Setsumasa Kobayashi’s father ran a shoe factory in Asakusa, where he designed footwear that the factory would then create. Kobayashi’s travels and work as a footwear designer led him to start his own clothing brand. Originally called General Research, Kobayashi was heavily inspired by the look of mountaineering gear and the styling of military garments that were sold in surplus stores throughout Japan after the end of the Korean War. Eventually, Kobayashi further refined the direction of all his work through General Research and eventually narrowed the brand down to the name, Mountain Research.
Mountain Research’s upcoming Reebok collaboration is a “basic, yet decorative” take on the 80’s tennis sneaker. The premium white leather upper is contrasted by the cobalt blue of the inner liner, outsole, and Reebok logo on the sides. The top-most eyelet is reinforced with plastic. The tongue and laces are covered with a thick white panel of leather that features large perforations. The 4x4 array of perforations sits underneath the Mountain Research logo in cobalt blue, the only piece of visible collaboration branding on the sneaker.
The Mountain Research x Reebok Club C Mid II is set to release on June 17th, 2022. It will drop on Reebok, Mountain Research, and at select Reebok retailers in-store and online. Coming in men’s sizing, retail is set at $140.
Mountain Research x Reebok Club C Mid II
Images via Reebok
