2021 marks 7 years since HANON and Diadora began collaborating and this Summer, to close the celebration of the N9000 30th anniversary, we joined forces and worked on a brand new take on the iconic silhouette. We’re proud to present you the ‘Pictish Warrior’.

This edition of the N9000 draws inspiration from the legend of the Picts, an ancient tribe and early settlers of what is now Scotland. Meaning ‘Painted People’, the Picts were thought to paint or tattoo themselves blue as warpaint to appear more fierce in battle. Traces of their existence can be found in detailed carvings and symbols across the North East of Scotland, including the Pictish Beast, a mythical creature of which little is known of its meaning.

In keeping with our previous Made in Italy collaborations, we have applied a premium multi-material treatment to the upper of the N9000 and as a result, our HANON edition features a smooth nappa leather application offset with super soft tumbled leather which is contrasted by a rich rugged suede. The textural make-up of the HANON N9000 ‘Pictish Warrior’ is inspired by the Picts whilst the colour palette pays homage to their tribal warpaint with a mix of blues set against gunmetal grey, and contrasted by a light tan toebox, heel, and midsole.

Drawing inspiration from their mythical creatures carved onto standing stones throughout Scotland, we’ve applied the Pictish Beast to the Diadora side stripe on both the medial and lateral sides of the shoe. Further attention to detail appears by way of the Pictish Beast and our Flame logo embroidered on the heels, and a dual branded leather laminated sockliner, whilst the HANON and Diadora logos are embroidered on the tongue.

The N9000 is an original running model straight from Diadora’s 1990 catalogue, and keeping in line with the brand’s heritage and excellence in Italian footwear production, the ‘Pictish Warrior’ is handcrafted in Italy at the original Diadora factory in the renowned Montebelluna district of Caerano di San Marco. Each pair has been developed to the highest standard and is delivered in a custom made packaging.

The HANON x Diadora N9000 ‘Pictish Warrior’ will come complete with four lace sets, branded tissue paper, custom hangtag, and a bespoke box.