By
Gaela Braun

STRESS BY NAVYBOOT


The Estonian-born, Swiss rap phenomenon Andres Andrekson, aka Stress, has teamed up with one of Switzerland’s premium brands for a collection that arrives just in time for the holiday season. Navyboot, the top-of-the-line source for footwear and accessories, launches the SBNB (Stress by Navyboot) sneaker collection early next week.

Between 1995 and 2002, Stress made waves in France as part of the hip-hop group Double Pact, whose members went on to pursue solo careers in 2003. After three top solo albums and countless collaborations, Stress is now considered one of the most successful Swiss rappers to date. For him, music and fashion are intrinsically linked. “In both fields it is an expression of your personality. I express who I am and the way that I live through my music…and the same for fashion. You express what you stand for, maybe even where you come from, through fashion. They both influence each other so much that it’s nearly the question of the chicken and the egg,” says Andrekson. His partnership with Navyboot and his collaboration with Adrian J. Margelist, the Creative Director behind the brand, is, thus, no coincidence. “Adrian and I were discussing the different creative processes we were having in our respective jobs and we realized that they are extremely similar. He proposed that I work with him on a younger line within Navyboot…being a sneaker fan, I couldn’t refuse.”

A harmonious artist-to-artist collaboration was key to the project. “It was personally important to me for Andres to be involved in the entire process, starting with the concept, and including the design and patterning right up to the finished product,” commented Margelist. A central theme of the collection is the Battle of Sempach—a 1386 conflict which ended in a decisive victory for the Old Swiss Confederacy over Austria—and the associated legend of the hero Arnold Von Winkelried. “This battle symbolizes a state of mind that Switzerland is not really known for. We are perceived as these inoffensive neutral guys, which in my opinion is an incorrect representation when I look around. Therefore, it was great to find a moment in Swiss history where we fought for what we believed in, as we still do today,” says Andrekson. The battle, which is also seen as a symbol for multi-cultural Switzerland, is reinterpreted on the cover of Renaissance 2, Stress’ new album, and a modern reenactment can be seen in the SBNB Fall 2011 ad campaign (Stress is cast as Arnold Von Winkelried). Elements from old Swiss Jass playing cards have also been incorporated and creatively interpreted to reflect Navyboot’s Swiss roots, in particular the SBNB rose logo and the 3-D diamond design found on the sole of several shoes.

The joint sneaker collection includes six models, including high- and low-top styles, and boat and desert shoes, as well as loafers and penny loafers. Twenty shoes in total, grouped by three lines, make up the collection—three pairs in the high-end range, seven in the core range, and ten shoes (including flip-flops) in the basic range. Luxurious materials such as black stingray elevate what would otherwise be a basic shoe and supple nappa leather in brown with vibrant turquoise accents offer eye-catching details to a more casual option.

For more information, visit Navyboot.ch. Available next week at Navyboot stores in Switzerland and Germany. Prices will range from about 129 CHF for the flip-flops to about 498 CHF for the high-top sneaker.

By
Gaela Braun
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