November 09, 2006
Lebron IV Forbidden City Limited | Nov 11 to 15
For the love of the game or the love of the shoes, for five days only you have the opportunity to score. Limited to only 23 pairs a day, You can get the LBJ IV for $230 but only through a 5-day scavenger release in San Francisco's Chinatown. Check inside.nikebasketball.com for the daily clues.
All pairs are accompanied with a limited edition shirt and are encased in a premium wooden box modeled on China's fabled Forbidden City of Kings. 100 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Chinatown YMCA basketball program.
Posted by richard ting at November 09, 2006, 10:13 PM
October 23, 2006
Tinker Hatfield Interview
Interesting interview with Nike top designer, Tinker Hatfield, about shoes and architecture.
Posted by richard ting at October 23, 2006, 09:27 PM
September 25, 2006
NIKEiD Japan - Cosplay
NIKEiD Japan goes viral with this Cosplay piece that was shot in the Akiba district, the electronics city and mecca of Cosplay.
Posted by richard ting at September 25, 2006, 12:46 PM
September 12, 2006
Dime Magazine’s Top 25 Boutique Sneakershops
Check out the August 2006 issue of Dime Magazine with Carmelo Anthony on the front page. It’s got a Top 25 ranking of the illest boutique sneaker shops in the U.S. Many factors went into their ranking system. Those factors being shoe selection, history, atmosphere, and reputation in the sneakerhead community.
Here’s the full list, but if you want the write-ups as well, then go cop the issue.
1. Flight Club – New York City, Physical Store, On-line
2. Alife Rivington Club – New York City
3. Bodega – Boston
4. Sportie L.A. – Los Angeles
5. Training Camp – New York City
6. Nort/Recon – New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Berlin
7. Undefeated – Los Angeles
8. Goodfoot – Toronto
9. Huf – San Francisco
10. Atmos – New York, Tokyo
11. Proper – Long Beach, CA
12. Commonwealth – Norfolk, VA
13. Phli – Chicago
14. Dave’s Quality Meats – New York City
15. Goliath RF – New York City
16. Just Be Complex – Portland
17. Packer Shoes – Teaneck, NJ
18. Premium Goods – Houston
19. Goods – Seattle
20. Grey One – Pasadena
21. Reed Space – New York City
22. Prestigious – Atlanta
23. Capitol 1524 – Seattle
24. St. Alfred – Chicago
25. 2 Doors Down – Springfield, MO
Posted by richard ting at September 12, 2006, 10:02 PM
SneakerCUT.com
The Sneakercut service sounds a little too good to be true. I would be interested to hear from anyone that has been subscribed to the service for a few months. Here’s the deal, you pay a $125 annual fee to become a SneakerCut Member which then gets you discounts on kicks for up to six times per month and a maximum of 60 pairs per year. The site is currently listing Air Force 1 Lows for $70 and the World Cup Brazil joints for $115. Only members can purchase from the site so be ready to drop $125 on the annual fee. However, the benefits may be worth the dough. SneakerCut carries a large stock of hard-to-find kicks and constant inventory updates so you can get to the product that you crave.
Posted by richard ting at September 12, 2006, 10:00 PM
Jeremy Fish
Jeremy Fish is a 32-year old San Francisco-based illustrator/painter who tells simple stories fusing influences like 60s and 70s Hanna-Barbera cartoons and skateboarding culture.
He’s been designing skateboard decks since he was a teenager growing up in Saratoga Springs, NY and has designed over 300 hundred decks with his four year old company, The Unbelievers. In July, Nike released the Nike Fish Classic SB.
Posted by richard ting at September 12, 2006, 09:52 PM
September 09, 2006
UARM T-Shirts
Since 2003, UARM has been showcasing the illest East Coast street artists. The new collection is putting some shine on artists like REAS, Neckface, Faile, and Thom Lessner.
Posted by richard ting at September 09, 2006, 09:50 PM
September 04, 2006
Dave White in the MTV feature on Sneaker Pimps LA
Check out the MTV feature on Sneaker Pimps LA, which includes Dave White. The video from YouTube is shown above.
Posted by richard ting at September 04, 2006, 10:01 PM
August 17, 2006
John Starks - Greatest Knick of All Time
Posted by richard ting at August 17, 2006, 12:01 PM
August 03, 2006
Puma Mongolian Shoe BBQ
Wow. Talk about over concepting a web experience. Check out Puma's new Mongolian Shoe BBQ customization service. This is probably the most difficult interface to use of all the customization builders out there in the marketplace. The customization builders for Nike, Converse, Timberland, Rbk, and K-Swiss are light years ahead of this builder when it comes to usability. Not sure what the designers were thinking of when they put this builder together because it is just plain difficult to use and hard to understand. The user also needs to get through 20 painful steps just to get to a point where they can purchase the shoe.
It's unfortunate though because the shoes are really, really nice and the final step of process has a sweet 360 degree rotating hero shot of your design.
Posted by richard ting at August 03, 2006, 08:14 PM
July 17, 2006
Is that a 720 dunk?
Posted by richard ting at July 17, 2006, 03:13 PM
July 05, 2006
Pumatalk?!?
So only after a gazillion years since Niketalk launched, Puma launches Pumatalk which gives all the sad Puma fans a place to chat about their product shortcomings and product inadequacies. Pumatalk comes complete with a fresh 'on the bandwagon' fotolog. Actually, there are a few nice photos up there and I guess it's all very useful to the Puma community, but I'm just dumbfounded as to how much of a Niketalk rip-off it is.
Posted by richard ting at July 05, 2006, 07:51 PM
June 30, 2006
Nas Rocks the Crackle
Nas is on the back page in new XXL with Jay Z on the cover. He's rocking the MIKE23 Crackle Pullover hoodie.
Posted by richard ting at June 30, 2006, 02:49 PM
New MIKE23 Gear
The MIKE23 crew have some new summer gear ready. Check out the site.
Posted by richard ting at June 30, 2006, 02:47 PM
Kicksengine
KicksEngine is a visual tool that searches the latest listings of your favorite kicks on eBay. They do the work of coming up with relevant keywords for you so you don't have to. All you have to do is click on the images and the latest results will appear, simple as that. Utilizing advanced search queries of the eBay API, their results work to eliminate spammed entries as much as possible so you get the most relevant and up to date listings.
Posted by richard ting at June 30, 2006, 02:41 PM
June 28, 2006
Kobe Playing Soccer?
Posted by richard ting at June 28, 2006, 04:31 PM
June 13, 2006
John Starks is the Man!
Thanks to Boris and crew over at Madison Square Garden for inviting me to a luncheon with John Starks. Starks is still the man for coming out and chatting with us disgruntled season ticketholders. Starks took everything in stride, gave us open and honest opinions about the state of the team and the league, and was just a super-chilled out head. The Knicks have been listless and bleak the last few years, but seeing Starks in person brought me back to the glory days when Ewing roamed the paint, Oakley knocked dudes to the ground, and Starks hoisted bombs from downtown. If the Knicks could only find some players that could play with the same amount of heart, emotion, and leadership that Starks played with, then we might be heading in the right direction.
I'm a Knicks fan for life -- born into this despair, but I still have faith in Larry Brown. Get it together this summer Larry, Get it together!
Posted by richard ting at June 13, 2006, 07:39 PM
June 04, 2006
Lace Sneakers Magazine #6
The new issue of the Lace sneakers magazine is out now. Lace#6 is available in Germany, in selected stores worldwide or can easily be ordered on the website www.lace-mag.com. In this issue, the focus is on the new Adicolor-series, Nike's History of Cushioning, and an overview of Jordan styles. Interviews with Jason Bass, The Ones from Run Athletics, and Gabriel Urist are also on the list.
Posted by richard ting at June 04, 2006, 12:38 AM
Sneaker Mainliner -- French Sneaker Forum
Here's a french crew called the Sneaker Mainliner that just recently put out a sneaker forum for the heads in france to chit-chat about the culture.
Show Casper and his crew some love.
Posted by richard ting at June 04, 2006, 12:23 AM
May 22, 2006
The Collection Royale
Check out Nike's Collection Royale, a celebration for the true shot-callers. The collection is stacked with limited edition kicks and tees recognizing the players who give us a glimpse into the future of the playing field.
Posted by richard ting at May 22, 2006, 03:44 PM
MC Hammer Custom Nikes
Thanks to Joseph Cartman for the link. These were custom sneakers designed by Logan in Oakland A's colors for our '2 Legit 2 Quit' man, MC Hammer.
Posted by richard ting at May 22, 2006, 10:56 AM
April 18, 2006
The Original Sneaker Pimp
The worlds largest global touring sneaker exhibition featuring a collection of over 800 of the rarest footwear on the planet and growing... Current TV VC2 producer Devaughn Hughson shows us what Atlanta's event was like.
Posted by richard ting at April 18, 2006, 07:59 PM
April 17, 2006
Sneak Attack -- MTV Overdrive
The original MTV Overdrive series, "Sneak Attack" just recently launched. Go check it out to watch Sneakerheads united at the Recon/Nort NYC space for a sneaker launch. Also, Graffiti legend Stash talks about his new custom kicks.
Posted by richard ting at April 17, 2006, 03:51 PM
April 13, 2006
Flight Club Feature on NYTimes.com
[via NYTimes.com]
MY deeply hip stepson sounded vaguely amused that I was planning to check out Flight Club, the sneaker resale boutique in NoHo. Who knows what they'll make of you, he said, his voice stopping on the "you" with just a bit too much force. The emphasis made me realize that he thinks I'm a total loser.
There are pros and cons to having stepchildren. One of the cons is that you get to relive all the terrifying insecurities of high school over and over and over again. It's one thing if your own progeny think you're uncool: you're the parent; you're supposed to be uncool. But we stepparents have only our status as potentially cool people to warm us at night.
Thus humbled, I walked into Flight Club several days ago. I was not the coolest person in the store. Then again, the people who frequent Flight Club are sneaker freaks, mostly men who are addicted to buying limited-edition vintage athletic footwear. They speak in highly technical language, tossing around terms like "tongue graphic" and "toe boxes" with the gravity of men discussing tractor engines or team sports.
Posted by richard ting at April 13, 2006, 01:47 PM
March 16, 2006
Denim and Sole
Here's a new website dedicated to bringing you the right pair of denim and sole for wherever you may want to wear them, from the block to the boardroom.
Posted by richard ting at March 16, 2006, 10:00 AM
February 25, 2006
NIKE Untold Truth Site
Nike has joined forces with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to create a compelling apparel collection that seeks to showcase some of the great teams of the last days of Negro League baseball. The collection honors the passion, pride, and perseverance embodied by a league whose contributions to our national pastime are immense-and whose stories are too seldom told.
There are some hot products on the site inspired by the original Negro league teams like the New York Cubans, Chicago Giants, Kansas City Monarchs, and Homestead Grays. Also on the site is an interview with Buck O'Neil who played with the Kansas City Monarchs way back in 1938.
Above is a photo of the New York Cubans AF1 Premium LE.
Posted by richard ting at February 25, 2006, 07:58 PM
Royalefam Hall of Fame
Here comes the heat. Check out the Royalefam international issue with SBTG's retrospective hall of fame. You'll find yourself salivating over everything on the site especially the SBTG 4 Niketalk AF1's and the SBTG X Ambush AF1 lows. I had to break out the Kleenex to wipe down the dribble from my lower lip. Thanks to LadyKickz for the link.
Posted by richard ting at February 25, 2006, 07:25 PM
February 22, 2006
WK Takes on Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles
Last week, WK headed out to Los Angeles for a collaborative installation with Laker star Kobe Bryant at the Nike Gallery.
Check out the Wooster Collective site.
Posted by richard ting at February 22, 2006, 05:55 PM
February 17, 2006
Adidas adicolor launch - Berlin
Here are some photos of the Adidas adicolor launch in Berlin. They were sent over by Daniel at Lace Sneakers magazine.
Check 'em out.
Learn more about adicolor.
Posted by richard ting at February 17, 2006, 02:20 AM
February 13, 2006
female sneaker fiend
Here's a link I discovered on Weeklydrop.com. It's a site for female sneakerheads. The site comes complete with interviews, sneaker art, photos, related links, and a forum to connect and chat with your fellow sneaker freaks.
Posted by richard ting at February 13, 2006, 01:18 AM
February 12, 2006
Don't Step on My J's
C.D. Walls shows off his massive collection of Nike Air Jordans, provides buying tips for fellow sneaker enthusiasts, and goes on a shoe shopping excursion.
Posted by richard ting at February 12, 2006, 08:58 PM
January 26, 2006
Air Max Collection on NIKEiD.com
Oh lord. Watch out all you sneaker dorks! The full range of Air Max Classics has just launched on NIKEiD.com Everything from the original Air Max 1 to the Air Max 2003. The color choices are off the hook and the prices are quite reasonable.
Posted by richard ting at January 26, 2006, 03:58 PM
Jordan Head Casting Call
Daydream Filmworks, Inc. is now casting for it's up-coming film entitled "Jordan Heads". This film a documentary about Air Jordans and the people who them.
If you or someone you know is a Jordan Head please direct them to the following website for more information:
www.jordanheadsmovie.com
Posted by richard ting at January 26, 2006, 01:15 PM
January 17, 2006
Nike Archive Needs Your Help
Nike wants to build an archive containing a pair of shoes from every model it's ever made. The company is asking the public to contact Nike if they have one of the models on Nike's wish list.
Posted by richard ting at January 17, 2006, 01:37 PM
January 16, 2006
Nike Air Max 360 - Laser
The global release of the Air Max 360 is scheduled for next Saturday the 21st of January. There's been a lot of excitement around that shoe launch. Go check out Nikeair.com to see the celebration pack and to hear all of the celebrities and sneakerheads talk about Nike Air. I was able to get my hands on a photo of the Air Max 360 laser print which is supposed to be released in late Jan./early Feb. Looks pretty hot.
