My goal nowadays is two-fold – to create things that are timeless, and to disrupt the market. This project began over a year ago, and watching it develop has been exciting. What started as a mutual respect between Nicky Diamonds and myself grew into a very organic professional relationship that has culminated into one of my most important projects to date.

The entire concept stems from a very nostalgic place for me. When I was growing up, Diamond was this super limited, hard-to-access brand in Los Angeles. Then in 2005, they released their first Nike SB and became even more instrumental to the culture. I’ve always admired that shoe and the significance it’s held. I never had the confusion of whether or not KITH and Diamond could mix. Nicky is an OG, and I’ve been the footwear game for 20 years now, which is why the collection is dropping on the 20^th anniversary of my first day in the footwear industry. Also, I love “Diamond Blue” and it is definitely a hue that fits seamlessly into my color palette. When looking at my catalogue of work, the execution of both of these models is very fitting. So everything really made sense for me.

I chose to work on the Gel Saga and Gel Lyte V silhouettes. The Gel Saga was designed with more of a skate-inspiration, as it’s a bulkier trainer. I applied thick durable microperforated black leather to the upper, while the toe, face panels, and formstripes are blocked in “Diamond Blue” pigskin suede. The lining is also leather for a very luxe feel. The Gel Lyte V is more lifestyle, featuring an inverse colorway, as “Diamond Blue” is the main color on the upper. The GLV has microperforated pigskin suede with a “fiberglass” reflective silver material on the heel wrap. The formstripes are reversed, with white 3M on the lateral side, and reflective silver on the medial. An all white midsole matches the open mesh inner-sock. Both pairs also feature custom co-branded insoles and rubberized co-branded patches on the heels.

To really deliver the entire experience, in-store pairs come in special “Diamond Blue” packaging that includes a branded jewelry dust-bag. The Gel Saga retails at $165 USD, and the Gel Lyte V retails at $175 USD. Both pairs will be available with the entire KITH x Diamond Supply Co. Collection this Friday, June 19^th, at 11AM EST at KITH Manhattan and KithNYC.com. The collection will also release in-store at the Diamond Supply Co. Los Angeles and San Francisco flagship stores, as well as online at DiamondSupplyCo.com on June 19^th.

Stayed tuned to the @KithSet Twitter, @kithnyc Instagram, and the KITH Blog for more release updates.