Welcome to Miami, Bienvenido a Miami.
A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to travel to Miami for the launch of the Adidas Pusha T EQTs, as well as the launch Adidas’ panel discussion series, #TLKS. The city was teeming with life, as the launch was planned to coincide with Art Basel, the annual creative showcase that draws visitors from all over the world.
While I was mostly there to check out the launch of the Pusha T EQTs (which bang), as well as have an early look at what Adidas has cooking for EQT in 2017 (which also bangs), I was able to find some time to do my own thing and take a wander around the city at my own not-so-leisurely pace. With an obvious interest in streetwear – this is The Basement after all – I wanted to get a vibe for how our brothers and sisters from across the pond styled themselves, what brands they were repping, and what, if anything separated them from ourselves in fashion terms.
One thing I noticed (maybe because I’m such a fan of black and its sister colours, tonal greys and white) is that people put themselves together much more colourfully on the whole. It makes sense I guess; Miami is a colourful city with a climate that lends to bright fits and summer hues. London, on the other hand, is seemingly perpetually grey, with colour coming not from natural outcrops of flowers and palms, but from artificial double yellow lines and the blue of sirens.
The other thing I couldn’t get away from was grills. The exact origins of grills are unconfirmed and a source of debate – some go as far back as rich Mayans drilling pieces of jade into their teeth in what is now known as Mexico. In popular culture, their history points to early adopters such as Raheem the Dream and Kilo Ali in the early 1980s, later permeating hip-hop culture. Whatever the case may be, one thing is certain – grills didn’t originate on our side of the Atlantic, and people wearing grills in the US felt much more legit than wearers in the UK.
Anyway, enough of my waffle. Check out some of the shots I took by walking up to strangers, telling them their fit was lit, and pulling for my little 35mm.
Words and Photos by Alex Ropes.
Edited by Dan Hawksworth.