Posted by richard ting at January 16, 2006, 11:57 PM
January 11, 2006
Weeklydrop Episode 4 is now online
Weeklydrop Episode 4 is now online featuring an interview with renown painter Dave White from Liverpool. Dave discussed his work on the Nike AM95 10 Year Anniversay Party, Star Wars, world sneaker culture, future hits, and much more. The podcast runs about 19min on this one.
Posted by richard ting at January 11, 2006, 08:11 PM
Complete Technique Jewelry
|
|
Complete Technique is the brainchild of Osamu Koyama, who founded the company back in 1999. Osamu runs the company, but still serves as the company's Creative Director. His signature pieces draw inspiration from audio equipment and hip-hop music. Most of his jewelry appear in the form of rings shaped like audio speakers and pendants that replicate turntable cartridges. Osamu has frequently collaborated with local artists and brands such as the artist Acid, WK Interact, DJ Masterkey, and Kid Robot.
Posted by richard ting at January 11, 2006, 12:28 PM
January 06, 2006
Cornerstone / Fader Films present 'On The Outs'
ON THE OUTS is a dramatic narrative feature based upon the real stories of girls from the streets and juvenile jail, who lent their voices and unique stories to the filmmakers. These are girls who struggle with all the highs and lows of teenage life in an inner-city world that makes its own rules.
The film follows the lives of three central characters from the same Jersey City neighborhood: Oz, 17, is a tough drug dealer with her own corner and the street's respect, who struggles to keep her family intact. Suzette, the sheltered 15 year old daughter of a single mother, whose first teenage crush has life changing repercussions, and Marisol, 17, a single mother who fights both her own demons and the uncompromising world of foster care to keep her child.
Posted by richard ting at January 06, 2006, 04:21 PM
Sneaker Freaker Book
[from Boldtype]
This colorful compendium collects the first three years of Sneaker Freaker, a magazine by and for passionate disciples of sneaker culture. Those in search of more than foot candy will find (in between goggle-eyed spreads on vintage French tennis shoes and Korean Nike hi-tops) interviews with industry insiders, including Laser Project curator Mark Smith and obsessives such as DJ Clark Kent, who has 14,000 pairs of Air Force Ones.
A truly global endeavor (the mag was founded in Australia), the book shares practical tips on the best spots to cop kicks in Melbourne, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, London, and New York. You can get the lowdown on how to spot fake A Bathing Ape high-tops and where to find boutique brands like Alife and Feit.
There are think-pieces too — everything from meditations on sneaker fetishes of a more sexual nature to wistful "whatever happened to" elegies for extinct '80s brands such as Troop. Two such highlights among the personal essays are an article on the only shoes they let you buy in prison (New Balance Runners, people — so stay clean!), and a confessional piece by a female fiend who grapples with the latent chauvinism of sneaker-hunting culture.
Posted by richard ting at January 06, 2006, 04:08 PM
December 30, 2005
Premium Kareem
The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar saga continues. These super fresh kicks are made of thick high grade leather that will soften and adapt to your feet.
Check 'em out on sneakersnstuff.
Posted by richard ting at December 30, 2005, 12:17 PM
December 28, 2005
Streets Are Saying Things
This online graffiti museum showcases pictures of street art, uploaded daily.
Posted by richard ting at December 28, 2005, 07:25 PM
December 23, 2005
More NIKEAIR.com content
The NIKEAIR.com site just recently launched with some new content around the classic Air Max '95 and Air Max '93. Check out some of the interviews with Stash, John McEnroe, Charles Barkley, and Retrokid.
Posted by richard ting at December 23, 2005, 09:36 PM
December 22, 2005
Most Expensive Sneakers according to Forbes
Here are the Most Expensive Sneakers according to Forbes. The first shoe featured are the Nike limited edition Air Force Ones, called Also Known As and produced in conjunction with a book celebrating the art of graffiti. The sneakers that were produced were only given to people involved with the release of the book, but Nom de Guerre has a pair on display. The shoes aren't currently for sale but are expected to fetch between $1,000 and $1,500 when Nom de Guerre decides to release them.
I love these sneakers, unfortunately the other sneakers that Forbes features are wack.
Posted by richard ting at December 22, 2005, 12:30 AM
Weeklydrop Episode 3 is now online
Weeklydrop Episode 3 is now online featuring an interview with Gabriel
Urist, the NYC sneaker jeweler, discussion on DMC, Le Coq Sportif and
much more.
Posted by richard ting at December 22, 2005, 12:00 AM
December 14, 2005
Walking in the Shoes of Legends - An exhibition of Adidas’ Signature Line
Adidas' Signature Line is a line of shoes originally created for some of sport's greatest. The exhibition will retrace the stories behind icons Stan Smith, Franz Beckenbauer and Kareem Abdul Jabbar amongst others and highlight the relationship with their namesake shoes. In addition to vintage and upcoming Signature Line models, a number of designs by Bunka Fashion College students exploring possible evolutions of the "Jabbar Lo" shoe will be on display.
Posted by richard ting at December 14, 2005, 12:41 PM
December 10, 2005
Object Fetish
Object Fetish is a service started by Tom Sicurella and Jeffrey Goldsmith. They are two creative services professionals who have a good idea for a business and are in the process of executing upon the thought. On their website it states, "Perhaps your store or a store you think is very cool would like to sell select products through our site. Perhaps you're a hot photographer. Perhaps you like taking new friends around to cool shops."
It's not exactly clear what they're going to be doing, but they are planning to tell you all about it in January. If you can't wait until then, you can email them at tom@objectfetish.com or jg@objectfetish.com.
Posted by richard ting at December 10, 2005, 07:39 PM
Gabe Urist Custom Bling
Gabe Urist just recently launched his new Custom Bling site that features photos of his Nike Custom Bling necklaces.
Check out his site.
Posted by richard ting at December 10, 2005, 06:37 PM
December 02, 2005
Dave White Exclusive Limited Edition Poster Prints
As the majority of his prints have sold out on his site, Dave White has been asked to do a release of some of your favourites. As a result, Dave has released some unsigned poster prints for sale. All prints are from an edition of 50, they are numbered and they have the studio stamp on them. They are size A3 which is 40cm x 30cm and they are full colour on 275 gm silk paper. The prints are $30 (£20/€30) and free shipping is included (prints will be delivered in a tube).
Posted by richard ting at December 02, 2005, 02:47 AM
November 26, 2005
Melo 5.5 Product Feature
The Melo 5.5 product feature launched a few days ago on the Jumpman23.com site. The B More commerical is aight, but I wasn't feeling the hovering helicopters with the spotlight. It felt like an overused visual metaphor to sell home the idea of 'this is what it feels like to be from the hood'.
Anyway, check out the Melo 5.5 Feature.
Posted by richard ting at November 26, 2005, 12:40 AM
November 24, 2005
Weeklydrop Sneaker Podcast
Here's a new audio show/podcast experiment coming out of Boston called Weeklydrop. It's done by the guys at Dropform. Check out their Flickr photostream. Nice photos in there.
These guys are producing a weekly podcast that looks into current sneaker news. They also spend some time interviewing designers and artists in the sneaker world and listening to their first hand experiences on the creative processes that went into some of the kicks we wear and love.
Though the focus is sneaker centric, these guys are by no means limited to them, they also explore urban art, fashion and more.
Posted by richard ting at November 24, 2005, 02:46 AM
Just For Kicks Documentary
This film is currently on tour with Resfest. It's the first documentary on one of pop culture's biggest phenomena, Just for Kicks charts the athletic footwear fetish from sneakers' early adoption by the style warriors of 1970s New York City to their status today as a de facto apparel of choice for an entire generation. The film looks closely at the $26 billion industry engendered by this fashion choice, and the hip-hop community that helped popularize it. From Run-DMC's role in catapulting Adidas into the consciousness of global youth culture to Nike's visionary marketing strategies targeting urban populations worldwide, Just for Kicks turns interviews with personalities like hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and urban culture chronicler Henry Chalfant, as well as an assortment of sneaker freaks, music legends, break-dancing greats and product designers into an entertaining exposition on the history of the world's most popular form of footwear.
Watch the Trailer.
Check out Resfest.
Posted by richard ting at November 24, 2005, 02:22 AM
Alife Reebok Pump
This is the ultimate tennis ball sneaker (brought to you by New York's Alife and Reebok). Thanks to Al Cabino for the photo!
Posted by richard ting at November 24, 2005, 02:08 AM
Royal Elastics L.A.M.B. shoe
Here are some photos of the Royal Elastics-produced L.A.M.B. shoe collection. It will be on sale during Holiday '05 exclusively at the Madison Avenue and Beverly Hills Barney's stores and at select Barney's CO-OP doors. Only 600 pairs exist, Each pair is numbered.
Posted by richard ting at November 24, 2005, 12:30 AM
November 23, 2005
Puma Pelé - The List
[via Sneakersnstuff]
The Pelé replica collection is brought to you from the Puma Archive. This is where you can take a peek into their heritage and learn something new, rediscover old friends and find out about the Puma legends and style icons that still live on to this day.
As a former Puma sponsored athlete Pelé‘s love for the game and his record-braking career became part of Puma‘s history. A common theme of the Pelé concept will derive from his birthplace in Brazil – Três Corações. Translated as “three hearts“, the town‘s meaning correlates directly to his passion for football and the three stages of his career. The exact replica of PUMA‘s 1970 Pelé collection is offered in a vibrant palette of blue aster and aspen gold.
Posted by richard ting at November 23, 2005, 11:08 AM
November 21, 2005
MIKE23.com
Thanks to Coach, Scott Nelson, for sending over this link.
Check out the site.
Posted by richard ting at November 21, 2005, 03:34 PM
November 18, 2005
AF1 Business Week Article
Here's an interesting AF1 Business Week article from this past summer. Thanks to Omid Fatemi for the link.
Posted by richard ting at November 18, 2005, 07:06 PM
November 16, 2005
White Presto Project
This site has been up for years, but I thought I would dust it off and post it. There are some interesting artist renditions of the Nike Presto done by Yashuhito Udagawa.
Posted by richard ting at November 16, 2005, 02:53 PM
November 12, 2005
New Issue of Lace Mag
Lace Magazine #05 is getting ready to delight you. The current issue shines the spotlight on Hamburg, the city on the go. There's an up close and personal interview with Nina Braun, formerly of Sumo-Clothing. Other articles inlcude conversations with Deichkind who's got something to say about mixed music and sneakers. The 'store detector' feature leads the way to the most interesting sneaker spots in the city. There's a behind the scenes look at the online mailorder shop, Frontline. Stores like the Nike-ID-Shop and Ellesse are profiled as well.
Posted by richard ting at November 12, 2005, 01:46 PM
November 08, 2005
Adidas ZX700
This classic 80´s runner is one of those styles that has always been on every sneakerheads "must have"-list. This particular colourway is part of the Tempo-pack especially made for the Japanese market.
Posted by richard ting at November 08, 2005, 11:23 PM
November 04, 2005
Bay Area Kickz - Yahoo Maps
Here's another Map mash-up. Some guy took the Yahoo Maps API and mapped out the sneaker stores in SF. Yo Freshness, where's the NYC version?
Check out the site.
Posted by richard ting at November 04, 2005, 07:25 PM
HTM Air Footscape Woven
Check out the HTM Air Footscape Woven on the Nike Japan site. I can't read what it says, but I'm assuming this is a pre-order site where you can qualify to buy the shoes. If anyone knows, please send me an email. Thanks.
Posted by richard ting at November 04, 2005, 07:14 PM
nike.jp's What's Hot RSS Ticker
Check out nike.jp's What's Hot RSS Ticker in action below. They have a quick copy and paste 'Blog This' type functionality that allows avid fans to link the ticker directly to their blogs. Fans can constantly stay up to date with the latest and greatest at Nike Japan. It looks like the Ticker was created in Flash. Hats off to the Nike Japan Digital Team. Nice, simple, and intelligent work.
Posted by richard ting at November 04, 2005, 06:57 AM
October 19, 2005
Zoom Lebron III Story on Nikebasketball.com
The Zoom Lebron III feature just launched on nikebasketball.com yesterday and they added a super cool feature called, 'Blog This' that allows bloggers to instantly copy and paste code into their blogs. Once the code is in place, the latest Zoom Lebron III video plays directly in your site. Check that out and btw, the video is hot, hot, hot. Big up to Cartman and crew!
Visit nikebasketball.com for the full Zoom Lebron III story.
Posted by richard ting at October 19, 2005, 03:34 PM
Lebron Talk - The Ultimate Lebron James Site
Check out this crazy Lebron James fan site. The site's only been live for a few weeks, but there's already a ton of content up there. Peep some of Lebron's new kicks and his wallpapers. There are some photos currently up there of the DJ AM Zoom Lebron III Wooden Box promo and the Zoom Lebron III - White/Red Laser.
Posted by richard ting at October 19, 2005, 01:13 AM
The Munny Show - November 3rd - 3 Cities
The Munny Show kicks off on November 3rd in NYC, LA, and SF. It's a super amazing charity event to benefit the children affected by Hurricane Katrina. Customize your own Munny.
Posted by richard ting at October 19, 2005, 12:59 AM
October 12, 2005
New Balance
Damn, I love these New Balance M1500s. New Balance is definitely releasing some fly shit these days. Check 'em out on the Swedish website, Sneakersnstuff.
Posted by richard ting at October 12, 2005, 12:28 PM
October 10, 2005
NAPSIZE.com
NAPSIZE.com is the Japanese equivalent of vintagekicks.com. There are no real deals on this site, but that's to be expected of a consignment store. NAPSIZE opened it's 'brick and mortar' doors in 1997 as a very small import shop in Tokyo that sold mainly Air Jordans and Air Max 95s. The NAPSIZE retail store has been a staple in the Japanese sneaker culture and has now opened it's doors to the overseas customers via it's web site. The site is put together in English and priced out in US dollars.
