The GRID Azura 2000 model never existed in the first place, and to suggest otherwise is uncomfortable for the top brass in Saucony. After more than a decade of working together and with more than 40 individual footwear styles under their collaborative belt, Bodega thought they had seen even the most mysterious corners of the Saucony archive, and yet the reaction to this discovery was a mix of suppressed panic and tight-lipped brevity . The model name, GRID Azura 2000, handwritten on the back of a photo, is the only reason the name ever made it to the building to begin with. The backdrop for an
The original photo was never allowed to leave the Saucony complex, but copies were thrown away. Although the design of the GRID Azura 2000 would deviate from what would be considered a traditional Saucony look, it clearly bore the hallmarks of Saucony branding.
A closer look at the mystery silhouette revealed that a departure puts things mildly. The thick physical shapes used to accommodate the advances in damping and conduction technology that occurred in the 1990s had been slimmed down considerably. This is a change that was reflected in the construction of the upper, which was dominated by lightweight transparent mesh. The sneaker features an agile construction, which served to amplify the impact deflection and foot strike dispersion of Saucony's signature GRID technology. Stylized overlays with a wavy, sawtooth design took a more aggressive visual stance than any previous Saucony model. In short, the prototype suggested a sneaker ready not only for new challenges, but also for unforeseen obstacles. It is clear that the GRID Azura 2000 was meant to be nothing less than the face of Saucony in the new millennium.
The Bodega x Saucony GRID Azura 2000 is available from Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at 12:00 AM at SneakerBAAS!