Monday, 26th June 2023:
Logos logos logos...
Speaking of sneaker logos…I got hit with an interesting one in the DMs the other day by @don_brown …pointing out the obvious similarities between the Curry Brand logo and the ES skateboarding logo. Anyone within my age bracket probably had the same reaction when Curry revealed the logo ( similar to Fry's reaction).
Makes me wonder what the designers were up to…like…they had to know, right? There's a cool article by @nickdepaula on Boardroom explaining the inspiration behind the Curry logo and it all sounds legit...
But it’s funny because skaters been borrowing from ball players for a minute, and ball players been borrowing from skaters for a minute. And I absolutely LOVE to talk about this, but when I was a kid, I took to skateboarding: I wasn’t very good because I fell a lot as and was terrified of falls, so I moved on to basketball...I think there is a real connection (in spirit) between basketball and skateboarding that never really gets discussed
I guess the question I’d ask…if you’re ES Skateboarding, what do you do in this case? Is there anything that can be done?
Top Comment: vltrkmbt remember the SportCenter looking Steph Curry logo?
Tuesday, 27th June 2023:
(1/5) The (de)evolution of a sneakerhead...dropping in full on my substack next week
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The other day, as I was swimming through my closet trying to figure out what to do with yet *another* shipment of shoes, I was struck by a thought: ‘isn’t this supposed to be fun?’
Having watched this whole 'sneaker culture' evolve over the past 20 or so years, I'm at a point where I'm questioning why I should continue. As you may remember, I’m 42 years old and I spend more time in house slippers than I do sneakers. I have more sneakers in my closet than I could possibly wear for the rest of my life. And I am continually complaining about this fact. Yet…here I am. Still doing it.
I wonder…how did I get here?
No matter how much I hate owning up to this, the evolution of my identity as a sneaker collector has certainly shifted. If I recall correctly, I believe it went something like this::
Initial goal (2000-2004): “Re-live my childhood by purchasing the shoes I owned as a kid.“ (Grails: Jordan VI Infrared, Air Raid, Penny II, Reebok Answers)
Second goal (2004-2006): “One-up my childhood by copping all the shoes I *wanted* but was never able to afford as a kid.” (Grails: Jordan XII Playoffs, Black/White AF1, Jordan IV ‘Bred’, Jordan III ‘Black/Cement’, Reebok Answer IV)
Third goal (2006-2010): “Make sure I fit in at all these sneaker events I’m going to in NYC - let these people know that I’m *into* this” (Grails: Dunks, Dunk SBs, Air Maxes)
Fourth goal (2010-2015): “Oh, I no longer live in NYC, but I’m back in California and my best shot at copping anything I want will be online” (Grails: Foamposites, ACGs, other brands like Asics, New Balance, Saucony)
Fifth goal (2015-2018): “Eh, maybe I should start honing in on Samples and PEs” (Grails: Anything and everything that can point back to a specific player)
Sixth goal (2018-2020): “Yo! What the hell are those? Those are so weird! I NEED ‘em!” (Grails: Anything and everything that no one knows about that’s in MY size)
And finally…my seventh goal (2020-present) is….what…exactly? (Grails: ?)
Top Comment: digglahhh It’s funny bc isn’t a true “grail” supposed to be a “goal” unto itself? I definitely had stuff like that - find a pair of this particular shoe in a specific size and condition. When you’re hunting actual off the grid vintage - like a specific pair of obscure AF1s from 1991 or a specific AM95 in a women’s colorway from 97 (the types of “grails” I had) I think that qualifies as an actual “goal.” …The only “goals” I recall setting specifically were: every canvas AF made from ‘94-96. That one I did not achieve, but I think I got closer than anybody else did. Another earlier goal was getting all original color ways of the Jordan 2-13 (not necessarily OGs tho). That was a pretty common goal back in the day. That was all early 2000s stuff when came to terms with the fact that I was “collecting” …Which took me a long time to acknowledge bc until then, the only goal was to have on some fly shit day after day!
When mainstream media tells me that Supreme is over, I’ve gotta wonder…is Supreme *actually* over? Because part of the thing that made Supreme cool was that mainstream media didn't even *know* about Supreme. And given that Supreme is losing some steam...is Nike next?
