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LE COQ SPORTIF LCSR1000 OG AND REISSUE REVIEW
Retro running shoes are big business right now, and unfortunately some brands are content to churn them out with little thought or consideration, and a lack of respect for the original archive model. Whilst they’re maybe not the first brand you associate with quality running shoes, French stalwarts LE COQ SPORTIF are here with the LCSR1000 to prove that they know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to re-releasing big hitters from the back catalogue. Don’t call it a comeback.
2013 has been big for Le Coq Sportif so far. Fresh off a string of classic re-releases on their Flash and Eclat models, and inspired collaborations with Sneaker Freaker and Footpatrol, they’ve given old fans of the brand what they’ve been patiently waiting for whilst winning over a bunch of new converts too. Keen not to rest on this success, Le Coq have chosen to follow it up with the resurrection of the LCSR1000.
First released in 1990, this was a high-tech runner that featured Le Coq’s Dynactif cushioning – a system designed to provide maximum impact absorbtion at the heel, and transfer as much energy as possible forward at the forefoot. Make no mistake, back then these were serious pieces of kit, and have commanded maximum respect amongst footwear collectors, as they were hard to get in the UK and heavily sought after on the continent.
So what did Le Coq do to bring back the R1000? Bung some suede and mesh together in OG colours and hope we didn’t notice the differences in shape and materials? Nah, Le Coq’s approach is a little more fanatical, and is all the better for it!
Sourcing a vintage original pair with the help of legendary collector Marcel Holzmann, whom some of you may know better as Prince Jamal to use as a reference point, the team at LCS recreated the shoe from the ground up, paying close attention to details, shape and quality to ensure the 2013 drop is every bit as good as the one that preceded it by 23 years. As you can see in our comparison pictures, everything from the sole unit to the info tabs has been faithfully recreated, and the shoe sports a fantastic wedge shape usually seen on OG models only. The colourway is faithful to the fantastic 1990 makeup, with the hits of neon pink on the branding acting as the perfect counterpart to the bright lime hits, contrasting against the classic silvers and greys of the upper.
At a time when some brands are content to cut corners and rake in cash for mediocre products the French know how to keep it classy, and Le Coq Sportif have taken a different route by respecting the architect and putting together a killer shoe with care and passion. The end result is worthy of a spot in everyone’s collection, so don’t sleep!
The LE COQ SPORTIF LCSR1000 has already started to drop with CROOKED TONGUES, HANON, and in-store with FOOTPATROL (online shortly) and most definitely won’t hang around for long, so link-through at the foot of this post for your best chance to pick up a pair.
Also, we’ll be catching up with Marcel real soon too, in a new series focusing on both collectors and people who work within the industry, where we pose them five questions to answer – to give you an insight into the lives of some of those who work tirelessly, in an effort to give us the things we so dearly love… trainers.
Note: We reviewed the original LCSR1000 against the sample pair of the 2013 retro, before the final production run was made. Certain colourings on the sample, the front of the outsole for example, have been corrected on the final production run, in line with that of the original.
By @slangwerks
