Social media brings two together as Edinburgh Napier staff member rubs shoulders with the stars
Date posted
9 July 2018
09:22
An Edinburgh Napier staff member has collaborated with indie giants New Order as part of a new Adidas campaign for London Pride.
Colin Malcolm – a technical co-ordinator within the University’s School of Arts and Creative Industries – became associated with the band while he was studying for a MA in Product Design at Edinburgh Napier in 2014.
After posting photos from his major project – ‘Mining for Counterculture’ – on his Instagram page, he struck up a friendship with the band’s art director.
After helping out on a couple of small projects for the band, which also saw him invited to Vienna to meet the band and take in a gig, Colin was offered the chance to help New Order with a project for Adidas’ upcoming #Prouder campaign in support of London Pride.
The project – which launched at a star-studded event in London last week – has seen a raft of celebrity stars re-imagine the sports brand’s iconic Samba trainer.
Working with the theme ‘prouder’, stars such as Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Elton John, Pharrell Williams and David Beckham, have all helped to makeover a pair of Sambas.
The trainers from the campaign – which was led by DJ Fat Tony - have been auctioned off to raise money for LGBTQ+ charity The Albert Kennedy Trust. Colin's set alone raised nearly £4000 for the charity.
Colin has helped develop a cast white marble pair of Sambas along with six rainbow colour Portland stone Sambas on behalf of the band, with his contribution taking pride of place within the exhibition in London’s Soho district.
The Adidas Samba re imagined...
Colin said: “My involvement really stems from my MA that I did at Edinburgh Napier. My major project has incidentally resulted in a book chapter with academic publisher Rowman and Littlefield in a title called ‘Heart and Soul – The Cultural Influence of Joy Division.’ The physical product that I made for my MA was floating about on my Instagram page, New Order’s art director saw it, messaged me, and I met up with him in Manchester, met the band in Vienna and here I am now.
“They initially wanted a concrete cast pair of Sambas to reflect the band’s industrial aesthetic but I developed this into a conceptual installation artwork featuring a cast white marble pair of Sambas – the singer’s choice of colour – on a plinth and six rainbow coloured Portland Sambas set in beneath.
“The final designs were unveiled at the launch last week. Kate Moss, Paloma Faith and Nick Grimshaw attended along with faces and editors from the world of fashion and creativity – David Beckham was supposed to come after the football but it went into extra time!
“It’s been fantastic to be involved in such a worthwhile and high-profile project. It's pleasing to raise some funds for a great cause, The Albert Kennedy Trust.
“The support from my colleagues at Edinburgh Napier has been instrumental in this opportunity – from Alistair Scott, associate professor for Film and Television, sending me the original call for papers that has led to the book chapter, to Ian Lambert, director of the School’s Art and Design Research Centre, encouraging me to do the MA in the first place. I’m grateful for the chances that have come my way so far.”
Adidas’ Prouder campaign is a cultural call to action of unity, originality and pride curated by Fat Tony in aid of the Albert Kennedy Trust. Featuring a rollcall of global creators from the LGBTQ+ community and allies including Elton John, Pharrell, Marc Jacobs, Edward Enninful, David Beckham, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Amanda Lepore and many more, each participant re-imagines the iconic Adidas Samba.