I don’t even necessarily want to say that *any* of these companies have actually lost their cool, but it does seem that they’ve all over-produced their product offerings into a place where many consumers are simply fatigued. Demand has slowed significantly, and I’m sure many of you that sell are even feeling the pinch.
Personally, I’ve been feeling like the bottom of this market was going to fall out back in 2011 or so…only to be completely wrong for a good DECADE. But this time…I dunno. I’ve made it a regular practice to post on IG about how fatigued I am.
There are so many ways to take this conversation, but let’s just say…IMO…in 100 years, Nike will simply be little more than a footnote in history. They’re going to represent a pretty significant blip on whatever scale we’re looking at, but I can only hope we’ve evolved beyond hoarding whatever they drop. And that’s not a dig at them, but it is a comment on how little this stuff actually matters in the context of time. I know that to some of us, Nike is like a religion. They’re the setting sun. We go to sleep with Nike on our brain and wake up and check our apps. We are completely brainwashed.
I listened to an episode of the Wall Street Journal podcast the other day that was discussing whether or not Supreme had lost its cool…which…if you’ve been paying any attention…isn’t all that surprising. I’m old enough to remember the early days of Mossimo and Zoo York and Quiksilver and how cool they were until…they…just…weren’t.
But…I guess…overall…my general feeling is that people are tired…they’re tired of the games, they’re tired of the hoops, and they’re tired of spending their days and nights and countless hours obsessing over consumer end-products. Or…maybe that’s just me?
Top Comment: freehandprofit There’s a great chance for new brands right now to break the mold. I’d love to think some of the hyper consumerism can be reversed but realistically I just see it speeding up & becoming more hyperbolic.
Wednesday, 28th June 2023:
(2/5) The (de)evolution of a sneakerhead. Full article will drop on substack next week.
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So, again…how did I get here? This is obviously a simple question with a very complex answer, because everything is always changing. I’m often confused by the ‘hobby’ and what it’s become and it feels like the more I learn about it, the less I know about it (but the more I learn about myself). Which, I suppose, is completely rational and normal when your benchmark is in a constant state of flux.
Every now and then, I stumble upon sneaker-related websites. Initially, I would browse them out of curiosity, but also to verify the claims about the quality of counterfeit sneakers, especially from the perspective of the only Sneaker Grading company. Are some fake sneakers indeed better assembled than authentic ones?
As I delved deeper into Yupoo, WeChat, Ali, DHGate, and WhatsApp, I tried to grasp the magnitude of the issue. That's when I encountered someone deeply entrenched in this world. He shared numerous photos of his office, warehouse, or room filled with an eclectic mix of sneakers. Eventually, he claimed he could make anything. ANYTHING. Skeptical, I decided to test him.
Me: "Can you make Homers?"
Him: "What are Homers? Send pic."
Me: (sends pic).
Him: "Easy. $120."
(I don't know why I asked for Homers, but I did.)
I'm aware this is frowned upon in some circles, and rightfully so. Or is it? I'm not even sure anymore, and honestly, I might not even care. I didn't buy anything (since I don't NEED anything), but the realization that everything ever created was suddenly available via WhatsApp for $120—even if fake—was disheartening. The thrill was gone.
Top Comment: slothdoesntmakemusic As someone who has gone *very* deep down the rep rabbit hole, this is something I experienced quickly. I started as a typical hypebeast, anything yeezy, off white, Travis Scott, etc. I wanted. Then I found reps and suddenly everything I ever wanted was at my fingertips, for less than retail let alone resale. It was a euphoric experience knowing I could build an entire collection for the piece of one pair of Travis Scott dunks. Fast forward a month or so and things became different, the hype and status wasn’t blinding me anymore, I stoped looking at Yeezys and started looking at dunks(this was around 2020 it was post Travis Scott but pre over saturation and still *somewhat* niche) I stopped caring about supreme and started looking into actual underground indie brands. It really made me question everything, how do I know everyone else isn’t wearing reps? What does it matter if they are? Is spending ridiculous amounts on reps just as bad as spending it on albeit less but authentics? Who am I trying to impress wearing this shit? I realized none of it matters and started caring more about the slept on shoes than the hyped ones. Idk where I’m going with this but I guess my point is just that knowing you can get whatever you want for cheap will destroy your perspective on this stuff and it’s probably for the better, fuck the hype buy some ugly duckling pack air max’s instead none of it matters
I'll start out by saying that there is absolutely zero hate intended with this post…I’m more just asking the question because I am genuinely curious.
