How Just Blaze, Packer & Saucony Turned Polo Ralph Lauren Grails Into Sneaker History

If you've spent any time on X's street fashion-related corners over the last several days, you've likely encountered dozens of users going back and forth about which city popularized Polo Ralph Lauren. The debate has mostly been between people from New York City and Washington, D.C., although representatives from Chicago and Atlanta have included their cities in the mix.

These conversations are cyclical on social media—especially on the platform formerly known as "Twitter"—and seldom truly convince participants and spectators alike to change their pre-existing stance. Thus, we at House of Heat° aren't too caught up in a definitive answer to the current topic of discussion. Instead, all the chatter about Polo and its relevance in street fashion—in particular amongst Black fashion-enthusiasts—made us think about the times Just Blaze and New Jersey's Packer Shoes developed Polo-inspired Saucony sneakers.

In recent memory, Saucony Originals might best be known for its collaborations with the Bronx's Jae Tips, but in the 2010s, the Yonkers, New York-founded footwear institution worked with various creatives, brands, and boutiques to create story-driven product. Just Blaze—real name Justin Gregory Smith—and Packer Shoes were two examples, with the former using his invite to collaborate to pay homage to a few iconic Polo designs via sneakers.

So, folks from Harlem, Brooklyn, or D.C.'s U Street might have a right to claim the popularization of Ralph Lauren's Polo line, but only Paterson, New Jersey's Just Blaze holds the crown of developing three of the most-significant, authentic sneaker homages to Polo of all-time.

"Snow Beach" Saucony Grid 9000

Even if you wouldn't be considered a "Lo Head," you're likely familiar with Polo Ralph Lauren's "Snow Beach" Pullover Jacket. First launched in 1993 as part of a snowboarding collection, the outerwear piece was immortalized within hip-hop in 1994 thanks to Raekwon, who wore it in Wu-Tang Clan's "Can It Be All So Simple" music video.

Built for performance on the slopes, the jacket caught the attention of Polo-enthusiasts like Raekwon thanks to its high price tag and vibrant yellow-and-red color scheme. The "Snow Beach" Pullover instantly became one of street culture's most-coveted items.

In 2014, Packer Shoes invited Just Blaze to help on a Saucony Originals collaboration. A longtime admirer and collector of Ralph Lauren, the New Jersey-born music producer was aware that this year marked the 20th anniversary of Raekwon wearing the Polo "Snow Beach" Pullover Jacket in the aforementioned music video. Bringing the technical piece to sneaker-form, then, made perfect sense.

Just Blaze wasn't involved in the whole design process of Packer Shoes' first Polo-inspired sneaker, as once discussed on Sole Collector's Full Size Run, but his expertise on the "Snow Beach" Collection from '93 was crucial to the Saucony Grid 9000 project.

"Snow Beach" Design Breakdown:

• Unmistakable, accurate yellow, red, and navy color scheme found across the sneaker and its shoe box
• "Packer Saucony" text on the packaging mimic original "Snow Beach" font
• Premium suede and nylon used across the upper, with the latter referencing the anorak's technical fabric
• Toggle laces resemble the drawstrings on the pullover's hood
• "9000" branding on the right shoe's spine nod to classic Polo Sport designs
• Red-colored inner-lining recreates the jacket's polar fleece insulation

Once the sneaker launched, it was appreciated by a wide variety of consumers, but particularly celebrated by savvy Polo collectors for its meticulous execution. Little did folks know what was next from Just Blaze, Packer Shoes, and Saucony.

"Casino" Saucony Grid SD

A year after the successful launch of their first Polo-inspired footwear drop, Just Blaze and Packer Shoes returned to the Saucony table to rework the Grid SD through a more niche lens.

"That was the first time that I had gotten involved in the design from the ground up," shared the producer on Full Size Run.

Akin to the "Snow Beach" Grid 9000 from a year earlier, the "Casino" Grid SD drew inspiration from a Polo Ralph Lauren apparel design—specifically a short-sleeve button-down shirt from '93. The top features a red-colored base inspired by the felt material found on roulette tables. A series of casino-inspired graphics appear across the shirt, speaking to loud, opulent aesthetics of the era and making for the perfect sneaker muse.

"Casino" Design Breakdown:

• A varied mix of materials—including suede and ripstop nylon—get a red, green, and yellow makeover
• Grids are found throughout the upper, recreating roulette tables
• The numbers "00" and "36" are embroidered on the heels against contrasting backdrops, further referencing casino tables
• The center cutout in Saucony's lateral logo is filled in white to represent a roulette ball
• The shoes were accompanied by a full "Casino" kit, which included a matching t-shirt, tote bag, bucket hat, and custom deck of Bicycle playing cards and dice

Just Blaze and Packer's "Casino" Saucony collaboration further demonstrated a genuine celebration of two North American institutions. The average consumer didn't seem as interested in the roulette table-inspired project as it was in the first "Snow Beach" release, but faithful Polo fans applauded the trio of collaborators for bringing another iconic apparel design to footwear-form.

"Japanorak" Saucony Shadow 6000 Sample

Though masterfully-executed, Just Blaze and Packer's two Polo-inspired collaborations with Saucony have left many wondering why more sneakers haven't dropped since 2015.

In 2020, the hip-hop figure shared a never-before-seen look at a sample of what would've been his third homage to Polo Ralph Lauren with Packer and Saucony: a "Japanorak" Shadow 6000. According to Just Blaze, the Saucony team ultimately paused production of the project due to concerns he's since forgotten. Six years later, he took to a Facebook Group titled "Polo Ralph Lauren Lifestyle" to share detailed shots of the canned collab in anticipation of the anorak's first-time reissue by BEAMS and Ralph Lauren.

Launched in 2010, the "Japanorak" Pullover Jacket was under-appreciated when it first dropped, according to Just Blaze. Once more enthusiasts became hip to the piece, prices on the after-market skyrocketed to thousands of dollars. The matching Saucony Originals model recreated the winter-wear-inspired release in the same way as its predecessors—accurate color executions, premium materials, thoughtful Easter eggs—but it never came out. The sample pair Just Blaze has held on to, however, teases what could've been while reaffirming he and company's understanding of Polo-inspired product.

Saucony sneakers have historically been overshadowed by styles backed by larger corporations and more-visible celebrities. Yet, the collaborative projects from last decade acknowledged the intersection between sport and culture better than some work by bigger brands.

Are Just Blaze and Packer Shoes the first to draw inspiration from Ralph Lauren's Polo label? No, but they've gone down as two of the most-skilled fans to do so.

Neither Patterson nor Yonkers have had much mention—if any—in the online chatter about which community made Polo hot in the streets, but their very own Justin Smith and Packer Family ensured a spot in Polo history a decade ago.