Soulland x Li-Ning Is Just Too Good to Pass Up
Model: Shadow and Wind Ranger
Release Date: February 19
Price: $315 (Shadow) and $240 (Wind Ranger)
Buy: Online and in select retailers worldwide including Soulland, SSENSE, END., SNS, and more
Editor’s Notes: After debuting its Li-Ning collaboration at Copenhagen Fashion Week last year, Soulland has officially shared release details for its first-ever collaboration with the Chinese sportswear company. Dubbed “Pre-Inter-Post,” which is "Before-During-After" in Latin, the collection explores the two brands' shared passion for running innovation.
The collaboration finds Soulland reimagining two of Li-Ning's most directional running silhouettes in the Shadow and Wind Ranger. Soulland's adaptation of the Shadow keeps the majority of the sneaker's original design intact, including the signature element of the shoe, a split-layered, hollow sole, which combines two of Li-Ning's running cushioning concepts, Jiang and BOOM foam. The Shadow also incorporates two carbon plates, one for each level of the stacked sole. The overall oval structure of the silhouette provides runners with cushioned support, optimal stability and shock absorption, elevated propulsion and rebound, and increased energy return.
Up top, the Soulland x Li-Ning Shadow boasts a high-tech upper with partially transparent panels and metallic insets. The featured colors of orange, olive, and purple are a nod to key shades seen during one of Soulland's memorable team runs throughout Copenhagen. “Pre-Inter-Post” branding is then applied to the outer quarter to signal the collaborative project.
Complementing the Shadow is the Wind Ranger, with its nearly transparent Velcro closing outer that teases the shoe's contrasting colors and lacing system underneath. Similar to the Shadow, splashes of orange, olive, and purple are implemented throughout, albeit in more covert areas of the sneaker. The Wind Ranger is equipped with Li-Ning's BOOM comprised midsole to offer enhanced energy return.
The lookbook and coinciding short film highlighting Soulland x Li-Ning “Pre-Inter-Post” is divided into three sections, each set on a different continent and centering around varying stages of a runner's journey. The campaign begins in Li-Ning’s home-city of Beijing, before transitioning to Denmark, where Soulland is based. The series then comes to a close in Western Africa as Ghanian runners celebrate the completion of their adventure.
Swipe through the gallery above to view the lookbook for Soulland and Li-Ning's debut collaboration, then watch the complementary film below.
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