My first time seeing those @martine_rose Monarchs I just couldn’t understand it…mostly because I was under the impression that the sneaker world existed solely for my understanding. It was, by far, the wildest Nike collaboration I had seen (at the time). It was like purposefully ugly. And then I saw a pair at my local Nike Clearance Store in my size and they were only $34.99. So I tried them on, marveled at their ‘comfort,’ and decided to get them. I remember I brought them to the counter and the lady at the register was confused. She clearly wasn’t a sneakerhead, and she wanted to understand why some 38-year-old white guy was buying some shoes that looked like lumpy trash bags. So we talked about them for a little bit. And I found myself defending something I didn’t totally understand. And that little conversation had me sold. I still have my pair and wear them from time to time.
I saw some short interviews with the designer and her intent, and although I cannot confirm nor deny any of it, it made sense.
So…these Shox R4 ‘mules’. Upon my first time seeing them…I thought they were a photoshop of like a narcos thing. I thought there could simply be no way that they could be real. Like no way whatsoever.
But they’re real. And they come in 5-10 different *sample* colorways.
I want to like them. I do. But I just couldn’t picture wearing them, ever, for any reason, whatsoever. I know we all saw Kendrick Lamar rocking them at The Grammys…was that the intended look? I know these are probably more for fashion people but do you see anyone rocking them outside of fashion house events?
Top Comment: lukelevangie The shoe look like something AI would come up with
Thursday, 29th June 2023
(3/5) The (de)evolution of a sneakerhead. Full article will drop on substack next week.
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When countless pairs of a coveted shoe become available for less than retail and appear 95% authentic, does the pursuit of originality still matter? If so, are there exceptions? If not, what's the new goal? Is it to own the shoe, to claim ownership, to wear it, or to flaunt it on Instagram?
Now, that brings up another point: ownership. Truth be told, I’m not all that interested in owning things just for the sake of owning them. And that comes from years and years and years of moving. From Truckee to Cardiff to Truckee to Santa Cruz to Capitola to Aptos to Truckee to Brooklyn to Manhattan to Brooklyn to Truckee to Virginia City to Reno to San Francisco to Oakland and Sacramento, schlepping things from place to place has become a bit of a nuisance. And to notice the pattern of owning something only to store it and then pack it up for the next home…what is the point?
I like to make use of the things I own. And when I don’t use certain things, they quickly become a nuisance. Why would I want something in my house to just take up space? I prefer to wear my shoes. And when you never really get much of a chance to *wear* all of the stuff you bought *to wear*, the question (of ‘what do I do with all of these shoes I physically can’t wear?’) becomes a bit more salient.
I buy stuff. It gets stuck in my closet. At one point or another…I get a chance to wear it for a day or two. Then it’s back to the closet. And maybe, just MAYBE, I pull it out again sometime in the future for a few more wears. And then, sometimes, it falls so far back in the closet I even forget that I own it. The other day I unearthed a duffle bag in the back of my closet FULL of coats and jackets I forgot I owned. FULL OF THEM! Logically speaking…it’s repugnant. And this yet brings up another point: the issue of waste and sustainability. But I’ll save that for another time.
Top Comment: pappy_power_hour I know we talk about it all the time but consumerism is such a vicious cycle.
Why, upon seeing a single @sneakerfreakermag headline about Roshes, do I find myself almost subconsciously searching for Roshes?
Thank god I have a plan with Roshes....cuz I am not spending more than $30 on any pair of Roshes, ever. (Maybe). But the subconscious reaction I had when I saw that headline tells me that my body still has a lot of work to do.
The first time Roshes hit, I let that whole thing pass me by. I just didn’t care for them and I hated that they seemed to be EVERYWHERE. And I continued *not* caring for them at all up until about a year ago when I found a pair in good condition in my size for like $7 or something at a local thrift. And then I noticed a few other pairs for similar prices at my local spots and ended up with a good 5 or 6 pairs, for which I’ve been wearing off and on.
As a $10-20 shoe, I’ll buy Roshes all day.
But as a hyped who-knows-where-resale-will-be shoe, I absolutely couldn’t give a damn.
