Behind the Design
BASQUETTE
At Air & Grace, every design is a story waiting to be told. Our latest Basquette and Amie trainers are no exception. It took almost three years to perfect the design of these basketball-inspired trainers. Today, we’re thrilled to share the story behind their creation, from the initial concept to the final product.
The Vintage Design
Ella, our talented designer, joined the Air & Grace family in late 2022. From the moment she stepped through the door, the development of Basquette and Amie became one of her primary focuses.
It was a journey of dedication, and attention to detail. Ella, the visionary behind these trainers, shared her thoughts on the journey:
The inspiration behind the design of Basquette and Amie
“Basquette and Amie have been nearly three years in the making - we started the design back when I very first joined Air & Grace. We wanted to make a retro take on our best selling trainer Cru, but keeping the super soft leathers and comfort of the Tender Loving Air footbed in mind.”
- Ella, Designer
The Evolution of Design
The journey to create Basquette and Amie was filled with numerous iterations. We experimented with various versions of each trainer before finally arriving at the design you see today.
One of the key aspects of the design process was our collaboration with a supplier to create a brand new sole, exclusive to Air & Grace. This sole perfectly encapsulates the retro inspiration behind the trainers.
Ella explains how the goal was to make sure customers loved the design as much as possible,
“We worked with a sole supplier to create a new unit exclusive to Air & Grace to encapsulate the retro inspiration, along with offering it in both a low and high top, vintage and clean finish so that there’s something for everyone.”
“The design is inspired by vintage basketball boots, hence the name for Basquette. We experimented with all different aspects before choosing the final designs. Toe caps and eyelets were even in the running at some point before Claire and I agreed on the final design.”
- Ella, Designer
The goal was to create a fusion of retro style and modern comfort, with Amie and Basquette becoming the perfect solution.
The Journey to Basquette and Amie
The Collection is the result of a long process in pursuit for perfection.
There was more to the process than just perfecting how the trainers looked. It was equally important to ensure each pair is as comfortable as possible. This involved lots of minor tweaks and wear trials to get the trainers feeling as good as they look.
We are proud to present these basketball-inspired trainers, and we hope you’ll love them as much as we do. Thank you for being a part of the journey.
Basquette Pure White
Basketball image credits:
1. Hofsta University Special Collections - Pinterest
2. Vice Magazine - Pinterest
3. Hofsta University Special Collections - Pinterest
