There are some moments on your eights that stick with you—not just as memories, but as an integral part of your skate journey. This was one of them.
It was September 2023 and my first time at Skate Love Barcelona. I had spontaneously booked my trip and was pretty excited—a solo adventure that instantly turned into a skate reunion [and so much more]. The moment I arrived at Gatwick Airport, I immediately spotted London skaters. When you saw them [and they you] we knew that we were headed to the same destination.
The Skatelove festival [and the adjacent pier] was so amazing to be a part of. A real spectacle! The arena was filled to the brim and showcased every skate style imaginable—jam skaters, speed, artistic, ballroom, JB and more! But it was the Badalona experience, that in the end represented the sweetest carefree skate vibe. However, it was the extra smooth surface along the Badalona seafront that created that gave rise to that beautiful moment. For a London skater, that silky smooth surface can only lead to one thing—time to enjoy a little back skating footwork!
A Beautiful Experience In Badalona
I first headed to Badalona for a few days as I had heard that it was the place to be for a memorable skating opportunity. They weren’t wrong!
My friend Ezzie [aka Ezzie Roller] was filming casually as I got into an impromptu backwards flow in my hockey skates, the Mediterranean breeze felt so sweet, as we both made the most of the great Spanish weather and chilled atmosphere. It was a good moment. I wasn’t thinking about branding or designs—just soaking in the pure good vibes [and beautifully smooth footpath that we couldn’t let go unblesse]. But sometimes, the universe has other plans!
That brief little clip—raw, unfiltered, relaxed—ended up becoming the homepage video for my new roller skating app [in the months that followed]. There was something about it that captured the freedom and easy flow of the moment. It stood out as an iconic moment for me—skating carefree as a women in her late 40’s. It was kind of reflecting the connection that so many of us GenX skaters have with skating in the UK, so fully immersed in the skate scene—at home and abroad!
When Art Meets Motion: The Wumni Touch
Enter Wumni [@Wumzum], a local artist and fellow quad skater whose skate style and artwork reflect the vibrant energy of the urban skate scene. When I approached him with a still I’d taken from the clip, he got it—the ease of movement, the back skating footwork, the overriding feeling of that sweet Badalona vibe! His interpretation to me wasn’t just another design, it was a translation of skate culture into a perfect piece of still art.
I later featured the same artwork our Female Back Skater Cotton Tee and Female Back Skater Duo Zip Hoodies, turning wearers into walking homages to that 2023 Skate Love Barcelona moment. Over the past 2 years, my fellow skaters have so often commented on how they love that back skater design. I love it too.
Now, it’s taken on a new life—as one of four prints on our upcoming new release—Roller Skating Socks. Because why shouldn’t something iconic take a life of its own? It represents skate culture in its finest moments—those relaxed, carefree, fun moments that skaters live for.
Why This Design Matters
This isn’t just about selling socks. It’s about celebrating those spontaneous moments that become engraved into our souls as skaters—the ones that remind us why we continue to show up, and even travel overseas for the next skating chapter. The back skater design pays homage to:
- The friendships [shoutout to Ezzie for capturing it].
- The artists [Wumni, for capturing the vibe in digital art form).
- The GenX skaters who experience themselves with that same skate confidence.
And now, it’s beginning a fresh new chapter every time they show up on the feet of another skater. This is why we skate!
Pre-Launch Special: 30% Off + Free UK Shipping
To honour the essence of this design and its pre-launch, we’re offering a 30% [pre-sale] discount and free UK shipping until May 4th. These socks are laser printed, and 100% cotton [so there’s no compromise on quality]. The 4 designs come in packs of 4 or as a pack of 2 to suit your preferences.
Not because these socks are “just another product,” but because they refay a significant message in the Skate Base London story—to allow yourself to go beyond any stereotypical or limitated expectations in anything that you choose to do [as I did]. To unapologetically do you!
👉🏾 Claim yours HERE
The Real Magic? This Is Just the Beginning
Every time you pull these socks on, remember: you’re wearing a moment that unfolded as pure UK vibes on a Badalona seafront [so that Bada energy can continue to take on a life of its own]. And if that’s not how we like to roll as UK skaters, what is?
Tag us in these socks on socials if they lead you to similar moment that brings good good energy—we’ll repost our faves! #SkateBaseVibes