Posted by richard ting at October 10, 2005, 01:11 AM
October 05, 2005
BAPE for your Desktop
For all you stinking BAPE heads, check out the BAPE website. It only runs as a desktop executable which is a bit odd. Not sure why they wouldn't just run the site experience as a full-browser takeover? Anyway, the download-able is entertaining and well designed.
Download the bape.exe file right here.
Posted by richard ting at October 05, 2005, 02:01 PM
October 03, 2005
Sneaker Pimps NYC, 10/6/2005
COMPLEX is the media sponsor for this year's Sneaker Pimps event taking place at Avalon next Thursday, October 6 at 8 p.m. Featuring art installations by Methamphibian & SBTG, Dave White, Futura, NYC Lace, Doze Green, Shepard Fairey and a lot more. PLUS a special performance by none other than Public Enemy.
Posted by richard ting at October 03, 2005, 07:07 PM
Brian Jungen at New Museum of Contemporary Art
Brian Jungen
September 29 - December 31, 2005
New Museum of Contemporary Art / Chelsea
Air Jordans and plastic garden chairs morph into Aboriginal masks and skeletons in the work of Canadian artist Brian Jungen. Jungen's work explores the current tensions between indigenous and global cultures by transforming ordinary consumer goods into emblematic sculptures. This exhibition marks the first comprehensive survey of Jungen's work from the past ten years.
Find out more about Brian Jungen.
Posted by richard ting at October 03, 2005, 07:02 PM
September 26, 2005
NRF Championship Dunks
Check out the Championship Dunks that were designed for winner of the NRF (Nike Recess Federation) basketball league in NYC. The kicks were designed by the crew over at Staple Design.
Posted by richard ting at September 26, 2005, 02:54 PM
September 24, 2005
Nike Shox Video from Italy
Here's a Nike Shox video from MTV Italy that my good friend, Joseph Cartman, sent to me. It's for their Invidia product line.
Posted by richard ting at September 24, 2005, 02:45 PM
August 29, 2005
Complex Sneaker Guide
This has probably been on-line for a while, but I just came across it last night. It's a nice comprehensive buyer's guide with some hot images of the Visvim FBT, multiple Vans slip-ons, and of course a wide variety of NIKE's.
Posted by richard ting at August 29, 2005, 04:43 PM
August 25, 2005
Employee NIKEiD Dunks
There's been some major buzz around the Limited Edition NIKEiD Dunks that were recently awarded to employees involved with the recent NIKEiD.com site launch. Only 300 of these shoes exist and they're pretty fly with gum soles, black suede, orange mesh inner, gold swoosh, and gold/tan laces. Thanks to real estate mogul, ltjbukem for the images.
Here's the thread on Niketalk.
Here's the thread on Freshnessmag.
Check out NIKEiD.com
Posted by richard ting at August 25, 2005, 12:18 PM
August 11, 2005
Ladykickz Lives
Ladykickz is finally up and running. It's a new entry into the sneaker blogosphere, but with a female's perspective. Show her some love and bookmark the site.
Posted by richard ting at August 11, 2005, 08:09 PM
August 09, 2005
Nike Logos
Thanks to our friends at Freshnessmag for sending me this link. If you're ever in need of some Nike Logos, then check out this site. Everything from Tiger Woods to Nike Football to Nike Digital.
Check out the site.
Posted by richard ting at August 09, 2005, 07:10 PM
July 29, 2005
Borf Arrested in D.C.
The mysterious, ubiquitous and eminently destructive graffiti artist known as Borf was arrested yesterday after waging a months-long campaign that may have been intended to enlighten Washington, but mostly just confused us.
The man primarily responsible for Borf is, it turns out, an 18-year-old art student from Great Falls named John Tsombikos, according to D.C. police inspector Diane Groomes. He was arrested along with two other young men in the wee hours of yesterday morning after officers received a tip that graffiti artists were spray-painting at Seventh and V streets NW.
Posted by richard ting at July 29, 2005, 11:37 AM
July 24, 2005
Who's Afraid of Niketown?
Who's afraid of Niketown?
Nike-urbanism, branding and the city of tomorrow
by Friedrich Von Borries
[review by Riba Bookshops]
Who’s afraid of Niketown? illustrates the way Nike is transforming urban space into a new brand city. In his persuasive analyses, Friedrich von Borries is able to demonstrate this process with astonishing concreteness. He proceeds not just analytically, but also undertakes speculative excursions into the future. This approach endows his detailed investigations of contemporary marketing strategies with their forcefulness.
Nike has developed new marketing strategies during the last years which focus on the temporary transformation of urban space into brand-specific sites of experience. By looking at Nike’s strategies of urban interventions, this publication investigates the role that branding and marketing strategies will have on the city of the future as well as the responsibilities architects involved in the projects will have.
Posted by richard ting at July 24, 2005, 06:15 PM
July 22, 2005
nikebasketball.com/nyc
This for all the NYC Basketball heads out there. nikebasketball.com just launched a NYC-based version of it's site. It's got some information around the hot NYC leagues such as Pro City, West 4th, and Dyckman. There are also player profiles around NYC playground legends like God Shammgod, Fly Williams, and Junie Sanders. The comprehensive league schedules are a nice feature given that during the past few summers it's been almost impossible to get your hands on these schedules.
Posted by richard ting at July 22, 2005, 06:28 PM
July 21, 2005
Nike Air Max Video
Here's a NIKE AIR MAX instore video that my good friend, Joseph Cartman, found on onesize's site. It's a new piece to introduce the re-release of the Nike Air Max series, including the new "blackpack" edition.
Posted by richard ting at July 21, 2005, 10:49 PM
July 13, 2005
Shin Tanaka
Shin Tanaka is exhibiting his paper AF1 collection at VACANT CHICAGO from JULY 8th to JULY 29th. You can download the PAPER AF1 template from his site and send your designed AF1 .pdf template file to info@govacant.com. The best entries will be on display at the Vacant Chicago exhibition.
Posted by richard ting at July 13, 2005, 08:09 PM
July 12, 2005
Five Three Footwear
All shoes are hand designed by Seth Brau. The process begins with an all white Vans shoe in either a slipon, authentic or chukka boot. Using fabric markers Seth creates a unique and original design that covers the entire shoe. Every pair is completely one of a kind, no pair is ever repeated ensuring 100% uniqueness.
Posted by richard ting at July 12, 2005, 08:56 PM
July 06, 2005
Sneaker Freaker 6 Launches
Thursday July 7
LONDON :: 6.30-10pm :: Glorias, Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane E1
Co-presented by FEIT.
Friday July 8
AMSTERDAM :: 6-10pm :: 90 square meters - Levantplein 52
Presented by Endorsed
Posted by richard ting at July 06, 2005, 12:47 PM
June 29, 2005
Ultimate Sneaker Bracket on ESPN.com
ESPN is running now sneaker culture programs on it's site as well as on-air. All summer on ESPN2, it's running the program, "It's the Shoes" hosted by Bobbito Garcia. It's the Shoes will visit the sneaker collections of Allen Iverson, Nelly, Michael Vick and others throughout the summer. The show airs as part of ESPN2's "Block Party" each Tuesday night (Wednesday morning) at 1:30 a.m.
Also, Page 2 on ESPN.com is running a campaign to find the greatest sneaker of all time. Page 2's panel of sneaker freaks selected 48 classic athletic shoes and seeded three regions: the Old School Hoops Region, New School Hoops Region, and Non-Hoops Region. Visitors to the site are invited to place their votes.
Posted by richard ting at June 29, 2005, 03:42 AM
June 25, 2005
Rize the Movie - Opens 6/24
Krumping mixes a frenetic style of dancing with clown-derived make-up and a theatricality that blends pantomime and performance art. It's telling that this new hip-hop-related art form was conceived and popularized in Hollywood's backyard, and yet only a few mass media outlets have reported on this phenomenon — until now. David LaChapelle's hyperkinetic documentary, Rize, examines this extraordinary new dance scene, depicting not only its popularity in South Central LA, but also the ways that it has changed the lives of the district's denizens.
Posted by richard ting at June 25, 2005, 10:27 PM
June 22, 2005
NikeiD.com Wins Distinguished Silver in Industrial Design Excellence Awards Competition
R/GA, the New York-based interactive advertising agency, today announced NikeiD.com won a silver award in the Digital Media category at the 25th Annual Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), one of the world's most prestigious design competitions. Co-sponsored by BusinessWeek and the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), the competition honored last year's iteration of NikeiD.com, which was relaunched in March 2005. NikeiD.com empowers consumers with freedom of expression, allowing them to custom-design, personalize and purchase footwear and gear. R/GA worked closely with Nike to implement breakthrough uses for the Flash platform, producing a site that dispels the myths of incompatibility between Flash and commerce. A major part of this development was creating an innovative four-step build process that was fast and intuitive, while encouraging users to play with multiple designs. This fun experience was augmented with features for consumers to store favorite designs in personal "lockers" and share feedback with friends via email.
Read the BusinessWeek writeup.
Posted by richard ting at June 22, 2005, 03:08 AM
June 01, 2005
Just Do It Yourself
Brooklyn based blogger, Set Speed, was kind enough to forward over this article from this past Sunday's NYTimes Magazine. Eventhough, Nike's new NIKEiD.com advertising campaign seems to have reached critical mass across the media waves the last few weeks, this article gives some nice insight into the 'influencer-centric' design studio that they have set up at the 255 Elizabeth space in NYC. Give it a read.
[from NYTimes Magazine]
By HORACIO SILVA
A store is born in New York about as often as a Broadway hopeful arrives at the Port Authority. These days, however, jaded consumers expect more boogie-woogie than the retail equivalent of a matinee for the blue-rinse set. Temporary guerrilla stores, traveling boutiques and hybrid emporiums, selling everything from Belgian fashion experimentalia to limited-edition Japanese toys, are just some of the novelties setting the stage for a serious denouement at the cash register.
So it should surprise exactly no one that the fad for members-only clubs now extends into the shopping arena. In the wake of exclusionary stores like Celux, the LVMH-owned retail club in Tokyo, Nike has opened the NIKE iD lab, a private design studio on Elizabeth Street complete with security guards to keep out the celebrity seekers and sneaker freakers who memorize bar codes and shrink-wrap their shoes for safekeeping.
Read more.
Posted by richard ting at June 01, 2005, 12:27 PM
May 27, 2005
Free NIKE Free's in Times Square !!
This Friday, May 27th:
To celebrate the last day of the NIKEiD billboard in Times Square, Nike is hosting the NIKE FREE for ALL...
From 1pm - 5pm every free shoe created at Times Square will be produced for the consumer/creator for free.
As has been done throughout the execution, consumers dial the number noted on the board and are prompted to create their shoe. Five people can be waiting on hold (before a busy sign is received). Then once the consumer designs their FREE kick, they will receive a text message to their cell phone - the same as what's been done before BUT this time with a single use comp code where they can place their Nike FREE shoe order.
Posted by richard ting at May 27, 2005, 12:17 PM
May 26, 2005
The Jordan Source
Could this be the same guys that bought us Kicksfinder.com?
The JordanSource is an eBay visual search utility for all things Michael Jordan.
Posted by richard ting at May 26, 2005, 08:16 PM
May 20, 2005
NIKE iD Blog Contest
Here's some background on the contest:
NIKE iD approached 20 of the internet's greatest purveyors of sneaker culture and issued a challenge: design the hottest shoe on the information superhighway. The shoes are now live on the NIKEiD site and users can go to the site and vote for their favorite shoe design.
I'm backing my friends at FRESHNESSMAG.com. Follow this link and show them some love. Voting ends on June 3rd.
Posted by richard ting at May 20, 2005, 05:12 PM
May 19, 2005
Sneakers: The Complete Collectors' Guide
From the Unorthodox Styles crew that produces the Crookedtongues.com site comes the book, 'Sneakers: The Complete Collectors' Guide.' It's an encyclopaedic guide, with more than 500 specially taken color photographs which displays over 180 sneaker designs that have made a mark on sneaker culture worldwide. There are examples to delight both the novice collector and the hard-core sneaker freak, from acknowledged classics like the Converse All Star to the latest Nike Air technology.
Unorthodox Styles is a London-based creative consultancy, specializing in graphic design, Web design, and photography. It is the producer of Crookedtongues.com, the leading online sneaker resource.
Posted by richard ting at May 19, 2005, 10:52 AM
May 13, 2005
NKE 6.0
|
|
NKE 6.0 is a youth movement and product line that is committed to the progression of action sports. Action sports have evolved in a short period of time. Spawned from personal expression and innovation they challenge our ideas of what is possible.
Posted by richard ting at May 13, 2005, 04:53 PM
May 05, 2005
Co-Opting Street Art on the LES
[via Curbed]
Finally, a truce in the ongoing struggle between art and commerce. After recent battles went both ways (Yay art! Yay, um, commerce!), the always level-headed Lower East Side weighs-in with a solution: Why not celebrate both? This newish Ludlow St. mural manages to do just that, expressing its bleak view of the urban jungle while also managing to pinpoint the exact location of Eldridge Street sneakerhead Mecca Nort. It's a beautiful thing when two opposing sides can come together like this, all in the name of Nike.
Posted by richard ting at May 05, 2005, 01:47 PM
Nike Decides Not to Do Business With Sears
[from nytimes.com]
By NAT IVES
Published: May 5, 2005
NIKE'S decision to stop selling its sneakers and clothes at Sears is shining a spotlight on the impact retail environments have on marketers' brands.
Though the companies themselves have said little about the move, retail analysts quickly pronounced it a result of the Kmart Holding Corporation's $12 billion acquisition of Sears, Roebuck & Company in March.
