In the United States, football, basketball, baseball, and hockey are the sports that reign supreme. However, it's a different story globally. Soccer, commonly referred to as football abroad, is the world's most popular sport by a large margin. Some may find the sport that follows it a bit surprising—it's cricket, which is estimated to have 2.5 billion fans around the world. In fact, the sport is in the midst of its flagship international event—the Cricket World Cup. Just as that tournament is taking place, New York-based boutique Extra Butter is teaming up with a familiar partner in Adidas to introduce its first sneaker collaboration exclusively made for the host country of the Cricket World Cup, India.
While planning the launch of its first international outpost in Mumbai, Extra Butter reached out to Adidas to brainstorm ideas for an India-exclusive project. The result is the Extra Butter x Adidas Consortium SC Premiere "Cableknit 2.0." With the shoe, Extra Butter co-founders and brothers Ankur and Nick Amin wanted to tell a nostalgic Indian story. They had grown up hearing of cricketing legends such as Sunil Gavaskar and witnessed the brilliance of Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar—all Indian cricket legends. Understanding that the 2023 Cricket World Cup was nearing, they wanted to honor the importance of the sport in the country.
"What excites me about the opportunity in India is the chance to tell some personal stories that are meaningful to me and my brother, as New Yorkers of Indian origin," said Extra Butter Co-Founder and CEO Ankur Amin. "I'm grateful to Adidas for giving us our first opportunity.”
The "Cableknit 2.0" takes inspiration from the heritage of cricket, particularly the distinction of the sport's classic style and how it transcended into luxury and fashion. Easter eggs that further link the shoe to India include the first time the Adidas name appears in Hindi on the upper, the years India won the Cricket World Cup, and a few other surprises. Additionally, there's a matching range of apparel that consists of a club blazer, pants, vest, full-sleeve Cableknit sweater, t-shirts, and hats.
“I really loved deep diving into Cricket, a sport I knew virtually nothing about," said Extra Butter Creative Director Bernie Gross. "Seeing how people in India are so passionate about the sport is making me pay a little extra attention to Cricket.”
The Extra Butter x Adidas Consortium SC Premiere "Cableknit 2.0" will be released Extra Butter India on November 4 for 13,500 INR.