The Roshe is an interesting shoe…designed as a simple budget-friendly model - what are the chances Nike pitches it as a collaboration shoe to stir up some hype? What are the chances Nike slaps a backward swoosh on it and labels it a ‘Travis’ roshe? After that wack-ass stunt on the Mac Attacks, it makes me wonder if any of these things are truly *safe* from the continuous mindf*ck that is the sneaker marketing machine...
(s/o to @sonsofblackmaria for the Olive mockup)
Top Comment: surxjjjj Reverse swoosh ain't that cool anymore
Friday, 30th June 2023
(4/5) The (de)evolution of a sneakerhead. Full article will drop on substack next week.
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The good(?) news is, over the past couple of years I’ve noticed that I’ve really slowed down with the sneaker consumption machine. I’m not paying much attention to new releases. I’m not really engaging with the conversation on anything that I don’t care about…and those shoes that I actually DO find enough interest in to talk about…I can, because it’s not overwhelming.
I distinctly remember one Saturday morning, where I was trying to hit on the original Yeezy 350 v1 Pirate Blacks - a shoe I was only marginally interested in - I wasted A WHOLE MORNING ON MY COMPUTER. And it wasn’t the first. But when I realized what a waste of time it was, it became the last.
Instead, I noticed that I….
…I spend a great deal of time looking for steals. Like legitimate steals.
I don’t really care for the ‘major’ releases that everyone seems to be talking about at the moment I write this (the AJ3 reimagined or the Action Bronson New Balance or the AJ x SB 4), as I wouldn’t pay retail for any one of them. Nor have I really cared about more than a handful of any of the last 567 major releases BEFORE that.
BUT.
BUT.
BUT.
I can tell you that if I found any one of those shoes hyped shoes slightly used for $100 or less, which I often do, I’d be STOKED about it. ABSOLUTELY FRICKIN’ STOKED. And at that point I would allow myself to enjoy my purchase AND the shoe. And that’s NOT because any of them are shoes that I have any connection to, it’d because I FOUND A STEAL THAT NO ONE ELSE FOUND.
It seems….at this point of my sneaker enthusiasm, I really love nothing more than just scoring a good deal.
I don’t care about the hyped ‘rarities’ (that really aren’t rare),
I don’t care about the ‘hottest shoe of the year’ (that really is just a re-hash of something 30+ years old),
I don’t care enough about any *new* designs that I’m buying for retail (as I will most assuredly find these on sale in the near future)
Top Comment: instyleshoes1999 It’s taken a lot of the fun out of the experience (unless you “GOT EM” obvi). There isn’t a better option at this time. Hate to say it.
…
Top Comment: landonfam People would be lined up if there was a Nike
(5/5) The (de)evolution of a sneakerhead. Full article will drop on substack next week.
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And here comes our full circle moment: This is all interesting and post-worthy because this is exactly how I looked at things when I was a kid. I wouldn’t buy ANYTHING if it didn’t fit within my *extremely meager* budget. My main goal as a kid was to get swag for as cheap as possible.
Thing is…who cares…right? It’s akin to driving an additional 30 minutes to save 10 cents on a gallon of gas…it’s just not worth it, right?
I’m not so sure. It was worth it to me. It did matter. And in this land of plenty, it *still matters* to me. It matters to me that, for whatever reason, I’m able to swoop something for cheaper than anyone else. It does matter to me that I’m able to find a steal. As a matter of opinion - in this land of endless options, I’m still swaggerific enough to be able to flex something else that no one else can flex: a *cheap* pair of shoes.
It appears as though my sneaker (de)evolution is simply based in seeking the one thing that no one else can claim. I’m seeking my individuality from the herd.
As I reflect on my (de)evolution as a sneaker savant, it seems that the pursuit has mostly been driven by a desire for individuality —probably similar to many of you. Amid the hype and abundance of options, it seems that what sets me apart from the crowd in *my* head is nothing more than finding an exceptional steal. I find it funny how my sneaker-collecting life has come full circle, bringing me back to the thrill of the hunt and the joy of finding value where others might not. For anyone caught up in (the mental illness that we call) ‘sneaker collecting,’ it'd probably be a good idea to take a step back to ask yourself why you're doing it. Otherwise, you just might find yourself buying some big, stupid, red, rubber boots.
Top Comment: pappy_power_hour Too many thoughts to put into a comment. One example of how far I will go to get a deal is buying and returning multiple times as pairs I like get cheaper.
Enjoy the rest of your week!