Patch Project: 002 "IF IT BLEEDS WE CAN KILL IT"

We’re coming to a close of 2019 and with so many new ideas spinning around my head I wanted to draw a line in the sad and complete one from earlier this year. 1987’s Predator has been a film I’ve watched and rewatched countless times over the years, featuring a powerhouse cast of Arnold Schwarzengger, Carl Weathers , Bill Duke and Jesse Ventura. It’s essential viewing for Sci-Fi/Horror/Action fans and has spawned a franchise of (not so great) sequels, product and of course a ton of jokes, memes and one-liners. “Get to the choppa!” anyone?

This patch is a passion project and as a result has a very small run, the image comes from one of the original comics and has been tweaked and edited with the addition of Three Stripes in the background to tie it in with my love of footwear with Predator being also the name of a famous line of football boots from Adidas.

Although it’s a reach but I think it’s subtle enough to work.

Like all my patches these are stitched to the highest quality, this isn’t printed cloth this is a fully embroidered representation of one of the galaxies most feared killers, each patch will come in a card with a note of thanks and if decided to stitch it on or keep it safe in your collectables please drop me a tag as I’d love to share it.

Next year I’ll be evolving the Patch Project steering it in the direction I’ve wanted from the beginning - teaming up with friends, brands and creatives to create good and meaningful product for different causes and charities.

Keep an eye out, you may see some familiar faces!

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Hobby Talk: Ultramarines Part 2

Back with some reinforcements for the boys in blue!

I’ve been steadily working on this project in my spare time and have amassed a very sizeable force over the last year, maybe one day it’ll see the tabletop eh?

This update includes Roboute Guilliman the Primarch (big boss man) of the Ultramarines a squad of fearsome close-combat specialist Reivers and our first vehicle in the form of a mighty Redemptor Dreadnought!

You can click on all the images below for close-ups.

ROBOUTE GUILLIMAN

First up Roboute and easily the most intricate model I’ve ever had experience painting. You’d think the increased size (being a quite a lot taller than the average marine) would make things easier but sadly that wasn’t the case. I started out laying down the base colours and lining in all the black but once I got to the gold stage I thought a wash of Nuln Oil would bring everything together.

Unfortunately I ended up with a bad batch of the wash and once dry it left white tide marks all over the model, which I had to use my knife to scrape off this residue damaging the paintwork underneath so the majority of this experience was about saving a rather expensive miniature from going in the bin!

I’d have to say my favourite parts are the helmet and sword as I spent extra time on those, I tried to recreate glowing magma via a stippling effect on the blade which hasn’t 100% worked but you can see where I was going with it.

Gameplay wise this dude is one of the best units on the board with a whole host of wounds, attacked and special rules.

REIVER SQAUD

Next up is a squad of 5 Reivers who are the somewhat lacklustre (in the rules, they really need some love) close-combat specialists of the new Primaris Marines - This is an example of spending a good amount of time on a small squad, these guys got everything from custom freehand detailing to extra transfers (like those stick on tattoos you had as a child) and weathering.

While Yellow is exactly an Ultramarine colour (unless you’re talking OG) but I like the way it breaks up the model and really sets these dudes apart from the other marines.

REDEMPTOR DREADNOUGHT

I’ve always loved a Dreadnought, there’s just something about the way they continue to fight on through the worst situations that appeals to me. Simply put these guys are marines who have suffered fatal injuries but still have the willpower to serve the chapter and so are incased within the life-supporting body of a dreadnought - it’s all very Robocop!

This was my first vehicle for the Ultramarines and with such a large canvas I really wanted to play around with some weathering effects and as you can see by all the scratches, dirt and oil staines this worked really well! The yellow hazard stripes on his knee was added as I painting him around the same time I was completing the Reavers.

That’s it for now folks, thanks for taking the time to read and any questions on the processes in painting the above just slide me a DM.

Safe!

Patch Project: 001 - HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR MATE TODAY?

