Monday, 12th June 2023:
Having grown up in the (snowy) mountains of Northern California, Salomon is one of those brands I've come to associate with the mountains my whole life. I'm pretty sure the first pair of downhill skis I ever owned (when I was 11 years old), were Salomons, sold to my dad by @mikelaroche 's dad when he was a rep for the brand. Through Ski Swaps and thrift stores - Salmomon boots and goggles and pants and all kinds of ski gear have passed through my hands over the years, but I never really gave their shoes a chance...until...I saw one of my least favorite sneakerlebrities mention something about them a couple of years ago...and I found a pair for DUMB cheap on one of those UK sites and thought I'd give them a shot.
I bought 3 pairs over the years (for ~50% off retail) and I wear them every now and then...and I do like them. Although, I didn't get roped into the whole brand as I have with others. I mean...like...I couldn't pick an XT-6 out of a lineup. But, as is with any brand that's been around for 20+ years, there exists this whole Salomon ecosystem of legacy pairs they've released that have been gaining some popularity (I think, due to some sick colorways and collaborations by @bryandiaz ).
Over the past few weeks, I've seen a handful of semi-popular sneaker people talking about how ugly they are or how they hate the whole brand even taking up space in the (space)...and...I dunno...I never really understand the negativity. I absolutely do not give a sh*t in either case - I'm gonna wear what I'm gonna wear - but, personally, I think it's cool when these different (brand) cultures meld and cross-pollinate one another...and those in one (brand) culture can learn about those in a different (brand) culture entirely...like where else can mountain culture meet street culture?
One of my good friends thinks that Salomons are not made for the streets - they're made for the mountains and my retort to that is like... were Jordans made for the streets or were they made to be basketball shoes?
I dunno...anyway...how y'all feel about Salomons?
Top Comment: digglahhh I think the “made for the streets” comment reflects a shift in the way brands think - and for the most part, a shift for the worse. When it comes to brands and designs made most iconic through being embraced by “the streets,” it is almost a universal truth that their peak is when those things are not “made for the streets,” but rather organically discovered and co-opted by the streets. Further, once the brands recognize this at scale and begin intentionally designing products “for the streets,” that’s the beginning of their downfall. That was the model at least into the late 90s. Timberlands, North Face, Polo, etc - none of the items at their peak were designed to appeal to the streets. The streets made those things their own. Once those brands started chasing that market, the streets moved on. It only worked and became legacy as long as it was organic. Some of the falls were worse and more precipitous than others. This started to change a bit in the era where all the most successful rappers started their own brands. Since that shift there’s been a lot more of the tastemakers pushing brands and looks on the general public, and while overall it’s been very successful for the influencer class, it hasn’t created much in the way of legacy brands or items bc “the streets” don’t feel that same kind of ownership (ironically) of the brand’s popularity. Im meh about Salomon’s design - but I’m partial to brands that aren’t doing them and not chasing being a fad.
Tuesday, 13th June 2023:
5 Thoughts on the Nike x @champagnepapi Nocta Glide:
- It looks like a mix between a Nike Zoom Flight 95, 96, and a Reebok DMX 10 - straight out of the '90s
- The shape is super clunky. They look about as comfortable as any basketball sneaker from the '90s (not comfortable). They almost look like toddler shoes.
- What is the idea/storytelling behind these? Storytelling on these is kinda... nonexistent? And that’s...kinda good? I'm glad Nike didn't have to sell us some bullshit for anyone to lose their minds over.
- Really...who wears @stussy puffer pants in the summer? Couldn't you do a better photo shoot than that with these?
- Well...At least it's something new.
If these aren't super limited, I just don't see these gaining much steam...it's obvious that I'm out of touch on a lot of what's going on in dem streetz, but I dunno...are these gonna push units? IMO...without the Drake co-sign...NO ONE WOULD CARE. NO ONE. NO ONE AT ALL IN THE WORLD. PERIOD.
Am I wrong?
Top Comment: _lonniegramos Definitely gonna sit on shelves. I love the zoom flight 95s and I think these are dope so should be easy to buy.
Is it my age or am I just too practical? Having grown up in a trailer park, going to thrift stores for fun, it never even crossed my mind that I would ever pay retail for nearly anything, ever. If something goes beyond retail, it might as well not exist in my mind.
