On June 30, 2023, the Tommy Triggah x MORPRIME Industries™ x KangaROOS Inside Job v1.5 'Rose Quartz' was released. The sneaker is the fourth one out of a long-term collaboration between KangaROOS, Tommy Triggah, and Morgan Weekes of MORPRIME Industries. Tommy and Morgan share the ins and outs of the release.
Tommy Triggah and Morgan
"Designing sneakers with a big brand like KangaROOS feels like an honor," says Tom Römer, better known as Tommy Triggah. Tommy is a well-known name in the sneaker scene and already has several projects to his name, including the Inside Job with KangaROOS.
In this project, Tommy collaborates with Morgan Weekes, the founder of MORPRIME Industries and a huge sneaker enthusiast. Morgan also works as Creative Director at TOWER London and is a familiar face in the sneaker community.
Tommy and Morgan already knew each other before the two were paired by KangaROOS to design the first sneaker from the Inside Job series. "I often came to Europe for sneaker events, where I got to know Tommy," Morgan explains. "Besides sneakers, we share many other passions and think the same about many things, this was very useful while working together with KangaROOS."
Inside Job
Over two years ago, Tommy and Morgan first came together with KangaROOS. The two were already familiar with the KangaROOS team and were commissioned to design their own sneaker. "The sneakers from KangaROOS are known for their quality. So we knew if we work with them, we are in good company," Morgan says.
In late 2021, the KangaROOS 'Inside Job' was introduced, a sneaker that used the Racer silhouette and featured a brown and white colorway. Shortly after the release of the first colorway from the 'Inside Job' series, Tommy and Morgan came up with the 'Inside Job v1.5,' a hybrid silhouette that uses the upper of the Racer model and is supported by the sole of the Ultimate silhouette.
The result: a signature sneaker named Omni-Racer. "That we were allowed to design a signature model in addition to designing our own sneaker is something very special. We are very grateful to KangaROOS for giving us the opportunity to do this," Tommy says.
The Inside Job v1.5 arrived in a 'Saffron' and 'Meranti' colorway, the 'Meranti' being an F&F release with only 100 copies. Now the model arrives in a new colorway - the 'Rose Quartz'.
‘Rose Quartz’
The KangaROOS 'Rose Quartz' has a sleek color palette. "We chose a neutral colorway for this release that will go well with any outfit," Morgan says. "The pink and gray colorway is a familiar color combination in the sneaker world that we wanted to bring back to our design."
According to Morgan, the 'Rose Quartz' is a suitable colorway for any sneaker lover: "We wanted to create a design that would be accessible to everyone. Therefore, the 'Rose Quartz' comes in all sizes. No one needs to feel excluded."
Tommy adds: "The combination of these colours has always been a strong one in our opinion. The 'Rose Quartz' comes with unique details that make the release so special. Each sneaker comes with a rose quartz crystal in a pouch and has a hang tag on the lace panel."
The sneaker is made with premium materials, something that is very important in a shoe for both Morgan and Tommy. "We wanted to make a high-quality sneaker. Tommy and I are both very active in the sneaker community, so we know what the audience wants. We translated this into all our sneaker designs, including the 'Rose Quartz,'" – Morgan.
The story behind the Inside Job
The collaboration between KangaROOS, Tommy and Morgan has proven to be successful time after time. "It feels like a compliment when a brand comes back to you for a new quest to design a sneaker," Morgan says. "That they trust us to release multiple sneakers, and we even get to create our own silhouette, is very special."
Tommy: "With the Inside Job series, we deviated a bit from the traditional way of designing sneakers. The focus at Inside Job is on the sneakers and not on the surrounding story. The story that is us and what we as sneaker enthusiasts like."
Morgan responds in agreement, adding: "With the Inside Job, we stay close to the community. I think a lot of big sneaker brands lose touch with what collectors want in a sneaker. We as sneaker collectors, know very well what the community wants."
Although the Inside Job series does not tell a comprehensive story, the collaboration does have an overarching theme. "Nature is a recurring element in Inside Job's releases, as you can also see in the names of the sneakers," Tommy explains. "The whole concept has a bit of a science-fiction feel to it, like you see on our custom shoe boxes.
The name of the sneaker didn't come up until the first prototype was shown. "The name 'Rose Quartz' comes from the rose quartz crystal, which is ironic, since Tommy and I are the last people where you would think we would be involved with crystals," Morgan says grinning. "I wonder if people are going to get healing effects from our sneakers, that would be something."
Release
Even though the two already have several sneaker collaborations with KangaROOS to their name, they are not getting used to it yet. "To get to design your own sneaker with a brand is, of course, the greatest thing there is," Tommy says. "I can still see myself as a gaping 12-year-old boy standing in front of the shelves, looking at sneakers that I now get to design myself. That remains a special feeling."
Morgan: "As a sneaker enthusiast, designing your own sneaker feels like a full-circle moment. Even after multiple releases, you don’t get used to it."
Over the past few weeks, Morgan and Tommy had been working on final preparations for the release of the 'Rose Quartz'. "It's pretty stressful, the run-up to a release," Morgan says. "The past few weeks have been hectic, but I'm very excited about the upcoming release."
Tommy is also very excited about the next drop of the Inside Job project: "When you're in the process, you sometimes don't quite realize that you're actually designing your own sneaker. Then, once it's out there, it’s kind of a moment."
The Tommy Triggah x MORPRIME Industries™ x KangaROOS Inside Job v1.5 'Rose Quartz' released on June 30, 2023, at various retailers. Check out the sneaker in the release calendar.