Rare Liverpool Adidas trainers up for sale at Laces Out! Trainer Festival this weekend

Laces Out! Trainer Festival, the ultimate gathering for sneaker enthusiasts, is taking place this weekend in Liverpool at the ACC Exhibition Centre.

With traders and customers flocking in from across the UK and beyond, the 9^th edition of Laces Out! will feature even more rare-edition sneakers and coveted collaborations which seldom get to see the light of day on sale in a celebration of sneaker culture on Saturday 17^th June.

Liverpool is an iconic city for many great reasons, yet one lesser known fact is how the city’s football culture in the 1980s was a catalyst for making sportswear not just for athletes but casual wear too. This trend then accelerated across the UK as the USA at the same time had its own footwear and sports-style revolution.

Sneaker culture is now a global industry with rare and never worn editions fetching huge sums. One such pair of trainers in particular is making a rare guest appearance at Laces Out! – brand new and unworn Liverpool Adidas Trimm Trabs in iconic red, which will be exhibited and put up for sale. Only 100 pairs were made when adidas opened its Originals store in Liverpool in 2007 and pristine pairs can reach over £1000.

Rob May, Laces Out!’s founder, explains:

“Liverpool has always been a focal point for change and emerging trends. Quite possibly the biggest ever is how sportswear entered the mainstream in the UK from right here in the 1980s, a phenomenon which was started by football fans on the terraces and then taking off across the UK. During this time, over in the USA the same parallel moment was happening but through different means. Hip-Hop culture in NYC was the catalyst for the trend gaining momentum in the USA. So Liverpool and NYC were two pivotal cities playing a key part in this eventual global phenomenon that is the sneaker industry. While the exact timing and specifics may differ, the overall influence and adoption of sport shoes as a fashion statement were similar. 

“And here in Liverpool it was trainers like the adidas Trimm Trab that sparked the movement into wider sneaker culture. The Trimm Trab is probably Liverpool’s most celebrated adidas trainer due to it being one of the first brought back from foreign trips to Europe in the early 1980s and also because the famous Wade Smith store sold thousands of pairs during its opening first year in 1982/3. Fast forward to 2007 when adidas opened its first store in Liverpool, the Originals site on Whitechapel. They held an ‘Originals’ themed launch party and produced the Limited Edition red adidas Liverpool trainers based on the iconic Trimm Trab design. Only 100 of these adidas Liverpool were produced. That’s what makes these trainers we’re showcasing on Saturday and putting up for sale so special – they are a part of the city’s cultural history and identity.”

Laces Out!’s guest speaker is Lawrence Watson, the famous Hip-Hop photographer who shot the pivotal artists in NYC including Run DMC, Public Enemy and LL Cool J during the 1980s. He’s a key figure from the dawn of the insatiable sneaker culture States side and its myriad subcultures now all over the world.

This 9th anniversary edition of Laces Out! Trainer will become one of Europe’s biggest sneaker festivals in its brand-new home. Moving Laces Out! to the ACC Exhibition Centre is fueled by the overwhelming response from previous years for a bigger location. The new venue offers ample space for attendees with an incredible opportunity to explore a vast array of footwear options and connect with fellow enthusiasts from around the world.

Laces Out! attendees can also immerse themselves in sneaker culture, engage in insightful conversations, and gain valuable knowledge from industry insiders. The day will feature live music performances, guest appearances by renowned sneaker experts, panel discussions and exciting giveaways. 

The ACC Exhibition Centre, situated in the vibrant Kings Dock area of Liverpool, provides an ideal backdrop for Laces Out! Trainer Festival. Its spacious halls, state-of-the-art facilities, and convenient location are ideal for attendees, traders, and exhibitors alike. Laces Out! has established itself as a premier event in the sneaker community, attracting thousands of enthusiasts year after year. The move represents an exciting milestone for the festival ahead of its 10^th anniversary next year. 

General admission tickets and VIP packages for Saturday June 17th offering exclusive gift bags from official partner Jason Markk include free cleaning products, stickers, pin badges and more. Other partners of the event include Liverpool based retailer Seven Store who will be hosting some activity instore straight after the event. LMNTS and Reprimo brand will also be in attendance, showcasing some of their newest unseen products to the Liverpool audience.

Finally, there’s an after party at 24 Kitchen Street celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop with DJ Mr Thing, Konny Kon (Children of Zeus) and more guests to be announced, taking place from 8pm.

Get tickets for Laces Out! Trainer Festival here.