I like to create and I like to put things out into the world that adds something positive, even if that’s just in the smallest possible way. Last year I made an embroidered patch along with pins. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed collecting and I’ve had requests for more ever since. As a perfectionist, it was essential for me to improve on the last and more importantly to highlight something that has affected myself and many others. My mental health is something I’ve struggled to deal with my whole life. I’ve done the therapy, the pills, the diets - you name it, I’ve tried it.

It’ll probably surprise some friends as it’s something I’ve spent a lot of energy trying to hide. It’s always been something I’ve kept to myself but I actually have an odd combination of aspergers, dyspraxia, dyslexia, ADHD and OCD, which has and always will shape my life for better or worse.

I spent the last few years dealing with depression and anxiety. As big changes happened in my life I struggled to cope, always falling back to the line “I wish I was normal” - What I’m really trying to get at is I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my family, my friends, my mates. 

I’m kicking off this year’s patch project with a special limited release dedicated to checking up on those who mean the most to you. A message only takes a second of your time but can mean the world.

It’s a play on the original Huarache adverts which is fitting as it’s one of my favourite shoes. The stitch-on patches feature the highest quality of embroidery with the colour matched as close as possible to the iconic “Purple Punch”.

50% of the profits will be donated to CALM with the rest going on to fund more designs with a range of friends and artists in and around the industry.

Thank you for taking the time to read, thanks to Adam for putting up with B-TEC design lingo and helping me create this beauty and thanks to everyone who has continued to support my journey so far.

You can purchase your patch here.

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Hobby Talk: Ultramarines

I recently got into Warhammer as a way to bond with my younger brother and also to relax and along with the gym I have found this the best way for me to keep stress levels at average.

Warhammer has a long a varied history it’s roots surround my childhood from the art, the books, the miniatures it has shaped me and my interests and has had such a huge effect on popular culture from gaming to films it has influenced most of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre or on the other hand taken from it.

I’ll never play the bad guide, it just doesn’t sit well with my moral compass so I chose to go down the very vanilla (boring) route of the heroic Space Marines.

Even more vanilla I decided on chapter (team/house) of the Ultramarines which are considered the poster boys of the hobby with their bright blue power armour and Mary Sue tendencies of always winning everything, no matter how bad the odds. Lots have changed since my childhood, guides are easily available online along with a much larger range of paints including technical, layer, base and dry which provide a range of effects and finishes to your models.

My marines are a little darker than the standard GW colours and all painted by hand, no airbrush currently.

I contrasted the dark blue with a bright orange Mars themed base and heavy battle damage to look like they’ve been through the wars, I also applied transfers and unit numbers to make them a little more realistic.

I’ll be updating the blog with more imagery and some guides in the far future.

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Morprime: The Return of the Ting

Greetings weary traveller,

So after a rather long hiatus from blogging I’ve decided to begin again to jot my thoughts down on paper and let the world (or the very small world of footwear obsessives that stumble across my blog) see.

I continue to stand by the fact that I’m not a writer, so a word of warning there will be the odd little mistake that slips through my friends proof reading.

I think why I stopped was due to a combination of problems that meant I really needed to focus my time on making ends meet, keeping both mental and physical health intact and the fact I was being asked to write a few articles here and there and it just all became a little too much like work and not much fun.

With that all out the way I thought I’d post a recent highlight that being Episode: 4 of the Sole Supplier podcast featuring yours truly it’s currently the most viewed podcast on the channel which is a nice confidence boost.

Listening to yourself back on camera is never anything anyone should have to go through but this was rather enjoyable and left me eager to talk more about my experiences within the industry, I do like to vent.

That being said a lot was left untouched and I’m not even sure podcasts are the right format for it but it’s a start, overly the last 5 years I’ve become a rather large advocate for better ethics, inclusivity and representation within footwear and fashion but that’s a larger conversation for another time.

