LA WeeklySportswear enthusiasts and fans of British gangster flicks arrived for Nike Sportswear at the Montalbán on Vine in their finest kicks Tuesday night for a screening of Guy Ritchie's latest film, RocknRolla. Nike Dunks and stilettos were the prevailing footwear of choice, complimented by spandex leggings and skinny jeans.
Photograph by Shannon Cottrell.
Over the past two months Nike Sportswear has inhabited the historic Hollywood theater as a retail store and a community events center, outfitting the space in classic Nike T's and bright collections of shoes. The theater hosts free movies curated by Flux on Tuesday nights, and Sports on Stage every Sunday, when the movie screen is tucked away and young community members gather on the old stage to play organized sports.
Photograph by Shannon Cottrell.
Nike Sportswear at the Montalbán is nothing short of a creative collaboration, with walls papered in designs by L.A. artist Geoff McFetridge, a studio upstairs where customers can create their own pair of shoes, and a special edition series of Dunk Highs inspired by the recent street-art documentary Beautiful Losers lining the regal staircase.
Photograph by Shannon Cottrell.
Photograph by Shannon Cottrell.
After a thorough security check, guests filed into the lobby to graze on a flashy array of free snacks and drinks beneath a colorful quilt of sports jackets. Downstairs, tables were stacked with plates of pastries and buckets of orange soda and in the back corner, Jesse the resident popcorn chef churned out fresh batches of buttery popcorn in large paper cups. Upstairs, the Nike I.D. studio transformed into an open bar where Belvedere Vodka handed out complimentary cocktails to thirsty guests and a photographer encouraged visitors to pose for portraits together on a leather armchair.
Photograph by Shannon Cottrell.
Every seat in the cozy theater was taken by the time the film started rolling, and people in the back rows peered between hanging retail displays to watch Tom Wilkinson dominate as a ruthless Russian mobster while Thandie Newton slinked across the screen in her seductive accountant’s wardrobe. Lead actor Idris Elba (American Gangster, 28 Weeks Later) appeared onstage for a Q&A afterwards, where he faced questions from curious fans about his British background and his role in Daddy’s Little Girls (2007). When asked about his life in L.A., Elba said he’s only lived here for two years but his favorite thing to do is “ride around downtown on my bike and talk to the homeless guys.”
Photograph by Shannon Cottrell.
“Of course, I like the traffic,” he joked. “If I had a Harley Davidson I’d like traffic.”
Idris Elba who plays Mumbles in RocknRolla. Photograph by Shannon Cottrell.
The party continued afterwards, with Benny Shambles from Part Time Punks at the turntable and enough Screwdrivers to soften up even Guy Ritchie’s toughest thugs.
Words by Erica Wrightson
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