J Cole Makes A Rock Landing for Bally
How does The Rock prominently figure into Swiss luxury brand Bally’s just-launched Autumn/Winter 2015 campaign for its limited-edition collection of hiking boots and backpacks, for which it sought creative partnership with American rapper, songwriter and producer J Cole?
Let’s call it the natural mystic of Bob Marley!
For the high-end JC Hiker Collection boots that run between US$695 and US$1,995 and leather backpacks ranging from $1,250 to $2,795, the German-born Cole was inspired by the reggae legend after paying a visit to Bally’s London offices and seeing a black-and-white photo of Marley in Bally boots.
“I was impressed with the heritage of the company and how many people and places they’ve touched that I had no clue about,” Cole recently told New York Times reporter Alex Tudela.
So when the time came to devise a marketing campaign, Cole — no virgin to our shores — unsurprisingly headed to Jamrock to shoot a short film directed by Maxim Bohichik. The five-minute clip titled Off The Grid opens with the rapper recording at Tuff Gong Studios, then heading to Strawberry Hill, and later, hiking the Blue Mountains — his journey artistically lensed, showcasing the raw beauty of Jamaica’s natural terrain and its people.
“Jamaica was already one of my favourite places to spend time, but filming there was a way to pay homage both to Bob and to the brand’s legacy,” Cole said of his filming experience here.
As for Cole’s ankle boots that come in a variety of colours including tan, cherry, caper and grey, and the water-resistant backpacks, the rapper told the New York Times: “As I’m getting older, I’m learning more about what my true style actually is. Becoming more confident in what I like. And I love simplicity and comfort.”
“Comfort is king. I feel at home in a pair of comfortable boots, and I always have a backpack with me. I keep my life in my backpack. Current books I’m reading, my notebook with all my rhymes written inside and my laptop that holds all the music I’m working on,” he added. The limited-edition collection has already found favour with GQ which recently proclaimed: “J Cole and Bally’s new collab is just what your feet need.” Enough said!
(PHOTOS: www.bally.com)