Nike may have feared that its products would wind up for sale at Kmart, a discount chain, analysts said. If not, Nike may still have worried that Sears Holdings, the company that resulted from the Kmart-Sears combination, would undermine Nike's image.
When Sears Holdings was formed, its chief executive, Alan J. Lacy, said that the new company would offer a complete shopping solution. "Shoppers will have greater access to the leading proprietary brands of both Kmart and Sears," Mr. Lacy said. Kmart stores, for example, would be able to sell products once exclusive to Sears, like Craftsman tools and Kenmore appliances.
The cross-pollination, however, has yet to significantly improve the image of either chain.
At the same time, Nike has continued to pursue high-gloss ad campaigns. It is spending an estimated $20 million to $30 million, for example, on its warriors campaign that shows professional athletes donning masks.
In sum, Nike spent an estimated $220 million last year to advertise in major United States media, according to TNS Media Intelligence. It is also the runaway sales leader in its chief category. With about $3.2 billion in wholesale footwear sales last year, Nike represented 36.3 percent of the nation's $8.9 billion branded athletic shoe market, according to Sporting Goods Intelligence. Its next closest competitor, Reebok, had 12.2 percent of that market.
Read more.
Posted by richard ting at May 05, 2005, 01:02 PM
May 04, 2005
Converse One launches 'Design Your Own'
Converse just recently launched their 'Design your own' service. Go check out the site to personalize a pair of Chuck Taylors.
Posted by richard ting at May 04, 2005, 08:43 PM
May 03, 2005
Air Force 1 thread on Niketalk.com
|
|
|
|
Check out the Air Force 1 thread on Niketalk.com
Posted by richard ting at May 03, 2005, 02:59 PM
May 02, 2005
NIKEiD in Times Square, NYC
[from nypost.com]
For six years, Nike's iD division has let sneaker enthusiasts design their own shoes online with a few mouse clicks. Now the athletic apparel giant is taking the customization craze a step further through new technology and savvy marketing. Using their cellphones, Nike fans will be able to customize a pair of shoes displayed on a 22-story digital screen in the heart of Times Square. After their 60-second session, they can either download their design as mobile phone wallpaper or go online and buy the product.
The interactive experience — a blend of mobile marketing, online shopping and video gaming — underscores the challenge for Nike to innovate on both the design and technology fronts. "We've integrated different components of this from time to time but this is the first time we've brought it all together," said John Mayo-Smith, vice president of technology for R/GA, Nike's interactive ad agency.
Beyond that, Nike sees this as a way to experiment with new kinds of marketing. While it expects a lot of people will try their hand at designing, it hopes to capture the attention of millions. Nike is relaunching the iD program with a redesigned Web site and a marketing campaign that also involves TV spots, online ads and "wild postings" outdoors.
Read more.
More press from ClickZ.
Posted by richard ting at May 02, 2005, 01:49 PM
May 01, 2005
Limited Edition Slayer Old Skool from Vans
Posted by richard ting at May 01, 2005, 11:05 AM
April 20, 2005
A Graffiti Legend Is Back on the Street
|
|
[from nytimes.com]
He arrived on foot, and on time, wearing heavily grease-stained beige overalls and boots. He seemed to be in his late 30's or early 40's, with thinning light brown hair. He had the windburned eyes and blackened fingernails of an ironworker, along with the vaguely feral intensity of someone on the lam.
But he hardly looked like the kind of shadowy revolutionary figure who had once declared that his goal was to "tear the city to pieces and rebuild it." Now, he says, smiling weakly, "I stop at stop signs; I pay taxes; I get up and go to work and get a paycheck."
In the New York graffiti world of the early 1990's, he was everywhere and larger than life, sometimes literally: the name Revs, usually accompanied by that of his partner in crime, Cost, could be found scrawled, wheat-pasted or painted in gargantuan white letters on overpasses, walls and roofs from SoHo to northern New Jersey. The work upended many traditional notions of graffiti and helped inspire a new generation of so-called street artists.
Then in late 1994 Cost was arrested for vandalism. Revs went underground and left the city for Alaska. And when he returned, his work went mostly underground, too - into the subway, where he painted long, feverish diary entries worthy of a Dostoyevsky character on dozens of walls hidden deep inside the tunnels. (He called this a personal mission and said he did not care if anybody else saw them.)
But over the last few years, he has re-emerged into public view and reincarnated himself in a way few of his fans ever expected, as a legitimate and (mostly) law-abiding sculptor. He has made dozens of works using construction-grade steel and other metal parts and has sought the permission of building owners to weld and bolt them to the outsides of buildings in the meatpacking district, the East Village, the Gowanus Canal area and Dumbo, where the gentrifying but still half-deserted streets have become a veritable Revs gallery.
Yet unlike many former graffiti artists who have turned their street credibility into successful careers as graphic designers or youth-market branding gurus, Revs has continued to shun, angrily, the worlds of conventional art and commerce. He makes his living about as far from the art world as possible, as a union ironworker, surrounded by co-workers who mostly have no idea of his reputation as a near-mythical deity of the graffiti world. His only gallery show, in Philadelphia in 2000, was to raise money so he could pay a lawyer after he was arrested for the subway graffiti. Otherwise, he has refused to sell his work or take commissions for it.
Posted by richard ting at April 20, 2005, 12:44 PM
March 29, 2005
NIKEiD.com Global Re-launch
The newly redesigned NIKEiD.com site had it's global launch late last night. It's quite a premium experience with it's clean, sharp visual design, light page weights, ultra fast page loads, and smart interaction design. What an improvement over the last version of the site. Also, check out the new Collections section. It's hot as hell and for all those sneaker nerds out there, you can finally iD those dunks.
Posted by richard ting at March 29, 2005, 07:30 PM
March 21, 2005
Kicksfinder.com Updated
Our good friends at KICKSFINDER have recently updated their site with the latest SBs and a new Jordan section. Give them a look and for those that don't know already -- Kicksfinder is a visual ebay kicks search tool.
Posted by richard ting at March 21, 2005, 02:01 PM
New Huarache 2K5 Feature on Nikebasketball.com
March Madness is upon us and the new team oriented Air Zoom Huarache 2K5 feature has just launched on nikebasketball.com. Check out this feature which was designed by design superpower, R/GA. Nike was able to get our favorite Ghost Dog, Forest Whitaker, to chip in with the voice-over.
Posted by richard ting at March 21, 2005, 12:02 AM
March 20, 2005
For Kicks - From NYTimes Magazine
By ROB WALKER
Mark Ong was a sneakerhead -- that is, one of the thousands of people all over the world who talk and think about sneakers the way that Paul Giamatti's character in the movie ''Sideways'' talks and thinks about wine (only without chemical dependency or pointy-head metaphors about the meaning of life). Then, about a year and a half ago, a Web site called Niketalk held a contest, inviting readers to submit photographs of sneakers they had ''customized'' -- given new, hand-painted designs. Ong, a graphic designer, reworked a pair of white Air Force 1's with a safari-print graphic treatment adapted from a different Nike model, and he won. There was no prize, but it was the beginning of a new career. Now known as SBTG(pronounced ''sabotage''), Ong sells his customized Nikes for $350 a pair.
SBTG is not the first sneakerhead to, in effect, go pro. The most famous customizer is probably the Los Angeles-based artist who works under the name Methamphibian, whose shoes (or kicks, as they say) can go for $900 a pair and who is now designing sneakers that are scheduled to be produced by DC Shoes, which makes skateboarding shoes and apparel. But the story of SBTG affords a look at one facet of the sneaker phenomenon -- that is, the way that fashion and brand loyalty can come together in what might be considered the folk art of a consumer culture.
Ong works out of his apartment in Singapore, but his projects are transnational. After winning the Niketalk competition, he made a set of 72 pairs of sneakers for a store in Tokyo. He has since released sets with the Hong Kong toymaker adFunture and a London D.J. called Unkle. For Sneaker Freaker magazine, based in Melbourne, Australia, he contributed a step-by-step customizing guide and executed a custom Nike Dunk co-branded with the sponsor Tiger Beer. His shoes are included in the world-traveling sneaker gallery show Sneaker Pimps (sponsored in part by the Finish Line retail chain), and he is starting an apparel line, Royalefam, with Ambush, a Singapore boutique. ''Right up to this day, I still think that it feels kind of surreal,'' SBTG told me recently of his transition from fan to brand.
SBTG's first official U.S. sneaker release last year was at Packer Shoes in Teaneck, N.J. A boutique-style shop that looks as if it belongs in Lower Manhattan, Packer is a spinoff of a family-owned Yonkers store; Michael Packer, who runs the Teaneck store, explained that his father had one of the first Nike accounts in New York. On the night the shoes were released, a couple dozen sneakerheads journeyed to Teaneck and bought most of the 24 pairs of the SBTG X Packer Desert Mayhems.
Sneaker enthusiasm has a long history. Consumers have blurred the lines between athletic gear and stylish streetwear. Sneaker makers have responded by stoking the market for status-giving scarcity by producing limited-edition models that can draw small mobs (although it's likely that the mobs are mostly sneakerpreneurs who then flip their purchases on eBay for huge markups). Perhaps customizing, the popularity of which is growing, gives consumers more control over what makes a product special.
Maybe the strangest thing about the sneaker subculture is that Nike, a mainstream megabrand, is not shunned like mainstream merlot in ''Sideways'' but is at the center of the action. Niketalk.com was not founded by and is not moderated by the company but rather by a handful of dedicated sneaker fanatics who swap news, gossip and opinions about Nike products. Alex Wang, better known in the sneaker community as Retrokid, is an administrator of the site and is another sneaker enthusiast who has gone pro, as the creative director of the magazine Sole Collector. He says Nike is not directly involved in the site, though people at the company read it, and it's widely believed that some of them post. (Nike declined to comment for this column.) Nevertheless, it's essentially a community of brand fans, with more than 35,000 registered users. It's as if a computer-hacker subculture developed around a devotion to Microsoft products. SBTG says he has had only limited contact with Nike, but so far it is the only brand of sneaker he has worked on. ''It's got nice lines, nice space, it looks right; it sort of motivates me,'' he says. ''It's the perfect canvas.''
Posted by richard ting at March 20, 2005, 12:54 PM
March 19, 2005
New SB Line
 |
 |
 |
 |
The new Nike SB line just recently launched. Above are the images of the Zoom Mopione, Air Mopit, and Vuldor. I'm not so crazy about the logos on the tongues.
Posted by richard ting at March 19, 2005, 12:13 AM
March 06, 2005
saturday-london
Check out some of the Zvezdochka installation photographs on the saturday-london website. The saturday-london website may also be of interest to you designers out there. It's another site that is using the zooming in and out navigation. Well executed and smooth to use.
Posted by richard ting at March 06, 2005, 03:48 PM
March 01, 2005
Nike Considered
Consider History. Consider The Present. Consider The Future.
CONSIDERED Exhibition @ Reed Space. Shoes that look different because they're made different. An inside look at the evolution of Considered Design.
Opening Reception
Thursday March 3rd, 2005 // 7pm-10pm
RSVP Required: mrreed@stapledesign.com (include your shirt/shoe size)
*** SPACE IS LIMITED ***
View invite: http://www.thereedspace.com
Made possible by:
Nike / www.nikeconsidered.com
Staple Design /www.stapledesign.com
Posted by richard ting at March 01, 2005, 02:01 AM
February 24, 2005
Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation
Check out the new book written by Jeff Chang. Here's the review from Booklist.
Hip-hop aesthetics pervade not just pop music but also pop culture, though many still find their appeal a cipher. Chang details the rise of hip-hop and rap from their origins as cultural expressions of the marginalized underclass in Kingston, Jamaica, where bass-heavy, stripped-down sounds and pointed lyrics predominated. There DJ Kool Herc, the nearly undisputed founder of rap, found inspiration and brought the freewheeling Jamaican styles to the Bronx, where they and he found favor with the locals at mid-1970s street parties. Herc's "four hip-hop elements"--DJing, B-Boying, MCing, and graffiti--quickly took hold, and hip-hop culture flourished as a youthful underclass' DIY mode of expression. Hip-hop didn't grow or operate in a vacuum, however, and Chang shows how political and social events affected and were affected by hip-hop's progress. For instance, in Loop (i.e., chapter) 1, he strings together Jackie Robinson, Adam Clayton Powell, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Reggie Jackson, Billy Martin, and rampant arson in the Bronx to explain hip-hop's U.S. emergence. A fascinating, far-reaching must for pop-music and pop-culture collections. Mike Tribby
Posted by richard ting at February 24, 2005, 02:33 PM
February 23, 2005
Sneaker Riot
[from the NYPost]
Talk about sneaker wars. Customers on the Lower East Side were duking it out in the street yesterday over a limited-edition Nike Pigeon (NYC) Dunk skateboarding shoe.
Not even Big 'Twoine — the 300-pound bouncer hired to keep order — was able to control the dozens of "sneakerheads" who rushed the door at The Reed Space store at 10:30 a.m. yesterday.
When tempers flared, cops were called to restore order. It was all in the name of target marketing and the desire to be the first.
"It was kind of crazy," said Nico Reyes, a store manager. Reyes said a fight broke out after a bunch of people tried to skip the line that snaked outside the Orchard Street store.
Posted by richard ting at February 23, 2005, 12:10 AM
February 11, 2005
Really Hot Japanese Sneaker Site
|  |
 |  |
 |  |
I came across this really hot Japanese sneaker site that has a vast archive of old-school and limited edition Nikes.
Posted by richard ting at February 11, 2005, 04:11 PM
February 09, 2005
Sneaker Art from Fresh Heir Studios
Thanks to the guys from Fresh Heir studios for sending over some samples of their work. These cats from Northern New Jersey are working hard to crank out a new line of Spring 2005 t-shirts for their Dinamik Cover clothing line. Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for further updates.
Check out the Dinamik Cover site.
Check out the Fresh Heir site.
