SHELF APPEAL: Volleyball
by Y-3

Whereas the acquisition of sportswear generally implies participation in heart-racing activities, the Y-3 volleyball demands sweet nothing of its owner. A million calf-strained miles from the sweat-stained lycra and bouncing breasts of the gym and a long -pilates- stretch from the sanctimoniousness of the terminally-Yogic, this glorious exercise in intelligent fashion branding enjoys a sporting life all of its own.

Hailing from the Spring/Summer collection of the progressive collaboration between fashion brand Yohji Yamamoto and the classic sportswear manufacturer Adidas -Y-3- the piece is a virtuoso encapsulation of the brand values of each stakeholder. The icon of international sport, the ball, is invested with a single element that articulately expresses the spirit of the entire fashion range this season: in this case, a simple, shiny, colour coating.

The hue, a slightly feminine, 'shocking' Schiaparelli pink, hints at - but importantly avoids- the cheap functional fluro associated with masculine sports and road-workers alike. This is not a football, remember. In a classic seasonal fashion statement, the graphics boldly proclaim 'Y-3 SPRING SUMMER 2004' in large, plain, sans serif capitals. On the opposite side, a discrete Yohji Yamamoto signature and Adidas logo invert the commercial stereotype and raise the ball above contemporary sports branding into the realm of purist fashion aesthetics.

Only a force as pervasive as fashion could divorce something as utilitarian as a ball from its ostensible function, transmogrifying it into an elegant, up-beat, style statement. In this sense, the Y-3 volleyball is the most thoroughly contemporary of fashion accessories.

Text by Penny Martin

Shelf Appeal archive
15.12.04: Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf
20.10.04: Blouse Bag by Ann-Sofie Back
30.09.04: Contact Lenses by Christian Dior
07.09.04: BMX by Y-3
25.08.04: Helmet by Stephen Jones for GIBO by Julie Verhoeven
05.08.04: Suitcase by Bottega Veneta
21.07.04: Sequinned Knickers by Alexander McQueen
08.07.04: Tennis Court Pump by Chanel
18.06.04: Parasol by Eley Kishimoto
14.05.04: Toolkit by Prada
07.05.04: Feather Headband by Miu Miu
26.04.04: Measuring Tape Belt by Tatty Devine
08.04.04: Easter Bunny Biscuits by Fortnum & Mason
31.03.04: Teapot by Vivienne Westwood for Coalport
24.03.04: Hair Brush by BLESS
12.03.04: Canderel Dispenser by Lagerfeld Gallery
04.03.04: Volleyball by Y-3
26.02.04: Bracelet by YSL
16.02.04: Lace Mask by Lanvin
04.02.04: Necklace by Marni
26.01.04: Straw Hat by Yohji Yamamoto
16.01.04: Edo Bells by Martin Margiela
19.12.03: Shimmering Stilettos by Viktor & Rolf

With thanks to Jane Audas