Hartcopy and Adidas Are Collaborating on the Sneaker That Inspired the Margiela Replica
Hartcopy, the Instagram account known for cataloging upcoming and historical sneakers, is teaming up with Adidas on the famous German Army Trainer, or “GAT,” as many English speakers call it.
As the name suggests, the GAT was originally made for the West German Army. The precise origins of the shoe are convoluted, but it’s highly likely that Adidas manufactured the unbranded sneakers for the army before eventually releasing them on their own as the BW Army.
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Surplus pairs of the originals became ubiquitous in the ’90s in surplus stores following the unification of Germany, and Margiela would take these very shoes and add their own laces, embossing, and/or paint before reselling them. Appropriately, the sneaker was called the Replica, and Margiela eventually began manufacturing their own as it became a seasonal staple.
Margiela’s sneaker is just one of many duplicates of the GAT, which is widely beloved for its versatility and minimalist appearance (and not so dissimilar to the Adidas Samba). With such a lesser known backstory, and a complicated one at that, the BW Army is a perfect fit for Hartcopy’s debut sneaker collaboration.
The forthcoming release retains much of the BW Army’s DNA, the most prominent deviation coming through overlays that are tonal instead of contrasting and made of nubuck instead of suede. Asymmetrical red contrast-stitched zig-zags also appear on the shoe’s lateral sides, while the insole features mismatched branding for the two parties.
A release date for the Hartcopy x Adidas BW Army has yet to be set, but the Instagram account says more details are coming soon. This post will be updated as more information becomes available.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
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