Posted by richard ting at February 09, 2005, 12:42 AM
January 30, 2005
More Photos from Lebron Chamber of Fear NYC Event
Posted by richard ting at January 30, 2005, 11:10 PM
January 29, 2005
Metrodotpop NIKEid - Air Max 180
The Air Max 180 Artist Collaboration site designed by interactive design powerhouse, R/GA, went live a few weeks ago. On the site, users can order special fun packs which consist of one preconfigured Air Max 180 shoe and the one 180 artist collab t-shirt. The 4 artist collab t-shirts were designed by the likes of Alphonse Holtgreve, Ojas, Marcello Morandini, and Ralph Steadman.
Posted by richard ting at January 29, 2005, 07:03 PM
January 28, 2005
Lebron James Chamber of Fear NYC Event
Here are some photos from tonight's event. I'll write more about it and post more photos later today. Good night.
Posted by richard ting at January 28, 2005, 01:19 AM
January 27, 2005
Picks of the Week - Week 3
The Zoom Lebron II's are a necessity for any collection out there. It's a basketball shoe, but could easily double as a skater shoe. Remove the ankle strap to expose the special Lebron etched pattern. The Adidas Men's KG Attitude looks to have been inspired by the old shool classic, the Adidas Men's Forum ST. Equal hot-ness, give them both a look. Lastly, I round out my picks with the Nike Men's Air Max Turbulence. We all love our active life shoes and our basketball shoes, but every once in a while you need to insert a smooth, sleek running shoe into the mix. Support our sponsor and check out some of these hot kicks on Eastbay. Peace.
Zoom Lebron II | Adidas Men's Forum ST |
Nike Men's Air Max Turbulence | Adidas Men's KG Attitude |
Posted by richard ting at January 27, 2005, 12:20 AM
January 23, 2005
Nike Hypes released at the Lebron event in San Francisco
[also posted on niketalk.com and 5th-dimension.info]
Posted by richard ting at January 23, 2005, 05:40 PM
January 20, 2005
Nike Dunk Low Desmond - at 255 Event
 |
 |
 |
So, I managed to make it out to the Nike 255 Event last night and I was pleasantly surprised to be on the receiving end of some free Nike giveaways. Nike hooked up a good majority of those in attendance with a free pair of Nike Dunk Low Desmonds and a free NikeiD messenger bag. Each pair of the Dunks were individually numbered with a unique laser etching along the sides of the shoe. (see above images) Every NikeiD messenger bag given out was also unique. They were made out of old Nike advertising signage materials similar to the Freitag messenger bags that are made out of old tarpulin. The giveaways and the event were hot, thanks Nike.
Posted by richard ting at January 20, 2005, 11:58 PM
January 19, 2005
LeBron Campaign and QR Codes in Japan
 | |
 |  |
This posting could have easily been posted within the mobility, design, and advertising sections of this site. It's the Asian print campaign for Lebron James' Chamber of Fear. The main difference between the U.S. prints ads and the Japan print ads is that in Japan the user can link to a i-Mode site from the QR Code. All the user needs to do is photograph the QR Code using his/her compatible mobile phone. Once the QR Code is photographed, the user's i-Mode (WAP) browser is launched and the user is taken directly to the nikebasketball.com site on his/her phone. It's a cool idea, but let's not hold our breath about QR codes popping up in U.S. advertisements anytime soon. Most U.S. mobile phones are still not QR code compatible and WAP penetration amongst users still stands at a lowly 15%.
Check out Lebron James in the Chamber of Fear.
Posted by richard ting at January 19, 2005, 11:31 AM
January 17, 2005
Upcoming Spring 2005 Nike SBs
Posted by richard ting at January 17, 2005, 01:36 PM
January 16, 2005
Picks of the Week - Week 2
Here are some more non-Nike old school kicks that I found on Eastbay. I'm still a big fan of the original Pump performance shoe that was introduced by Reebok back in 1989 and worn by Dee Brown when he won the Slam-Dunk Contest back in 1991. The Adidas Fleetwood Lo was also designed with Run DMC in the mid '80s. It's a basketball classic that features snakeskin quarter panels.
Rbk Men's Pump Omni |
New Balance Men's 1500 |
Adidas Men's Fleetwood Lo |
Puma Men's TX 3 |
Posted by richard ting at January 16, 2005, 05:10 PM
January 13, 2005
Nike Dunk - NYC edition
Only 150 pairs of these worldwide and they're selling for well over $1000 on eBay.
Posted by richard ting at January 13, 2005, 01:04 AM
January 12, 2005
Jewelry Designer - Gabriel Urist
Here are some images of sneaker necklaces from jewelry designer, Gabriel Urist.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Posted by richard ting at January 12, 2005, 11:59 PM
January 11, 2005
Picks of the Week - Week 1
These are some old-school Fila joints from way back in the day. If you were a breaker, a b-boy, or a graf head, then you most likely had a pair of these in your closet. Eastbay is still selling these kicks at regular price. To find out more, just click on any thumbnails below. Enjoy.
Fila Men's F89 Mid
 |
Fila Men's F-13
 |
Fila Men's Original Fitness
 |
Fila Men's F13
 |
Posted by richard ting at January 11, 2005, 01:24 AM
January 08, 2005
The Corgishoe Collection
[found on Josh Rubin - cool hunting]
Last summer, The Hundreds visited and documented Corgishoe, a sneaker afficionado with a sneaker collection topping off in the thousands. His collection his unmatched by anyone in the game and to top it off he hasn't even worn any of his sneakers.
Posted by richard ting at January 08, 2005, 03:11 PM
January 07, 2005
Superstar 35 - City Series
|
|
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Superstar, Adidas has put together this anniversary site tracing the history, designs, and culture around one of the world's most famous shoes. The latest city shoe releases around this campaign include Berlin, London, Paris, New York City, Boston, Tokyo, and Buenos Aires.
Posted by richard ting at January 07, 2005, 02:49 PM
January 06, 2005
kicksfinder.com - searching ebay for you
Props go out to the cats that have devised this quick and easy eBay search tool. It's super easy to use with extremely relevant search results.
Posted by richard ting at January 06, 2005, 02:30 PM
December 26, 2004
Pulsation giveaway cards
I picked up a set of Pulsation giveaway cards the other night at the Mark Dean Veca exhibition hosted by Creative Time at the Nike 255 energy center in NYC. You can check 'em out in this little flash player along with a few pictures that I snapped myself. Judging from the underwhelming amount of bids listed on the bid sheets, I'm expecting that the overall auction was a bust. I was tempted to under bid on a few items and then flip them on Ebay, but I decided against it. Anyway, the event was attended by your usual industry p.r. heads with a sprinkling of Nike marketing cats. The space was laid out nicely and the products were actually worth a glance. The overall craftsmanship on the products was stellar.
Posted by richard ting at December 26, 2004, 11:35 PM
December 22, 2004
Japan Nike Dunk
I found this image on 5th dimension with an accompanying link to a Japanese site that features an assortment of crazy color combinations for the Nike Dunk and AF1s.
Posted by richard ting at December 22, 2004, 07:57 PM
December 19, 2004
New Dunk Low - Baroque Brown
Check out more pictures at 5th Dimension.
Posted by richard ting at December 19, 2004, 01:30 AM
December 14, 2004
Pulsation - an installation by Mark Dean Veca
|
|
|
255 Elizabeth Street (between Houston & Prince Street), NYC
Benefit Reception
Monday, December 20, 2004
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm cocktails & hors d'oeuvres
9:30 pm silent auction closes
by invitation only, to RSVP please contact: laurie@markdeanveca.com
In this exhibition Brooklyn based artist Mark Dean Veca combines an all-encompassing painted environment with limited edition Nike products and an edition of screenprints published by the Lower East Side Printshop. The prints and the Nike products (pictured left) were created by Veca exclusively for this show and will be available for sale and auction. All proceeds will be generously donated to Creative Time, a non-profit public arts organization. For more information on Creative Time, please visit: www.creativetime.org
Posted by richard ting at December 14, 2004, 04:35 PM
December 09, 2004
China hates them, but download the NYC Chamber of Fear giveaways here
China bans controversial Nike advertisement
China has banned a Nike television commercial showing U.S. basketball star LeBron James in a battle with animated cartoon kung fu masters and two dragons, saying the advertisement insults Chinese national dignity. The State Advertisement Administration for Radio, Film and Television posted a statement on its website Monday, saying the advertisement violates regulations that mandate that all advertisements in China should uphold national dignity and interest and respect national culture.
It also goes against rules that require advertisements not to contain content that insults national practices and cultures. The advertisement has received an indignant response from Chinese viewers. Nike spokesman Maurice Zhou says the company has no response except to say that it will respect the government's decision.
The commercial, titled "Chamber of Fear," was broadcast on local Chinese stations and on state television's national sports channel before being pulled last month. The commercial shows James in a video game-style setting defeating the kung fu master, two women in traditional Chinese attire and a pair of dragons, considered a sacred symbol in traditional Chinese culture.
DOWNLOAD THE GIVEAWAYS HERE.
Download the PC Screensaver.
Download the MAC OS 9 Screensaver.
Download the MAC OS X Screensaver.
MANHATTAN
Download the Buddy Icon.
Download the Wallpaper.
STATEN ISLAND
Download the Buddy Icon.
Download the Wallpaper.
BRONX
Download the Buddy Icon.
Download the Wallpaper.
BROOKLYN
Download the Buddy Icon.
Download the Wallpaper.
QUEENS
Download the Buddy Icon.
Download the Wallpaper.
Posted by richard ting at December 09, 2004, 12:25 PM
December 07, 2004
SBX - Film Screening at the Bronx Museum
SBX FILM SCREENING
Wednesday, December 8, 6-8:00pm
Join us for a screening of SBX, a hip-hop musical/short film shot in the heart of the South Bronx, where it all began. The film features an all-star cast of some of the founding lyricists of hip-hop: Lord Finesse, Percee P, Show & AG, Party Arty, D-Flow, and a special guest appearance by Edan. SBX also features original footage from the legendary Lord Finesse vs. Percee P battle, circa 1989.
Running time: 30 min
The film will be screened at 6:15 & 7:00pm
FREE
Posted by richard ting at December 07, 2004, 10:55 AM
December 05, 2004
Converse Gallery
Users can submit a 24 second film that embodies the values and spirit of Converse. In short, tell the story of what Converse stands for.
The most favorite submission can win up to $10,000.
Posted by richard ting at December 05, 2004, 02:21 PM
December 01, 2004
CALL FOR FRESH WORKS
Submission deadline: December 17, 2004
Exhibition dates: April 21-June 4, 2005
Location: Media Lounge at the New Museum of Contemporary Art
Fresh- is a special showcase opportunity for emerging New York-based
artists working in all aspects of the digital medium. This exhibition
evolved from the successful Digital Culture Evening Fresh of Fall 2003, which acted as a critical development workshop for selected graduates of interdisciplinary design programs with a focus on new media. Fresh was organized in collaboration with independent curator Michele Thursz and Mark Tribe, Founder of Rhizome.org.
We invite submissions from artists producing the most engaging digital work and welcome a wide range of projects from spatial/architectural installations and networked objects to playful games and websites. Cross-disciplinary approaches are encouraged. The exhibition aims to provoke critical discussion about innovation and current movements in the field that blur boundaries, for example, between art/architecture/new media, or that result in new forms of artistic production.
Please consider these following factors for your installations. The
projects should:
o Take the factor of public display into account, as the work should be designed for exhibition in the Media Lounge. (Please see the floor plan in the appendix).
o Provide detailed instructions regarding the installation and
operation of the work. Depending on the nature of the submissions, the exhibition will either take the form of a group show or two to three separate installations between April-June.
What the New Museum will provide:
o Necessary PC based systems, audio and video equipment and the cabling for the installation. Please refer to the current technical capabilities (please contact transmission@newmuseum.org for up to date information)
o Various computers Pentium III 750Mhz, 256MB Ram, 32 MB screen card, sound card, dvd player, windows 98 or 2000 Pentium 4 1.2 GHz, 256MB Ram, 32 MB screen card, sound card, dvd player, windows 98, 2000 or XP
o 1000lumens AND 2300lumens projectors that are all 800x600 native resolution
o 5 42” plasma screens 16x9 ratio, 2 60" plasma screen 16x9 ratio, and 6-7 15” plasma monitors
o Sound systems: JBL shelf speakers, Bose shelf speakers, 1 dolby surround amp, and many stereo amps.
o Internet connection of Business DSL 1,5Mbps
Application form
Please read the requirements above before you complete this form. If
you have any questions about the application process or the feasibility of your proposal, then please email us at fresh@newmuseum.org. Once completed, please send your form along with materials to:
fresh@newmuseum.org or Fresh/ Education and New Media Programs/ New Museum
210 11th Avenue 2nd Floor
NYC 10001
Name of artist/collaborator
Contact email / cell phone #
Biographical information [max 200 words]
Statement on your current artistic practice [max 500 words]
Samples of most current and related work
[This can include: images + media samples on-line]
Proposed project
[This should include: Concept/Context/Use of Technology/ max 1000
words]
Requirements/ Instructions on the Installation and Operation of the
Work
Additional supporting information
Timeline
Deadline for submissions: December 17, 2004.
Review of projects: January 7, 2005
Announcement of successful proposals by: January 12, 2005
Launch: April 21, 2005
Posted by richard ting at December 01, 2004, 07:48 AM
November 26, 2004
Nike Hijacks Clear Channel’s Ad Panels in Singapore
On the morning of 8 Nov, the phone at Clear Channel’s head office rang non stop. Concerned advertisers, agencies and business partners called to inform us of the messy pasting of A2 size posters on many ad panels all over the island. This massive vandalism of the bus shelter panels is believed to be the work of fanatic basketball fans.
