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Skateboard label Palace is once again teaming up with sportswear giant adidas Originals for another collaboration, following previous partnerships tapping into tennis, football, golf, and more. Now, the two are focusing on the “tranquil world of wellness,” and tapping into yoga and relaxation.
The move into wellness seems like a post-pandemic realization by Palace, as the world continues to gravitate towards activewear and leisurewear on a daily (many of us from the comfort of our own homes, still), as well as workouts and other ways to stay active from a small space. Enter: Yoga.
Dubbed “Palaste,” the collection is filled with apparel and accessories, including pool slides, sun hats, bathrobes, and of course, a yoga mat, and features the yin and yang symbol throughout as well as updated Palace graphics and Sanskrit-inspired fonts. But, what Palace fails to recognize is that its name and entry into the wellness world might not be as tongue-in-cheek as they intended it to be. For many South Asian people, the invocation of “Namaste” on tees and totes is cause for cringe, and has divided the word from its original intent. Additionally, the experience of being “Namasted” at — a term that Kumari Devarajan describes as when a random stranger, usually white, says “Namaste” to you for no reason besides your appearance.
“Mindful that they know not enough of yoga to truly know even how little they know, Palace proudly presents Palaste,” reads the press release, making it clear that the streetwear imprint didn’t do their research properly, chose a name that disregards the spiritual meaning of “Namaste,” and has the energy of a few bros that did yoga once. But perhaps, that was the point of the collaboration in the first place.
The collection is currently available both in-store and online, as well as at Dover Street Market London and Los Angeles, and on the adidas Confirmed app.