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Through his Hommewrk label, rapper turned collaborator Trinidad James has released several Jazz 81 looks with Saucony. However, for his latest collaboration, the multihyphenate lent his design prowess to a different silhouette.
Available now are Hommewrk’s reimagined versions of the Sonic Hi and Low from Spot-Bilt, a once sister brand to Saucony that now lives under the Saucony Originals banner.
The shoes, Saucony explained, are inspired by Lusia Harris, a women’s basketball icon. Her many accolades include being the only woman ever drafted by an NBA team (specifically, the New Orleans Jazz in 1977) and scoring the first points ever in Olympic women’s basketball a year earlier.
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There are several ways Hommewrk and Saucony honor the role of women in sports historically. For instance, 1976 is embroidered onto the heel of the Sonic Hi, which is when women’s basketball debuted in the Olympics. Also on the Sonic Hi, Hommewrk included hair clips at the base of the laces.
As for the Sonic Low, Hommewrk and Saucony added a whistle to the inside of the tongue, a nod to coaches. Also, one insole features different hairstyles and the other includes the phrase “Give ’em hell,” which was reportedly a badge featured on the inside of the blazer of Margaret Wade, who was Harris’ college coach at Delta State University.
The Sonic Low is executed predominantly in a cream color with metallic gold leather accents. The uppers are made with smooth, premium nubuck. As for the Sonic Hi, the mostly orange look features both corduroy and leather on the uppers.
The Hommewrk x Saucony Spot-Bilt Sonic Low can be purchased now via Saucony.com for $140 and the Spot-Bilt Sonic Hi retails for $160.
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