Instead of causing distraught, these calls actually brought smiles to our faces. Clear Channel had actually “colluded” with these “vandals” over the weekend. 700 ad panels across the island were “hijacked” – instead of having a poster sit nicely inside the glass panel, film posters with LeBron James were slapped haphazardly onto the surface of the panels.
The LeBron James (who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers) film posters were “wild-posted” to make it appear as if some mad basketball fans have hijacked the frames overnight. The idea is to do something naughty like wild-postings to disrupt the neat environment of Singapore and to impress the kids.
This “vandalism” campaign is a collaboration between Clear Channel and Nike to dominate the island by wild-posting 700 bus shelter ads, the first time a campaign of such magnitude and nature was executed in Singapore. The attention and concern the campaign brought pointed to its success. A new wave of vandalism with new film posters will hit town on 13 Nov.
The LeBron James “Chamber of Fear” campaign was a recent launch by Nike which features LeBron as the Newest Action Hero. The strategy is to establish LeBron as the “King” of the game and get the kids in Singapore to know about him. The creative inspiration came from the 1970s Hong Kong kung-fu movies and Japanese Anime films and pays homage to Asian-style film posters. Nike had a challenging task of using traditional outdoor media to execute the highly stylized campaign with deep connections to Asian roots.
Clear Channel was thus selected to deliver a high-impact, massive reach to their target audience – Singapore basketballers aged 13 to 20 years old. “The idea is to do something naughty like wild-postings to disrupt the neat environment of Singapore and stay in line with the street-feel of this LeBron James basketball campaign. This wild-posting execution was possible through collaboration with Clear Channel, who was willing to ‘risk the status quo’ and try out this new domination tactic with Nike,” said Ann Kositchotitana, Marketing Communications Manager of Nike Singapore. The two weeks campaign on Clear Channel ad panels ran from 6 Nov to 19 Nov. The LeBron James Chamber of Fear film posters were created by Wienden + Kennedy. Mindshare Singapore handled the media buying & the wild-posting outdoor strategy originated from Ogilvy RedCard. Other mediums that the campaign went on include TV, print, online (nikebasketball.com.sg) as well as film posters that are distributed at Nike retail stores.
Posted by richard ting at November 26, 2004, 07:19 PM
November 19, 2004
NikeiD Building a Colorful Future
Arcana Digital once again teamed up with Nike’s Creative Director Andy Walker in the US to put together another impressive fusion of slick 2d graphics, live action footage, CG character animation and dynamic particle effects to produce this three minute sequence.
“Some people see the world in black and white….And some people don’t!” was the ethos behind the video’s concept.
The purpose of the three minute sequence was to advertise Nikes personalised footwear and sports gear service which is currently available on line.
Posted by richard ting at November 19, 2004, 03:55 PM
November 18, 2004
The Daily Snkr Blog
Cool French sneaker blog.
Posted by richard ting at November 18, 2004, 02:31 PM
November 15, 2004
New Adidas Campaign
This is a pretty cool campaign on the Adidas site celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Superstar.
Posted by richard ting at November 15, 2004, 11:57 PM
November 14, 2004
Playstation Gran Turismo and Nike
|
|
Posted by richard ting at November 14, 2004, 11:45 PM
November 13, 2004
Ice Cream Sneakers = Lame Marketing Gimmick
The 2nd edition of the the Ice Creams are coming out this week.
Unfortunately, I can't stand these shoes. What bothers me about the shoe is not only limited to the aesthetics of the shoe, but also the underlying marketing gimmick that these shoes represent. In my eyes, this is a sign that collecting sneakers is no longer about finding the rare old school joints or just finding a shoe that fits your flow. It's about big business where savvy marketing creates such hype and demand around such a lame excuse for a shoe that everyone wants a pair. Sneakerheads need to open their eyes and get back to the basics because we shouldn't be down with this 'shit for sale'.
Posted by richard ting at November 13, 2004, 04:41 PM
JB Classics
[featured in YI]
JB Classics: Running his designer sneaker operation under the moniker “The Modern Day Cobbler”, JB’s independent sneaker line is wearable art. A division of The KDU global creative collective, JB Classics are stylish, unique, limited edition kicks you probably won’t see on many feet but your own.
Posted by richard ting at November 13, 2004, 04:36 PM
November 04, 2004
Nike Shoxploitation
Campaign was created by Odopod and Psyop.tv.
Check out the Nike Shoxploitation site.
Posted by richard ting at November 04, 2004, 03:55 PM
November 03, 2004
Chocolate AF1s.
I love these kicks. I found these images on 5th-dimension.info.
Posted by richard ting at November 03, 2004, 02:59 PM
November 01, 2004
How Nike Figured Out China
The China market is finally for real. To the country's new consumers, Western products mean one thing: status. They can't get enough of those Air Jordans
By MATTHEW FORNEY
Nike swung into action even before most Chinese knew they had a new hero. The moment hurdler Liu Xiang became the country's first Olympic medalist in a short-distance speed event — he claimed the gold with a new Olympic record in the 110-m hurdles on Aug. 28--Nike launched a television advertisement in China showing Liu destroying the field and superimposed a series of questions designed to set nationalistic teeth on edge. "Asians lack muscle?" asked one. "Asians lack the will to win?" Then came the kicker, as Liu raised his arms above the trademark Swoosh on his shoulder: "Stereotypes are made to be broken." It was an instant success. "Nike understands why Chinese are proud," says Li Yao, a weekend player at Swoosh-bedecked basketball courts near Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
Such clever marketing tactics have helped make Nike the icon for the new China. According to a recent Hill & Knowlton survey, Chinese consider Nike the Middle Kingdom's "coolest brand." Just as a new Flying Pigeon bicycle defined success when reforms began in the 1980s and a washing machine that could also scrub potatoes became the status symbol a decade later, so the Air Jordan — or any number of Nike products turned out in factories across Asia — has become the symbol of success for China's new middle class. Sales rose 66% last year, to an estimated $300 million, and Nike is opening an average of 1.5 new stores a day in China. Yes, a day. The goal is to migrate inland from China's richer east-coast towns in time for the outpouring of interest in sports that will accompany the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. How did Nike build such a booming business? For starters, the company promoted the right sports and launched a series of inspired ad campaigns. But the story of how Nike cracked the China code has as much to do with the rise of China's new middle class, which is hungry for Western gear and individualism, and Nike's ability to tap into that hunger.
Posted by richard ting at November 01, 2004, 04:49 PM
October 26, 2004
Tag The System NYC
Over 150 of the World's Leading Artists and Designers have come together to celebrate the New York City Subway Centennial with Tag the System NY. Each artist was given a blank subway car, and asked to lend their own creative style and vision to designing their own unique interpretation of a New York City Subway Car. The cars, almost 2 foot wide, were designed by Klim K and manufactured by Drastic Plastic. The artists participating include a very diverse set of styles, from old school to current grafitti artists, to comic and animation artists, to sculptors and even traditional companies including Nike and the Mattel Hot Wheels Team.
Tag The System will be opening at NYC Showroom at 117 2nd Ave, NY, NY, 10003, Friday October 29th thru November 21st 2004.
Admission is Free. Most original pieces of art will be for sale. A portion of the proceeds will go to charity.
Posted by richard ting at October 26, 2004, 06:23 PM
October 25, 2004
Do-It-Yourself Design: Just Point and Click
[from nytimes.com]
MARSHA BRONFMAN looked out on a gray day in Aventura, Fla., last year. She wanted a present for her daughter Lisa's bridal shower, but did not want to fight the traffic to the mall in the rain. So she sat down at her computer to surf the Internet. She typed in "lingerie," thinking of something lacy, even racy. What she found was a way to custom design the perfect gift.
"I saw Daniella Simon's site and the word `personalized,' " Ms. Bronfman, 52, said from Toronto, where she and her husband, the philanthropist Edward Bronfman have a home, "so I clicked."
The Web site, Daniellasimon.com, displayed three styles: bikini, thong and hipster, ranging from $24 to $115. After deciding on bikinis, she used drop-down menus to choose size, fabric color and then which of 10 colors of crystals should be used for a hand-encrusted personalized message.
"It was fun," Ms. Bronfman said. "I could use my own creativity to make something with my daughter's style in mind." But the real pleasure, she said, was in the reaction at the shower on Long Island a few months later.
Lisa's friends and family had oooh-ed and ahh-ed over the usual gifts and housewares. But they burst into laughter as she unwrapped the bikini underwear with sparkly letters spelling out her name-to-be, "Mrs. Genser," across the rear.
On-line customization was a slow starter in the 1990's. But as technology has improved, so has the variety. "Anything that can be digitized, can be customized," said B. Joseph Pine, the author of "Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition."
There is usually a small premium for the service. But for little more than retail, and a little patience for delivery, customers can build an item that is a perfect fit, a reality rarely experienced off the rack.
Nikeid.com, or Nike Individual Design, started online in 1999 with two running shoes. Revamped this year, the site is like a child's paint-by-numbers canvas on steroids. There are roughly 40 items to choose from, 38 types of shoes alone.
Posted by richard ting at October 25, 2004, 07:56 PM
October 19, 2004
Dr. Romanelli
Garments reconstructed from Nike gear and leather jackets by Dr. Romanelli.
Posted by richard ting at October 19, 2004, 06:30 PM
October 18, 2004
Brazil Huarache Light Burst
Posted by richard ting at October 18, 2004, 06:18 PM
October 14, 2004
Air Sabaku Mid
The Air Sabaku Mid is supposed to be a Japan only release for the Fall Season. They come with Zoom Air in the heel.
Posted by richard ting at October 14, 2004, 02:04 AM
October 13, 2004
Upcoming Dunk SBs
http://www.flatspot.com showcases the upcoming sb's.
Check out the site.
Posted by richard ting at October 13, 2004, 02:00 AM
October 12, 2004
Medicom Be@rbrick x Nike Dunk SB
These are a collaboration between Medicom toy Be@rbrick and Nike Skateboarding Department.
Posted by richard ting at October 12, 2004, 01:51 AM
October 10, 2004
Supreme Delta Force SB
[posted by saltpepper on 5th-dimension.info]
Posted by richard ting at October 10, 2004, 01:45 PM
September 22, 2004
New Orchard Street Dunks
Anybody know the deal behind the new orchard street dunks? Are they in anyway related to the 'Sneakerheads' documentary?
Posted by richard ting at September 22, 2004, 10:35 AM
September 21, 2004
Pony's new street advertising
Spotted in Soho and in Williamsburg.
Posted by richard ting at September 21, 2004, 10:32 AM
September 10, 2004
The New Nike
No longer the brat of sports marketing, it has a higher level of discipline and performance
In many ways, the sleek, four-story building that houses Nike Inc.'s (NKE ) Innovation Kitchen is a throwback to the company's earliest days. Located on the ground floor of the Mia Hamm building on Nike's 175-acre headquarters campus in Beaverton, Ore., the Kitchen is where Nike cooked up the shoes that made it the star of the $35 billion athletic footwear industry. In this think tank for sneakers, designers find inspiration in everything from Irish architecture to the curving lines of a Stradivarius violin. One wall displays models of every Air Jordan ever made, while low-rise cubicles are littered with sketches of new shoes. The Kitchen is off limits to most visitors and even to most Nike employees. The sign on the door says, only half in jest: "Nobody gets in to see the cooks. Not nobody. Not no how."
This is where, nearly 20 years ago, Nike star designer Tinker Hatfield came up with the Air Jordan -- the best-selling sports shoe of all time. Right now, Hatfield and his team are tallying the results of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. Hatfield and his design geeks produced an array of superfast sneakers for the Games, including the sleek track spike called Monsterfly for sprinters and the Air Zoom Miler for distance runners. As befits a global company, Nike's sponsored athletes hailed from all over the world. They took home a lot of hardware from Athens, including 50 gold medals and dozens more silver and bronze. In the men's 1,500-meter run, for instance, Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco grabbed gold, Bernard Lagat of Kenya took the silver, and Rui Silva of Portugal won the bronze. All wore the Air Zoom Miler, while U.S. sprinter Shawn Crawford won the 200-meter gold in a pair of Monsterflys. And Nike apparel had its day in the sun, too. The top four finishers in the men's 100-meter race all wore the sign of the Swoosh.
Posted by richard ting at September 10, 2004, 05:26 PM
September 09, 2004
Nike Air Force 1 Low (Olympic Silver Edition)
|
|
Posted by richard ting at September 09, 2004, 01:30 AM
September 07, 2004
Soled Out NYC
Posted by richard ting at September 07, 2004, 11:28 PM
August 28, 2004
Graffiti Films Get Real on the Streets
“The average New Yorker sees upwards of 50 pieces of graffiti a day. But they never stop to think about the stories behind those pieces… this is one of those stories.” Bomb the System is the first feature in over 20 years to delve into the world of graffiti art. The film, shot entirely on the streets of New York City, is the feature debut of 23-year-old writer/director Adam Bhala Lough.
Mark Webber (People I Know, Storytelling, The Laramie Project) leads a talented young ensemble cast as Blest, a 19-year-old graffiti writer fresh out of high school with no ambition for the future. New York City is Blest’s playground. He spends his days stealing spray paint from local hardware stores - and his nights getting high and “bombing” the streets with his graffiti crew. He is the most wanted writer on the NYPD Vandal Squad’s hit list, and at the same time, is attracting attention from the local gallery scene.
But things quickly turn ugly when 15-year-old Lune, the youngest member of Blest’s crew, is arrested and brutalized by the NYPD. The crew retaliates by waging an all out “graffiti war” against the city: a war that ends up costing more than one life in the end.
Bomb the System is a true New York story - a cinematic poem dedicated to the art of graffiti, and to the city where it all began more than two decades ago.
Check out the 'Bomb the System' site.
Check out the 'Quality of Life' site.
Read an interview with the directors of 'Bomb the System' and 'Quality of Life'.
