CL — the materials technology used, the tasteful combination of Earth and Neutral tones, the outstanding comfort, and the overall captivating look — maybe the sneaker is best discovered by getting kitted with it.
The idea of discovery is balanced with the notion of response as Commonwealth enlists key members in all boutique locations in the design process. Commonwealth highlights some of its members in Virginia Beach, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Manila. This effort is in alignment with the brand’s vision to create a community of like-minded individuals. “It was extremely important for us to have this campaign centered around the members of our Commonwealth team from around the globe. Our team members have become family through the years, and despite everything going on in the world, they help push us forward every day.”, says Quiambao.
In an interview with Omar Quiambao, he narrated Commonwealth’s design philosophy and experience crafting the Response CL as well as where he set his sights moving forward.
How did this particular collaboration come about?
After our first collaboration with adidas Consortium being a success, our relationship has strengthened and grown. This project is a continuation of our growth together. We found working together to be rewarding and we’re excited about the opportunities ahead.
The Response CL is an interesting choice of a silhouette. Why was this chosen?
We felt the timing was going to be perfect for this silhouette. It has a great shape, style lines, and comfort.
Could you tell us about the design details?
It’s a homage to 2000’s running technologies refined and updated to give a fresh take on archive running. Commonwealth’s point of view to balance traditional and novelty is showcased through its asymmetrical color blocking and a selected materials story. The lateral side of the shoe features minimalistic tints of warm white, while the medial side is expressed through a muted palette of earth tones. The Commonwealth x adidas Response features a mix of stitched down leather, molded suede panels, and hairy suede; as well as 3-D spacer mesh upper, Synthetic leather overlays, TPU stripes, EVA midsole, and an Adi prene insert forefoot midsole.
This is the second adidas Consortium sneaker with Commonwealth. How different was the design process as compared to the last?
It’s actually our third if you count our “Friends and Family” zx500. Our zx500 projects went back and forth during the design process, working ideas and suggestions from both sides to come to its final output. For this project, the ideas, color palette, and design came from Commonwealth and the development team from adidas Consortium made it come to life.
Commonwealth highlights the role of discovery in this collaboration. Can you tell us more about the collaboration process? What was/were the inspirations?
A lot of times there are collaborations where you can easily identify the likeness of the shoe with its specific inspirations. For this project, it was based more on an “idea”. I wanted to focus on the feeling of “discovery”, so there wasn’t really a specific color or texture that was tied to the idea, but more of how I wanted it to feel when you saw it for the first time.
Images — Roy Macam
You’ve mentioned in the (Perspectives) panel talk that before the advent of social media, discovering brands and products revolve around the experience of going physically to the stores. Now that the concept of discovery has shifted more from the retail floor to e-commerce, was it important for you to express this idea?
I’m not sure that it was “important”, but “discovery” was always a big part of why I enjoyed this culture, whether it was finding an unknown boutique, an item in that boutique or a detail on the item, etc. I really wanted to find that feeling again and use that for inspiration.
What does the concept of discovery mean to you personally?
“Discovery”, for me, is as simple as learning something new that excites me.
You have mastered design collaborations with various brands. What do you think makes this project unique?
Thanks for the kind words. We don’t take opportunities to collaborate for granted, so we try to make sure all our projects are done with intention. The uniqueness for this adidas Consortium project boils down to the outcome of its design and that its inspiration is more emotional than physical.
How important is it to you that all locations have members involved in the process?
It was extremely important for us to have this campaign centered around the members of our Commonwealth team from around the globe. Our team members have become family through the years, and despite everything going on in the world, they help push us forward every day.
What does this project mean to you and the brand?
We’re hoping this project helps to show the evolution of Commonwealth becoming a brand that creates elevated products and not just a retailer.
