PAINTING his first trainer at the age of 14 as a gift for his father, Cassius Hirst, better known as Cass, has gained a cult following ever since his first shoe transformation and is now collaborating on a capsule collection with Prada.
Having grown up in a household enraptured by creativity with his father the notable contemporary artist Damien Hirst, Cass has made a name for himself making sneakers his canvas, reworking classic pairs into forward-thinking collectables.
Cass x Prada
Cass x Prada
Explaining how this collaboration came about, the designer was experimenting through painting shoes and then taking photos of his new creations. Going beyond his previous reworking, he began turning the images into vinyl stencils, in turn becoming abstract designs, which he then wrapped the shoe in.
“It looked crazy”, says Cass. “I sent a photo to my dad, and then he sent a photo of that to Miuccia [Prada]. And she said, ‘This looks amazing, let’s do something’. The best part about this project – this collaboration – was how willing Prada are to invest their time, to be open to ideas, to challenges. And to really commit to something new.”
Cass x Prada
Entitled Cass x Prada, the coming together of the artist and luxury fashion House will see the Prada America’s Cup sneaker undergo a new look in a capsule collection releasing in four styles in 22 variables.
Limited to 3,000 pairs globally, Cass has also brought another element of his personality into the collaboration through naming the four variations ATT4CK, D3CAY, SUST4IN and REL3ASE, all hinting at his personal passion for music through referencing the evolution of music, commonly referred to as the envelope.
Cass x Prada
“The Cass x Prada collection finds parallels between the bold work of this fresh talent and the heritage of Prada – the sense of the hand, an excellence in manufacture, a constant search for innovation, a restless urge to re-examine and reinvent our history,” stated Lorenzo Bertelli, Director of Prada Group Marketing.
by Imogen Clark
Available at a selection of Prada stores and via Prada