Posted by richard ting at August 28, 2004, 03:19 PM
August 27, 2004
Nort, Recon, Huf pictures from San Francisco
Check out the pictures from San Francisco
Posted by richard ting at August 27, 2004, 12:23 PM
August 25, 2004
Sneaker Pimps NYC
Posted by richard ting at August 25, 2004, 12:18 PM
August 21, 2004
Vandals from the movie, Thunderbirds
Click here to peep the full "Thunderbird" Vandals collection.
Posted by richard ting at August 21, 2004, 11:30 PM
August 20, 2004
1985 - Nike Skylark and Nike Penetrator Hi
Check them out at deluded monkey.
Posted by richard ting at August 20, 2004, 11:09 PM
August 18, 2004
Sneaker Art from peskyhumans.com
This piece, "Air Force One #3", has been chosen for exhibition in the Sneaker Pimps Tour. This tour hits 55 cities all over the world, featuring the world's foremost sneaker artists.
Posted by richard ting at August 18, 2004, 10:41 PM
August 10, 2004
Sneaker vending machine
The Daily News tries their hand, er, foot at a new sneaker vending machine at New York’s swank SoHo store Michael K. Originally debuted in Japan (of course), the Sneaker Vending Machine takes cash and dispenses a refrigerated Reebok Travel shoe in the size and color of your choosing for $60. We just want to know what happens if the shoes get stuck in the coil that drops the food into the bin.
[from engadget]
Also posted on Josh Rubin's Cool Hunting site.
Posted by richard ting at August 10, 2004, 08:35 PM
August 06, 2004
Where You're At: Notes from the Frontline of a Hip-Hop Planet
[from Boldtype]
Review
What does a 30-something, British white guy have to say about the current state of affairs in hip-hop? More than you might think. Patrick Neate has been a self-described hip-hop head since his fascination with the music began in the '80s, and his curiosity and love for the genre and culture led him on a journey around the world to see what was up.
Neate begins his cultural pilgrimage with a visit to New York, birthplace of hip-hop, where he finds an industry that keeps the genre under such tight control that smaller labels there are targeting primarily overseas markets. His journey to Tokyo leaves him questioning the legitimacy of hip-hop fandom there, as he witnesses the outrageously hip Japanese youth hungrily consuming African American culture as they strive for redefinition in a post-industrialized world. As he travels, the author subtly reworks his own understanding (and the reader's) of what it means to be "real." Perhaps that's why he isn't surprised anymore when a "Tokyo teenager greets him with 'Word up, dog'" or when he meets a "white Afrikaaner rapping in a suit and tie." Neate globe-trots and muses over the cultural communication that hip-hop is fostering, all the while taking copious notes on how that communication is being utilized. From its left-wing political role in France and Italy to its use in South Africa and Brazil as a postcolonial tool for reshaping notions of race and identity, hip-hop is changing the world.
By the end, Neate's work coalesces into something far more important than a snapshot documentary of hip-hop today. Linking globalization, political struggle, race, identity, and alienation, the author constructs an entire worldview through the distinct lens of hip-hop. He offers us hip-hop as an international, cultural medium of the people; something
Posted by richard ting at August 06, 2004, 11:54 AM
August 04, 2004
New Bape Kicks from Tokyo
Check out more photos. Photos courtesy of Kenny Eng.
Posted by richard ting at August 04, 2004, 12:18 AM
July 15, 2004
The Rebirth of the New York Sneakerhead
By RICHARD A. MARTIN
It didn't take long for Jon Roy, a Boston native, to discover the passion of New York City sneaker collectors. This spring, Mr. Roy opened a skateboard shop called Rival at 225 Hudson Street, near Canal Street, and a few weeks later showed up for work to find 40 young men and women lined up on the usually empty block on SoHo's western fringe. They were waiting for the latest limited-edition Nike sneaker, the Air Force One HTM. "The kids knew we were getting the shoes,'' he said. "They knew more than we did.'' Still, the actual sneakers were not in his store, much to Mr. Roy's chagrin. "We were like, there's gonna be a riot if we don't get these shoes,'' he said. Fortunately, a delivery of 60 pairs arrived at noon, and customers were allowed in two at a time to make their purchases.
A riot might not have been out of the question, for a sneaker hysteria has gripped New York of late. Two new stores, Dave's Quality Meats and Clientele, have opened in the last year, near a skate and sneaker boutique in SoHo named Supreme. Along with other emporiums like Nort and Alife Rivington Club on the Lower East Side, and the Puma and Adidas Originals stores in SoHo, they cater to the new subculture of devotees known as sneakerheads.
Although the new wave of sneakers involves elements like style, exclusivity, art and commerce that are dear to the hearts of New Yorkers, one wonders: Why New York and not Los Angeles? "Because it's part of the New York way of life,'' said Udi Avshalomov, who began selling sneakers at his parents' store, Broadway Sneakers, in the 80's, when he was 14. "L.A. is never going to understand the New York sneaker game. New York is not as trendy as the rest of America and the world. It's authentic, part of the history and heritage of the New York culture.''
The city's infatuation with the sneaker began in the 70's and early 80's. Basketball, hip-hop and the desire to be the first on the block to wear (or "rock'') a new sneaker drove city youths into a frenzy - think of Run-DMC in shelltoes or the Ramones in Converse high tops. That culture waned in the late 80's and the 90's - remember Jerry Seinfeld in his clunky, generic white sneakers - but now the sneakerhead is back. Part of the reason is Nike, which emphasizes design and has overtaken Reebok and Adidas to become by far the largest shoe and athletic company. Thanks also go to hip-hop and skateboarding, subcultures that judge a guy by his sneakers, and to that global fashion phenomenon, the youth uniform, that has its roots in the trendsetting stores of Lower Manhattan.
"Jeans and sneakers have become this completely ubiquitous look, so how do you distinguish yourself within that?'' asked Abby Guyer, head of lifestyle trend marketing for Adidas. "In New York City, that's always existed: everyone wants to have something special.'' James Jebbia, owner of Supreme, at 274 Lafayette Street, added: "Before maybe you'd have two or three pairs of sneakers. Now it's nothing to have 20 or 30 pairs.''
Mr. Jebbia, who has collaborated with Nike on models of Dunks and other sneakers that carry the Supreme name, is a forefather of the skate-clothing-and-sneaker business; Supreme opened 10 years ago and has expanded to Japan, with a Los Angeles store on the way later this summer. But while Mr. Jebbia's Supreme clothes and exclusive Nike sneakers were the first to attract lines in New York during this new sneakerhead era, he is not thrilled with the current level of hype. "Nowadays it doesn't necessarily need to be special,'' he said. "As long as it's limited, people will wait in line.''
But what constitutes limited? According to Ms. Guyer, Adidas usually restricts such runs to 300 pairs. Nike doesn't release numbers, but Niketalk, the independent online forum where most leaks of sneaker release dates are posted, is rife with speculation: The Lucky 7 Dunk Hi Pro SB, the current hot sneaker, is supposedly limited to a run of 777. A recent Nike collaboration with the underground New York artist Futura resulted in only 24 pairs of a shoe decorated with prints of foreign currency; the rare sneaker is now reportedly worth about $5,000.
Posted by richard ting at July 15, 2004, 12:42 PM
July 05, 2004
Gravis - Make it Unique Show - Lyon, France
Check out some photos from the addicted opening.
Posted by richard ting at July 05, 2004, 08:58 PM
May 27, 2004
'Out of Reach: London' - a UK Sneaker Exhibition
5th Dimension Presents 'Out of Reach: London'
Global Sneaker Subculture's Rarest Shoes to be Displayed in U.K. Exhibition
London, U.K. (May 26, 2004)
5th Dimension - http://www.5th-Dimension.info - the online source for need-to-know information on global street-wear and sneaker subculture, is launching its first ever exhibition in the UK. 'Out of Reach: London' will take place at Shoreditch's M+R, 15A Kingsland Road, London E2 8AA, from the 11th-13th of June.
'Out of Reach: London' will be a globally inspired sneaker exhibition that displays some of the world¹s rarest and most coveted collectable footwear, including unseen and unreleased Nike Dunk SB production samples, co-branded special make-ups and artist collaborations. Shoes will be displayed amongst works from renowned and up-and-coming artists from around the globe - creators who are either entrenched in the sneaker subculture themselves or whose work represents the urban collective from which it emerged. In addition, visitors will have the chance to view new models from boutique sneaker brand JB Classics and custom designs from San Francisco graffiti artist Jor One.
5th Dimension chose London as the inaugural location for 'Out of Reach' because the city is one of the most dynamic yet most overlooked locations when it comes to promoting the depth of its sneaker culture. In presenting 'Out of Reach: London,' 5th Dimension aims to connect and celebrate London's dynamic sneaker scene by showcasing some of the subcultures most prized rarities many of which have never been seen publicly on British soil. 'Out of Reach: London' will also provide local and international sneaker/fashion brands, retailers, and media the opportunity to interact with their supporters from the UK and across Europe.
Featured Artists and Designers:
From San Francisco, USA: Greg pnut Galinsky, Marlo Flores, JB, Jor One, Diet
From London, UK: Warren Holder, Han Lee
From Japan: Yuichi Isaka, MSGR, Chocolate Soul
From New York City, USA: Stab
From Baltimore, USA: Oliver Jones of SLYANDROBBY
Location/Hours:
M+R (Makin and Rupert Gallery)
15A Kingsland Road
London E2 8AA
http://www.mrplacetofill.co.uk
info@mrplacetofill.co.uk
Phone: 07715642274
June 11th, 2004
Opening Night Reception
By Invitation Only
8:00 PM 12:00 AM
June 12th and 13th 2004
Open to the Public
11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Free Admission
Posted by richard ting at May 27, 2004, 12:45 PM
May 19, 2004
Sneaker Art Project from fixins.com
Posted by richard ting at May 19, 2004, 06:32 PM
Nike Operation 6453 (SMS Scavenger Hunt)
Urban Challenge.
Nike is launching a high-octane promotion in Manhattan that uses SMS to facilitate a street level, scavenger hunt-style race with a limited edition shoe as the prize. The contest, and an accompanying Web site, showcase Nike's new military-inspired urban hiking shoe, the Air Force-X MID. "Operation 6453" challenges participants to find 16 Nike posters over a four-day period. Top finishers -- those who find the most posters the fastest -- will win the chance to buy a pre-release edition of the shoe, designed by New York street artist Stash. The individual who scores the most points will receive an unspecified "grand prize." Runner-up hunters will be eligible to buy the upcoming shoe at a pre-launch event.
Check out the wild postings in New York City.
Read about it on niketalk.com.
Check out the Operation6453.com site.
Posted by richard ting at May 19, 2004, 07:41 AM
Kicks from Seoul, Korea
I just got back from Seoul, Korea where I spent some time checking out kicks in Itaewon, Apkujong, and Dongdaemun. The Recon Stash AF1's were available in Itaewon before the Operation6453 SMS game was completed.
Check out the pictures from Seoul, Korea.
Posted by richard ting at May 19, 2004, 01:41 AM
Kidrobot presents The Dunny Show
May 17 through July 17 2004
at the Visionaire Gallery
11 Mercer Street (between Grand & Canal), SoHo, NYC
Posted by richard ting at May 19, 2004, 01:35 AM
April 06, 2004
Opium Crew - Paris
There's a great sneaker museum on this site. Check 'em out.
Posted by richard ting at April 06, 2004, 10:22 AM
March 19, 2004
Prohibit and Test Studios present test runs
Prohibit and Test Studios present the debut of test runs spring 2004 t-collection. The industries top graphic technician and top screen printing technician have collaborated to exercise the art of t-shirt impressions. Each t-shirt is hand printed.
Thanks to Takuya from Prohibit for the invite and big shout out to Sang from Ubiqlife. Big up to Chloe for clicking these photos on her camera phone.
View the pictures from the Event.
Posted by richard ting at March 19, 2004, 12:22 AM
March 08, 2004
Tone Ozawa Voke's Sneaker Collection
Check out Tone's Sneaker collection.
Posted by richard ting at March 08, 2004, 11:11 AM
Josh Bletterman's Sneaker Collection
Check out Josh's Sneaker collection.
Posted by richard ting at March 08, 2004, 11:05 AM
February 27, 2004
5th Dimension
Big up to Robeson Mueller at the 5th Dimension. Check out their on-line zine about Global Street Culture.
Posted by richard ting at February 27, 2004, 07:13 PM
February 17, 2004
Hooptown and Niketown LA All-Star Kicks
View the pictures from the LA All-Star Weekend.
Check out Hooptown featuring Lebron James and Vince Carter at nikebasketball.com.
Posted by richard ting at February 17, 2004, 01:23 PM
February 16, 2004
lebron wheat nikes
Posted by richard ting at February 16, 2004, 11:09 AM
February 11, 2004
More kicks from Japan
Check out more kicks from Japan, courtesy of Kenny.
Posted by richard ting at February 11, 2004, 12:40 PM
February 05, 2004
Nike Kicks from Europe
Lovely kicks from Europe courtesy of JD Sports.
Posted by richard ting at February 05, 2004, 07:27 PM
January 26, 2004
Kenny's Japan Pictures
Check out Kenny's sneaker purchases from Japan.
Posted by richard ting at January 26, 2004, 09:43 PM
Japan Trip and Pickups
hi, i just got back from a 2 week trip to japan and picked up a few pairs. take a look.
http://www.pbase.com/image/25498977
i also made a post to niketalk. here's the thread:
http://pub175.ezboard.com/fniketalkfrm19.showMessage?topicID=26234.topic
Posted by richard ting at January 26, 2004, 08:37 PM
January 18, 2004
A look into Prohibit NYC
Check out the kicks available at Prohibit NYC
Prohibit is located at 269 Elizabeth Street in NYC, NY
Posted by richard ting at January 18, 2004, 05:17 PM
January 02, 2004
NBA Blog Squad
Welcome to the NBA Blog Squad, a varied collection of insiders, media members and fans from around the world who will share their thoughts about the NBA, WNBA, and whatever else comes to mind on an ongoing basis in online journals - or 'blogs' - right here on NBA.com.