Thanks for taking the time to read and watch the episode below!

Huarache E.D.G.E

I recently received a package from One Bowerman Drive, Beaverton.

For those not in the know that’s Nike World HQ, inside was the latest addition to the Huarache family the Huarache E.D.G.E. The first shoe to my knowledge under the E.D.G.E banner, I’ll touch on this more later but I thought I’d lightly cover some background on the Huarache family itself.

The Huarache has had an up and down history, designed by Nike’s most fabled designer Tinker Hatfield who as we know has brought some beautiful pairs into existence but with the Huarache he struggled, board members, execs or whoever was calling the shots had mixed opinions on the shoe and Tinker really had to fight to push it out of concept and into reality.

Thankfully he succeeded and the Huarache went on to influence many famous shoes with it’s ethos of stripping to the bare essentials and innovative use of neoprene to create a hug-like fit.

I’ve always had a affinity for the model, between 2010-2011 I was obsessed with tracking down my favourite colours and special editions, from Stüssy to ACG I’d trawl eBay, forums and events for that rare size US12, a rule of thumb for those buying older editions is to go up one full size due to a very snug fit.

Time passed and the models popularity grew to momentous proportions.

Around May 2012 Footlocker sparked the hype by silently putting a new Black/Tour-Yellow LE on shelves, it had been 5 years since we’d had a fresh dose of colour on the shoe and fans were primed and ready.

Now at this time I was working footwear events and I got to see first hand the madness this shoe caused. Sellers who filled there tables with Huarache’s would leave with pockets bursting with cash, businesses to find, sell and customises the shoe were setup overnight and pre-orders on eBay for pairs that hadn’t even dropped ran into their hundreds.

But all good things must come to an end and with increasing awareness and availability the trend trickles down to the masses and once that happens the early adopters want nothing to do with it.

What was once scarce, was now everywhere and that’s when the bubble burst and people moved on, the Huarache’s reputation was tarnished.

Now fast forward to 2018 and there has been some murmurings around the Huarache and what to do with the hallowed but hurt franchise next, to test the water Nike dropped an absolutely amazing retro of the “Purple Punch” so good that it caused a big buzz among collectors, myself even ended up buying three pairs.

That was beautifully put together and well-thoughtout drop so I was rather excited when this package arrived containing Huarache E.D.G.E expecting more of the same care and attention as the aforementioned OG, but this was a different beast and it spoke to me on a personal level.

Inside the box was a written note with a question that I’m assuming Nike had asked either employees or kids - “IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO FROM NIKE TO HELP IMPROVE ANY COMMUNITIES?” an answer was provided by Alexis Taylor, Los Angeles as follows:

“This is more of an overall statement but tailor products and events to the more everyday kid/family more than the wealthy hypebeast kids. If more affordable sneakers/apparel are showcased like the super expensive ones, kids/families who can’t afford the expensive sneakers/apperal may not feel like an outcast or get picked on for getting the cheaper shoes because they’re advertised almost on the level that a super expensive product is advertised”

With Nike replying:

“A SOLUTION: THE HUARACHE E.D.G.E (EVERYDAY DESIGN GOT AND EVOLUTION) AT $100 & $110”

That’s the core of the E.D.G.E, that is a cheaper more affordable product with better design, marketing and endorsement, not everyone can afford $300 sneakers so it’s nice to see Nike giving focus to the other end of the spectrum, I know it’s all money at the end of the day that’s going in the same pot but if a few kids can feel fresh, more confident without there family having to keep up with the constant rising price of fitting in at school, well I think that’s a good thing.

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Nike Air Jordan: Nigel Sylvester

First of all, I’m sorry. 

I’m sorry I haven’t written for a month or so, I’m sorry I haven’t kept you all updated with the ups and downs of my existence and I’m sorry recent developments have been kept hush, hush. 