I don't think...even when I was living paycheck to paycheck...that there was a pair of shoes that I absolutely *had to have* that was anything significantly above retail. Even in the early days...the thought of spending even $10 over retail was too much for me to bear. $100? Yeah no.
These kinds of questions are engagement traps, aren't they? Trying to make us think that the 'fun' part about collecting anything is all about how much money we can spend. Meh. Trying to make us think that the 'best' collectors are the ones that can hit that 'buy now' button on anything and not have it affect their lives in any measurable way. The 'fun' part about collecting for me has pretty much ALWAYS been about getting the best deal...which...I suppose, can be equally dumb, can't it?
lol
Top Comment: pappy_power_hour Don’t tell me how much you spent. Tell me how little you spent.
Wednesday, 14th June 2023:
I wouldn’t really say I’m a fan of Kyrie Irving, but I would say I empathize with him. I know all these people seem to hate him and everyone likes to dismiss him for all of these crazy things he’s said or done or blah blah blah, but in reality I just see a dude on a high-pressure, high-profile search for himself. No, I don’t agree with a lot of what he says, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t think he doesn’t have the right to say it.
The Nike thing, IMO, was messed up. I thought dude wanted out of Nike so it seemed logical, but when I talked to a friend at Nike, it was quite the opposite. It really just sounded like he wanted to be heard (at Nike), and Nike being Nike, they don’t seem all that keen on listening to anyone that says anything that could possibly go against their agenda.
Anyway, seeing that news that he signed on with Anta…or….might have signed on…I like it. I know most people wouldn’t know Anta from a whole in the wall, but obviously, Klay has had a good run with them (as have a few others). They can take risks that the majors won’t. And I like that type of freedom, at least in theory.
When I worked on Wall Street from 2004-2010, I went through an identity struggle, too, which ultimately ended with me leaving the East Coast altogether. I kinda held a laptop hostage (I knew they were going to try to screw me out of my restricted stock unit shares), but it was all an attempt to exert my own self-autonomy and independence, which I think I did. I wanted to be heard, and when I wasn’t, I opted for freedom. Which…I think…is what Kyrie was also trying to do.
As much as I love Nike, I also hate Nike. I hate the fact that they can just make or break someone because they want to or because their customers ‘demand’ it. Like the Kawhi Leonard logo thing (since dude left Nike/JB he can’t even use his OWN logo - the one that HE designed), it’s just this entity that can steamroll through just about anything they want without any real repercussions…
Anyway, I hope that Kyrie finds some good partners at Anta…even though I’m 98% positive I won’t care for the shoes….but even if I disagree with him I’ll still be pulling for him.
Top Comment: trollmaggedon Anta in all honesty makes better performance basketball shoes than Nike does by far. And most of them are suitable for outdoor play as well. Traction on anta shoes are insane and KYRIE will prolly have his best shoe to date with them. Even though he has some of the most commonly worn shoes in the league at Nike. Only issue is buying anta shoes are all from their website. Unless they can get placement in stores out here which is rare for them
Pretty sure I've posted this once a year for the past 3 years...but this time I feel like I have a greater understanding as to *why* I prefer that Sheed logo to most of the others...3 slides...27 logos. Which ones do you like?
- Jumpman...I just see that one too much. It's *EVERY-FREAKIN-WHERE*. It's absolutely everywhere (unimportant) and nowhere (important) at the same time (if that makes any sense).
- Kobe...doesn't really make me think of a person so much as a product.
- AI, Penny, Pip, etc....same...none of them make me think of people so much as products.
- Lebron...meh. Cool logo, I just don't care for him as a player.
- Ray...another great logo...I don't have many memories of him as a player tho (although I did run across him at @senorfrogs in Cabo one night like 15 years ago with @dj_klick2 )
- Shaq...IMO cheapened by his association with Walmart
- Griffey....another good one just baseball shoes aren't that big of a deal to me
- Kawhi...great logo but where's he been?
The Sheed logo, to me, just gives me the most targeted and specific memories. Sheed makes me think of (being in) college and all that entails, playing ball every day, watching games in my dorm room, the Jail Blazers vs. the Lakers, Cash Money Millionaires...and...AF1's. I bought my first AF1's ever because of Sheed and I played ball in mids for years because of Sheed and...I dunno...any time I see that Sheed logo on any piece of clothing or shoes I have an internal debate as to whether or not I should purchase said item...