Posted by richard ting at January 02, 2004, 08:26 AM
December 09, 2003
Pickyourshoes.com
These could be my next purchases.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Posted by richard ting at December 09, 2003, 04:02 PM
November 12, 2003
Motion Capture for NIKEGridiron
Motion Analysis Studios recently made motion capture history when they created a 50 foot by 50 foot volume to motion capture up to six athletes simultaneously for a Nike ad which premiered on Monday Night Football. You can view the ad by going to the Nike Gridiron website, and click on the "Watch TV ad" in the lower right corner.
Due to the extreme accuracy and flexibility of the Eagle Digital System, only 50 cameras were necessary to cover the large capture area. The data was viewed instantly by the director, thanks to the real-time capabilities of the system. No other motion capture system is capable of this type of performance and economy.
Jeff Swenty, Head of Production for Motion Analysis Studios said, "With this project we needed to build a capture volume bigger than anything previously attempted. The Eagle Digital System allowed us to set up the volume in a very short time and capture six people at once at a high frame rate (120 FPS)."
"The final volume ran exactly the same as a smaller, more standard one, it was just much, much larger," Swenty added. "It didn't require special calibration or a change in the way we do a shoot, and that is key. Keeping a shoot on track and getting the data needed in the most efficient manner possible is very important for a successful shoot."
Posted by richard ting at November 12, 2003, 11:13 AM
November 09, 2003
Sneaker Nation
Check out Sneaker Nation. I found this site on Freshnessmag.com.
Posted by richard ting at November 09, 2003, 11:03 PM
November 07, 2003
ceci n'est pas un nike
[in response to previous post on nikeartspace]
http://www.desvirtual.com/nike/
Ceci n'est pas un nike talks about on line creation and its conditions. Its point of departure is the conceptual confusion between interface and surface.
Magritte's pipes are its strongest referencs and it updates the discussion about the differences between image and representation, denying the Web as an adendum of the screen or an epiphenomena of the computer.
The discussion takes place in an image warping program_ the e-nike generator. It stresses the conflict between code and representations allowing transformations in this site icon. You are invited to create and upload your own nike to our "no-nike_center" and to destroy some nikes too.
Moreover, I would like to have you adding your layer to the e-palimpsest, intereacting, in real time, with the critical text, using only your browser.
BTW, this is not a nike, but a web site.
So create, destroy and rebuild.
Just do it!
Giselle Beiguelman, 2002
Posted by richard ting at November 07, 2003, 10:10 AM
November 06, 2003
White Dunk
SHOWstudio present an exclusive behind the scenes film of Harri Peccinotti at work photographing the extraordinary exhibits in 'White Dunk: Evolution of an Icon', a Palais de Tokyo hosted exhibition of specially commissioned work by 25 Japanese artists, launched during this year's Paris Fashion Week. The artists include animators, illustrators, toy-makers, graphic designers, model-makers, and comic writers. Each were given the brief to respond to a fashion classic, the Nike 'Dunk' basketball trainer (in white). In American basketball towards the end of the 1970s a technique had emerged on the court popularly known as a 'slam dunk' - a spectacle of athleticism and showmanship. Trainer manufacturers and megabrand Nike began designing sports shoes they hoped would become synonymous with this phenomenon. Inspired by their already successful 'Air Jordan' and 'Air Force', Nike debuted the 'Dunk' in 1985. The Palais de Tokyo exhibition caught the imagination of fashion editor Susy Menkes who noted in her show report: 'Of all the many shoe presentations, nothing could quite beat Nike's exhibition of art installations by 25 Japanese creative talents challenged to use the iconic all-white Dunk sneaker as inspiration... that was proof that sneakers are now part of fashion's religion.' (IHT, 11/10/03). In this film and image project Peccinotti sets about shooting these artworks on dark backgrounds (in opposition to the white of the gallery walls) to bring a new contrast and animation to the myriad interpretations.
Posted by richard ting at November 06, 2003, 09:16 PM
Dave White sneaker t-shirts
Posted by richard ting at November 06, 2003, 06:31 PM
Nike Ground - Rethinking Space
Nike scores own goal
Preliminary Court Decision in Favor of International Art Project
The international sportswear company Nike is trying to get the installation "Nike Ground -- Rethinking space", created by the renowned artists group 0100101110101101.ORG, banned by court. Meanwhile the
Commercial Court of Vienna has taken a first crucial decision. Quite apart from the fact that this is an attempt to ban a work of art, the Commercial Court has rejected Nike's plea for a provisional injunction on formal grounds. The decision was based on the fact that the law suit against Public Netbase was filed by Nike International.
This company has its principal office not in Austria, but in the USA and therefore would have been required to pay a deposit covering the cost of litigation in case of a ruling in favor of Public Netbase.
Public Netbase's attorney, Mag. Michael Pilz, who consistently underlined the artistic nature of the installation, pointed out the formal defect in his response to the plaint. "This is a major step ahead
for the project", declared Konrad Becker, director of Public Netbase.
The law suit with Nike will now enter its next round. Moreover, the installation remained on Karlsplatz until its official takedown on 28 October. "The Court's decision motivates us to protect the freedom of
art against the ruthlessness of corporations with even more determination in the future", Becker concluded.
According to 0100101110101101.ORG spokesman Ted Pikul "Nike is a perfect
subject for a work of art. The Swoosh is probably the most viewable brand on earth, more than any political or religious symbol. Now these giants are loosing control over their own brands, which in the hands of
pop culture are turning into boomerangs".
Posted by richard ting at November 06, 2003, 06:58 AM
October 17, 2003
Nike Laser Project
Check out the Photos from the Nike Laser Event at the 255 Elizabeth Energy Center in NYC
Check out the Nike Laser Project.
Posted by richard ting at October 17, 2003, 02:54 PM
Nike White Dunk Exhibit
Posted by richard ting at October 17, 2003, 02:44 PM
October 16, 2003
Alife Sneaker Sale
What: Alife Rivington Club
When: 10/18-10/26; Mon.-Sun. noon-7 p.m.
Where: 158 Rivington Street, between Suffolk and Clinton Streets
(212-375-8128).
Why: Limited-edition sneakers from Nike, Asics, Adidas, Reebok, Puma, Ellesse, and others are 50 to 80 percent off retail. Yohji Yamamoto for Adidas, were $325, now $115; Nike Dunks, were $80, now $40; Eley Kishimoto shoes, were $160-$300, now $40-$125.
Posted by richard ting at October 16, 2003, 12:08 PM
October 07, 2003
PUMA Miharas
My friend, Carlos Gomez DeLarena just recently purchased these hot Pumas.
The PUMA Mihara international collection for 2003 features three “MY 6” styles: DISC, Mid and Low cuts. Each MY 6 model differs slightly, but each features a simple and classic upper combined with a unique ‘cross counter’ heel design. The exaggerated, exposed structure of the heel combined with a functional outsole creates a truly unique design and original look. The outsole of the forefoot features a ‘Cat Face’ pattern that was inspired by Japanese computer game characters. The color palette for season includes bright, eye-catching blues, yellows and oranges as well as basics like black and white. Each shoe incorporates the distinctive PUMA formstrip and the PUMA cat logo accents the sleek profile of the toe.
The 2003 PUMA Mihara collection will be available at PUMA Concept Stores, high-end boutiques and department stores in major cities in Europe, Asia/Pacific and the United States.
Posted by richard ting at October 07, 2003, 09:43 PM
September 05, 2003
XLR8R & Adidas Originals Present: THE LIVING MAGAZINE
XLR8R & Adidas Originals Present:
THE LIVING MAGAZINE - NEW YORK CITY | SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 6th
@ The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural Center, 107 Suffolk Street
Press/VIP open bar from 7pm-9pm (RSVP NOW!)
Event 9pm-4am
[Featured Performers]
LFO [WARP]
Rob Sonic [Definitive Jux]
Crack W.A.R. [TIGERBEAT6]
Mathematics [SOCIAL STUDIES]
JT Donaldson & Tim Shumaker [GALLERY MUSIC GROUP]
NegroClash DJs Language, Lindsey & Duane
James F%#$^@* Friedman [XLR8R]
DJ Anna [XLR8R]
As America's most respected voice for emerging music & culture since 1993, XLR8R Magazine invites you to join us as we celebrate a dynamic 10 Years of Accelerating Music & Culture with our vanguard event series "The Living Magazine" taking place in the USA's three most influential cities this summer.
Experience the pages of XLR8R come to life with...
VIS ED/STYLE: Highlighting photography and illustrations by XLR8R contributors, plus live-action painting with David Choe and more TBA! See Adidas Originals' Bathing Ape installation and our infamous T-Shirts Tribute, plus a collectible toy display from KID ROBOT.
VJS: Honeygun Labs, videoscratching by Esquared.org, Quanteye, Werkaround
MACHINES: Music Technology Lounge featuring demos of your favorite ucpcoming DJ gear, software and hardware. Featuring Gemsound, Stanton, Numark and EJ Turntables.
REVIEWS: Listening booths courtesy of Virgin Megastore featuring selections from our Top 100 Albums from the past decade. Plus playable demos of Ubi Soft's stylish action shooter, XIII.
Posted by richard ting at September 05, 2003, 12:58 AM
September 02, 2003
Soled Out - Wed, Sept 10th
Posted by richard ting at September 02, 2003, 01:07 AM
August 28, 2003
HUF SF
Now that I am living full time in San Francisco, I had to make my pilgrimage to the Bay Area's mecca for kicks--HUF. After buying a hot pair of Dunks Pro SBs in the black-red colorway, I spoke to them about their website. For those of you not in San Francisco who may have tried accessing them online, you were probably disappointed by their limited site, www.hufsf.com. However, they are planning an online store that should be up in about a week's time. They are also expanding and opening a seperate clothing shop two doors down, which will open up more precious room in their original and current space for more shoes.
Posted by aaron freedman at August 28, 2003, 02:04 AM
Rasheed always representing the old school.
These were spotted on sneaker freaker in Australia.
Posted by richard ting at August 28, 2003, 12:11 AM
Spotted in Hong Kong.
What exactly are these kicks? Looks like a hybrid nike dunk/vandal supreme.
Posted by richard ting at August 28, 2003, 12:10 AM
August 27, 2003
Nike iD Tailors Shoes For Buckeye View
Nike iD Tailors Shoes For Buckeye View
Nike iD, the apparel company's online division, is selling an Ohio State University shoe that customers can detail the way they want - including several OSU-related messages such as "Horse Shoe." The $110 shoes are available in two styles and take three to four weeks to be made and delivered. Nike hopes the shoes connect with Buckeye fans who are hungry to flaunt the school's national football championship. Nike's also trying to break ground in the customizable footwear game. While it offers 35 models of customizable shoes, its two OSU styles are the first university-related shoes Nike has sold. According to John Tawney, director of Beaverton, Ore.-based Nike iD, the company is planning to include a dozen more schools in October. "The Buckeyes were national champions, so they got special treatment," Tawney said. "Our relationship with the school is very strong."
Posted by richard ting at August 27, 2003, 05:43 PM
where’d you get those?
We always want what someone else has. We’re never satisfied with what we have. Well when it comes to kicks, this almost always rings true. For the true “sneaker dork ,” (term first heard by author from Nick, one of the principals at Nolita’s Classic Kicks) we’re never satisfied with what is at the American Footaction, Finishline or Footlocker store. Instead, we’re always jonesing after the newest Air Force 1’s and Dunks at Footlocker Europe, JD Sports in the UK or Atmos in Tokyo. And don’t think that only Americans are like that. A quick scan of some links from the Sneaker Style magazine from Japan shows that the Japanese are also avid purveyors of exclusives from JD Sports.
This phenomenon has not gone unnoticed from the area’s boutique sneaker stores. I called Isa this past week to see if the Safaris were in yet and what new releases they had. The guy on the phone said no Safaris yet, but did say, sotto voce, “we did get some Euro dunks, but I’m gonna keep those under wraps for now.” A glance underneath the glass cases at Premium Goods reveals the Dunk in cinder and bone and the other version in harbor blue, both from Europe.
So this begs the question, do Europeans and Japanese sweat American styles? Of course. The Japanese websites show highly inflated prices (even more than they are usually inflated) for the otherwise pedestrian general release Nike Dunks, like the black one with gum sole and more recent black mesh/maple version.
urls:
· www.footlocker-europe.com
· www.jdsports.co.uk
· www.atmos-tokyo.com
Posted by richard ting at August 27, 2003, 02:48 PM
Fresh Out The Box Event Flyer
Posted by richard ting at August 27, 2003, 11:21 AM
August 25, 2003
NYC Sneaker stores looted during the Blackout
I spoke to the owner of Classic Kicks last week. Apparently, a bunch of vandals rode by the store on their bicycles and then smashed the front window. Soon after, a car pulled up to the front of the store and a number of kids bum rushed the store and cleared out all of the store's clothing merchandise. A good majority of the sneakers were left unscathed since only single sneakers were on display. It sounds like a coordinated effort amongst the thieves.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/18/nyregion/18SHOE.html
Posted by richard ting at August 25, 2003, 12:37 PM
Michigan Nike Dunks
My boy, Kenny, keeps hooking me up with the links. Hot Michigan Dunks selling for 90 Euros at Footlocker-Europe.
Posted by richard ting at August 25, 2003, 11:55 AM
Roswell Raygun Nike Dunks
These were being sold out of Melbourne, Australia.
Posted by richard ting at August 25, 2003, 01:13 AM
Nike Links
http://www.btinternet.com/~nsinbath/linksnikes.htm
Posted by richard ting at August 25, 2003, 01:10 AM
August 24, 2003
Media slaves link
this link was provided courtesy of kenny eng.