Monday, 24th July 2023:
So...was @tomsachs cancelled? Still not sure what the generally accepted value of a Tom Sachs shoe means at this point...
Didn't the price of his Mars Yard shoes take a hit? Weren't they selling for like $20k at one point?
Seems like prices on the Tom Sachs GPS have remained relatively consistent...I *kinda* wanted that yellow pair...not sure why, exactly, other than the fact that I probably just got caught up in the hype. But I never pulled the trigger (because it's a goddam YELLOW shoe)...
These logo-less GPS shoes keep popping up on my feed, tho, for whatever reason. And I think it's kinda interesting...because...I guess...the timing? I don't know. It's like the EXACT SAME SHOE BUT WITHOUT A NIKE LOGO. And it's like half the price of a Nike. It's a *general purpose shoe* so no proprietary tech or anything...is it patented?
If you saw someone wearing these would you still think of the association *with* Tom Sachs? Or...? Seriously think it'd be kinda dope to buy a pair and paint it...bad idea?
#tomsachs #tomsachsgps #tomsachsnike #tomsachsxnike
Tuesday, 25th July 2023:
Yeah yeah I know...the Nike SB 'box' series dunks (I LOVE the 'Orange Box' dunk Low)...and that one Nike Trainer 1 'Vintage Box' they did in like 2010...but...Why haven't they done this on like every retro model ever created? Couldn't they just create a slot for 'OG box colorway' for like every retro model ever?
Retro buyers are largely SUCKERS for nostalgia, and nothing really kicks nostalgia off like the box...I'd be in for a lot of old runners.
Anyway, @reverse.land did another great custom here...'What the Box SB Dunk'..
Yeah yeah I know...the Nike SB 'box' series dunks (I LOVE the 'Orange Box' dunk Low)...and that one Nike Trainer 1 'Vintage Box' they did in like 2010...but...Why haven't they done this on like every retro model ever created? Couldn't they just create a slot for 'OG box colorway' for like every retro model ever?
Retro buyers are largely SUCKERS for nostalgia, and nothing really kicks nostalgia off like the box...I'd be in for a lot of old runners.
Anyway, @reverse.land did another great custom here...'What the Box SB Dunk'...
Top Comment: 40yoshoes These customs are mad creative. The boxes are important, part of the whole experience of collecting imo. I have those orange box SB’s and l love the colorway they were made with the more plasticky “leather” and I hate that. Mine are stiff and heavy for dunk lows.
Content unavailable on Substack must be viewed on Instagram -
Top Comment - 40yoshoes I’m like a sneaker collector who’s kinda got like social anxiety in certain situations so sneaker meetups have never been my thing which is unfortunate for me and I recognize that but I did set up a vendor table and sold off personal pairs @michigansneakerxchange which is a fantastically run local series and I had a awesome time but it was a lot of work because it was just me doing everything because I have social issues.
Wednesday, 26th July 2023:
I kinda get lost on all of these 'colorway inspiration' stories and think most of them are pretty OD...this is probably the FIRST picture I've ever seen of a shoe where I thought 'Oh, well, damn, not much story really needed for this one.'
I was talking to my good friend the other day, a colorway designer at one of the big companies, and he told me 'there are just too many storytellers out there' and I couldn't help but just agree. We are INUNDATED WITH STORYTELLING.
Thing is, all of these brands tell stories and we just buy them and then they tell more and we just buy them and they just NEVER STOP TELLING STORIES, and, at this point...I'm just much more interested in the stories that WE MAKE with the shoes than I am with the stories they TELL US about.
I feel like I've just heard every corporate-told sneaker story and I'm just...my mind is completely overwhelmed and you'd really have to tell me something amazing for me to care at this point...
I have no idea who designed this colorway, but I like it. (EDIT: it’s @bricksandwood !!!) It's simple and it looks pretty damn close to the inspiration. It isn't over the top and the picture tells the WHOLE story without the need for some massive corporate-speak marketing campaign behind it.
Top Comment: tommy_johnn Yea bricks and wood did their thing on this one. I remember seeing this picture and was like “this is very cool”
Thursday, 27th July 2023:
And, really, they’re mostly all pretty dope, but I think I like the sole of the 23. I think it’s just so unique and I love the idea behind it and it’s not played out like every other one on this list…but…in reality…they’re all dope and have their strengths and weaknesses.
And then as I’m looking through them…I get…like…transported to a place and a time…I think something like this could be either *really* fun, or *really* dumb, depending on how interested you are in playing along…
I put this quote up on my new website…1tostock.com…and I attributed it to Sammy (my bored ape)…the quote is: "The product is only a part of it. What you make of it is the real story."
I started thinking…we all know what each silhouette is known for in the brand language…and what it means to the overall *story arc of the product. But…f*ck all that…I’m tired of hearing about why I should care about a product. How about I tell you why I care about it? How about YOU tell me why YOU care about it? If I think about the MOST impactful sole of MY personal life, the one that I’ve told the most stories about…it’d probably have to be the Jordan 6. If it were about my SNEAKER life, it’d be the 12. If it were my ADULT life, it’d be the 23.
But…all of that…to ask - which is YOUR favorite Jordan sole and WHY?
Top Comment: streetwear.stockmarket 4 but I’ve always thought 10 was 🔥
Friday, 28th July 2023:
A few more thoughts about this ‘cut the check’ thing…
1. I think Nike and Travis Scott are experimenting right now. They are trying to see just how far they can push the commercialization of this dude and whatever he touches. The roll-up to his new album and the show in Egypt and the sneaker and merch and blah blah blah just goes to show there is a multi-faceted attempt at continuing to milk this dude for every corporate dollar he can derive. Insanity that of all the people in the world, it happened to be Travis.
2. For whatever reason, these shoes we keep seeing are starting to remind me of the Spi’zikes, and the Son of Mars. Not because of anything other than the fact that they just seem to be these *hybrid* models made for entertainers. I’m pretty sure that the reason the Spike-Lee-ending-up-with-his-face-on-a-bunch-of-Jordan-Brand-sneakers has VASTLY different reasons than TS, but I think it’s interesting that entertainers are ending up with Jordan hybrids instead of…like…completely new models. Which makes sense, tho, cuz I can’t imagine these dudes got skills on court.
3. Speaking of completely new models, I’m hearing that there are actually closer to 5(ish) DIFFERENT silhouettes that are going to be a part of the ‘Cut The Check’ series…and this can at least *partly* be proven as there are pics of Travis wearing different models (strap/no strap). Right now it’s all teasers and kind of like a ‘Travis watch’ thing we’ve got going with social media in order to build up the hype that is currently surrounding dude. Whether or not any of these are actually interesting will remain to be seen…
Anyway…I can’t say I have all that interest in the shoes themselves, but this is interesting to watch. If there were a way to quantify exactly how much economic impact this dude has generated for these corporations - from Nike to McDonalds - all the way down to your run-of-the-mill resellers, I think this dude would be in the running for being the most commercialized entertainment personality of all time. Just…fascinating.
Top Comment: areyoucarlos The more I look at them the more I like them, but they look like they’re only made to look good on Travis himself. Anyone else with these on? idk
Enjoy the rest of your week!