Slam City Skates Release New Summer Collection Inspired by Their Time Above Rough Trade

Slam City Skates is arguably one of the most iconic and beloved skate stores in the UK capital, and rightly so. It’s not only the oldest skate shop in the UK, but the oldest in the entirety of Europe. With a history spanning in excess of 35 years, it’s easy to imagine that back when the store first opened in 1986, it was something quite different to what it is today.

Back then, the store was located above a record shop, but this wasn’t your usual record shop, this was Rough Trade. For those who don’t know, Rough trade is a legendary London institution which at the time was at the forefront of the ever-growing punk scene in the 80’s. The Punk scene isn’t a quiet scene by any means and Slam recalls unannounced live shows happening at the end of the day which meant slam quickly transformed from a skate store, into an over-flow music venue, in which people would use Slam’s spiraled stairs to try and catch a glimpse of the gig.

The store's latest look book pays homage to what must have been some pretty hectic years above rough trade and the countless memories that was made there. The appliance T-shirt represents Sonic Youth’s ‘Washing Album’ who played right beneath Slam at the time, and the Lolla T-shirt is a symbolization for when the store squeezed in so many people for the gigs it essentially became a Tardis. 

The full summer 2021 collection is now available through the slam city skates web store, and if you’re ever in London, you can also shop the collection at the Slam flagship store.