It is sad news that has struck the streetwear world today. The co-founder of the Californian label Born x Raised, Chris "Spanto" Printup tragically passed away on Tuesday evening in a car accident. Deeply rooted in the streetwear world, many close friends and collaborators paid tribute to him on social media, although the brand has not yet officially communicated. Our thoughts go out today to his family and loved ones.
The story of Born x Raised
The two founders Chris Printup and Alex Erdmann, more commonly known by their aliases Spanto and 2Tone, are both natives of Venice in Los Angeles, a neighborhood they considered "a city in its own right". The two friends launched their brand Born x Raised in 2013, only a few months before Spanto learned he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He fought for nearly five years before going into remission in 2018. The Born x Raised brand aims to create clothing with bold designs, inspired by the local culture of the West Coast where they were born and raised. The brand has been seen alongside several big names in the fashion world such as Converse, Reebok, New Era or more recently Levi's on a project that was very close to his heart, called "Relatives" in tribute to his father who passed away earlier that year. He was also known for sharing his feelings and gratitude in his Instagram posts, encouraging his community: "what I'm trying to say is that life is hard for everyone and I want everyone to know, that if you feel discouraged or that life has given you too many setbacks - IT'S OKAY. You're going to be fine, things will get better" (December 2022).
The Born x Raised x Nike SB Dunk Low "One Block At A Time"
The Venice neighborhood is known as a birthplace of skateboarding with its iconic skatepark in an idyllic setting. It was therefore obvious that the collaboration between Nike and the Californian label would revolve around a pair of shoes from the American sportswear giant's skateboarding division! Unfortunately, Spanto left us just a few weeks before the release of the Born x Raised x Nike SB, his first Dunk SB pair created hand in hand with the Swoosh brand. He also donated his upcoming collaboration on the Nike Dunk SB to an entire graduating class at Venice High School just over a month ago.
The sneakers feature extensive craftsmanship with numerous details such as the "One Block At A Time" inscription on the mudguards, holographic swoosh, crosses on the toebox, custom tongue and laces, as well as various branding elements from the upper to the outsole.
After several delays, the Born x Raised x Nike SB Dunk Low "One Block At A Time" is expected to release on July 21, 2023 on SNKRS at a retail price of 120€ alongside a clothing collection. However, following the announcement of Chris Printup's passing, the drop may be postponed once again and handled differently to pay tribute to its creator. We will of course keep you updated as soon as we have more information!
Born x Raised x Nike SB Dunk Low "One Block At A Time"
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