Funny how logos certain logos and designs can transport you to a time and a place...
Top Comment: sankofafw from a visual standpoint, I appreciate most The Tiger Woods logo and the Derrick Rose logo
Thursday, 15th June 2023:
If you've been checking my stories the past few days, you might have seen I've been running this little experiment with my off-white x AF1 Mids...I'm trying to see how the spikes on the soles degrade over time...and...call me a dumbass...but it made me think of all of those other Off White x Nikes that flew under the radar: the street vapor, the waffle racer, terra kiger. I think they had the same feature, right? The spikes that change color the more you wear them?
Anyway...I was looking for waffle racers again (even though I've owned 3 different pairs and decided they weren't really for me) and came across the Terra Formas, which had *completely* slipped my mind. These Terra Formas that came in like a lion and left like a lamb. One minute they were all over social media, for a good minute, the next, completely absent. And did anyone even notice?
I don't think I've seen a single-fit pic with these. I don't think I've seen a single person show off their pair. I think the only YouTuber I've seen even talk about these was @sneakerphetish There were a lot of opinions on these when they first surfaced...so what happened?
For me, the colors are just atrocious. The boot looks clunky, but the sole makes it look a bit sleek IMO I mean, don't get me wrong, if I found either colorway for a *steal* I'd cop and would probably come around to liking them. But overall, the color options just don't work on any level for me (whatsoever)
These are currently below retail on the resale sites...did these *also* 'flop' because of the spikes? Or was it something else?
Top Comment: realsoleinfo I genuinely love both colorways & like you said if I can get them for steal and I mean below $100 I would definitely pull off a fit in em with no sweat!
I start this post out by saying that I think the shoe is cool. I missed out on a pair on auction a few years back for $8 and have been somewhat regretting it ever since And this looks like it’s going to be a huge release. And I’m glad longstanding holdouts like @sneakerpreservationsociety and others are finally getting to see their favorites re-released. Lord knows I’ve had my fair share of holdouts (and NONE of them took as long as this one did).
My first thought seeing that ad campaign was…“What is the point of that?”
And, yeah, I know that’s an overreaction based on little more than my own personal feelings, but it’s made me think of Nike at this point in our collective history…Like does Nike actually *need* to market these? Anyone with half a brain can all but guarantee these are going to sell out on release day. And then the subsequent collaborations will likely also command hefty resale prices. So why did Nike really need this marketing campaign? Was the purpose to further hype up an already hyped shoe? Was the purpose to stoke that fire in us to remind the vast majority of us that we are going to 'miss out'?
It seems like there was a point where marketing helped sell a product that a company needed help in selling. But what is it called when a company is over-marketing a product that everybody knows will already sell out?
Speaking of which…do they actually market Jordans anymore? Do they actually market new models? Or is it all just about putting their marketing dollars where they know things are going to sell out…?
I took something like 60+ classes in college for a business degree - I never took a marketing class in my life (and it shows - I’ve got over 30 original product lines on my website and haven’t even mentioned them in several weeks) - so I guess the question I’m asking is - what am I missing here? Is there a word for this type of marketing? This feels more like FOMO marketing than it is actual product marketing…
(Loving this new Adobe AI feature btw)
Top Comment: pappy_power_hour Most people won’t agree with me but this shoe is not going to go off like people think it will. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice and I want a pair, but I think once they drop they’re going to be hanging around retail on resell sites. That’s for the OG and any subsequent colorways. Travis Scott attaching his name to shoes other than Jordan’s haven’t really blown up.
Friday, 16th June 2023:
A super short question today...but what is the fascination with food brands collaborating with footwear manufacturers?
I know this isn't the first nor the last but it had me wondering...who buys these things?
Top Comment: ajpalyszeski I own the Crocs x Honey Nut Cheerios Classic Clogs and my 2 cents on this subject is that the Crocs brand holds a unique level of ubiquity that transcends sneakers and makes it a prime target for other big name collaborators, especially food brands. Once Crocs had proven they could do a food collab right, there was no looking back.
Also food and athletics cross pollination is a tale as old as time.
Enjoy the rest of your week!