Todd Snyder x Jack Purcell Will Bring Out Your Inner Bad(minton) Boy

Todd Snyder's string of damn-good collabs ain't stopping. Fresh off the fall's joint venture with L.L.Bean, the NYC-based designer is now teaming up with another legendary name: Jack Purcell. "I love collaborating with brands that have a deep heritage," Snyder says. "The Jack Purcell has been around for almost 100 years, and has been worn by some of the most influential creative people of the past several decades like James Dean, Charles and Ray Eames, and Kurt Cobain."

For those of you better acquainted with the signature sneaker than the man who inspired it, Jack Purcell was a Canadian badminton player who became world champion in 1933 and remained in the top spot until his retirement in 1945. His signature shoes came along in 1935, and they're still going strong today, standing alongside another eponymous shoe—the Chuck Taylor—as an icon in the Converse stable of shoes. "When we decided to work together, I looked into the history a bit more, and as I learned more about Jack Purcell himself, I realized how cool he was—a bit of a rebel on the badminton courts," Synder says.

For his riff on the shoe—available in both cream and navy colorways—some things were non-negotiable. "Needless to say, I kept the Jack Purcell's signature 'smile' on the toe," Snyder explains. "But for the rest of the shoe it was all about finding subtle ways to elevate the design. I incorporated hits of suede, a cork liner, and some pops of pink, which is a signature detail of the entire collection."

In addition to the two sneakers, Snyder also developed an eight-piece apparel collection split, like the shoes, between blue and white palettes. "I wanted everything to work together so you could create a head-to-toe look if you wanted or simply mix pieces into your wardrobe," he says. "It's the most comprehensive apparel collection inspired by Jack Purcell, so that’s really exciting for me and I wanted to do it right. The clothes were inspired by vintage racquet sports attire, so some of the graphics feel a bit retro, but I made sure to update the fit and details to feel more modern."

The whole collection launches today, and if past collabs are any indication, betting on your favorite stuff sticking around for long probably isn't the best plan. So take a look at what's on offer, then head over to Todd Snyder's site to shop the collection and release your own inner bad(minton) boy.