Sam Flores New Upper Playground Shoe

This Thursday, August 7th, marks the release of the Sam Flores adidas Originals sneaker for Upper Playground. This is the final installment of the four-part series and the first hi-top sneaker in the collection. Other artists involved in the project include Herbert Baglione, David Choe, and Aesop Rock.

Fifteen years after first arriving on the West Coast from New Mexico, Sam Flores, an art school evacuee and self-taught illustrator, has established his place in the modern art movement as a master of fine art and product design. His fine artwork carries a voice and vision that is instantly identifiable. Flores’ artistic quality is unpretentious and provocative, and demands consideration without categorization.

When asked about his vision for his adidas hi-top sneaker, Flores commented: “I simply wanted to make a colorful bright shoe that would go well with the warm weather. I made it blue, grey and pink so it can work for both genders. Plus it’s something you can wear to Miami and stay up for three days and still look fresh!”

Sam Flores has collaborated with Upper Playground on numerous projects. He is currently working on producing two new vinyl figures with the company including one for Upper Playground’s 10-year anniversary.

There are only 500 pairs of the Sam Flores sneaker available worldwide. Each pair retails for $150 and sizes range from men's size 4 to 13.5.

To get your hands on the Sam Flores adidas hi-top, the Upper Playground site or head to a UP retail store. The sneaker will go on sale online at 8 am PT on Thursday, August 7, 2008.