Basically, Basically Basically I’ve written 3 articles on my recent exploits but due to the nature of the topics covered and with most of the shoes talked about being under embargo it has made rewriting them quite a drag, so much so that I’ve decided to postpone Portland & Herzo until all the content is live so I can talk freely about what was experienced at these big HQ’s.

Hopefully I’d like to give some of my more trainer mad readers a decent insight on what it’s like within the motherships and why those aiming to get a position at these hallowed locations should never, ever give-up.

Anyway here’s some cool Jordan’s to bide you over until the time comes to unleash the above, these are a collaboration with BMX star Nigel Sylvester - now I’ve never heard of Nigel before these shoes, I asked around and supposedly he’s a big YouTuber who does travel videos on his BMX none of which interest me, but aside from that the shoes are really good, super good!

So while I don’t care about his biking background he’s getting solid points from me on the shoe design.

The closest to unboxing these, would be Indiana Jones unearthing buried treasure!

The ageing is perfect, the supple, supple leather (honestly what kind of holy creature died to produce this!?) is lightly pigmented with yellow while a sander has been taken to sections of the shoe to replicate scuff marks that would appear during riding, the sole features that ashy effect you get when rubber is left too long in the box and this is all topped off with a mini-swoosh and three sets of laces.

You can tell this ageing process has come on leaps and bounds since prevoius modes, I’d say some of this is apparent on the Triple S but on also Reebok’s work with Vetements so maybe the treatment has carried over from factory to factory.

So with all the points covered above I’m giving these a solid 9/10 on the Prime Scale. 

Please enjoy the super high resolution photos below and as always leave you thoughts over on IG. 

Peace!

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Puma: CELL Endura

Remember back in May when I got the chance to reveal the return of the Temper Run? Well, lightning strikes twice and now I’m with you for another dose of 90’s late running this time in the form of the Puma Cell Endura.

Now this is something very exciting for me to talk about, the CELL era for Puma was filled with some absolutely mental designs that are completely off the grid, put it this way - with over 10 years collecting I’ve only seen a CELL pair once on foot, spotted during a workout at my local gym, I struck up a conversation with the owner and with most encounters of this type (that being when the general public meet someone who is obsessed over footwear… well you get the few odd looks and bouts of confusion as they try to work out if they’re walking around wearing a goldmine or I’m taking the piss.) he didn’t have a clue about there origins.

Now CELL launched in 1998* and bears some similarities with popular tech at the time, most notably AIR from Nike and Hexilite from Reebok. Before CELL, Puma relied on foam and rubber to give cushioning and support to its runners so this was a rather big move for the brand. 

*Click the link for the original Endura advert

As stated above CELL Endura and all the shoes under the CELL umbrella disappeared into the myths of time becoming a cult line amongst vintage fans and hardcore Puma collectors alike. Very little information is available online so the return of the Endura will be the first time that a new wave of a footwear fanatics will get to grips with CELL. 

I can’t comment on how close the retro is to the original as again I’ve never seen a pair in the flesh but the 2018 version is well-built, sturdy and comfortable on foot, I wore mine all day during Sneakerness and had no complaints whatsoever, I’d suggest going true to size for a nice snug fit.  

The 90’s will always be my favourite era in footwear, a huge tech race was alive for all the brands, each trying to outdo themselves with the next gimmick, fad or revolution but because of the materials available at the time, I.E a lack of synthetic and knit that we have in abundance today it left all the shoes from their period with beautiful intricate leather uppers and the Endura shows this with full force, one of the most interesting aspects of the shoe is the lace-hooks acting almost like an early form of Flywire, pulling the outer sides of the shoe to surround the foot. 

I have no information yet on when the Endura will be available, my pair is a UK10 sample so it could be subject to change. Once I know the dates I’ll update the article.

Thanks to Puma for the early on this one, thanks to my readers for always supporting and keep your eyes locked on the CELL range as there’s a lot of good *Cough* Venom *Cough* to come!

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Asics & Onitsuka Tiger KO100™️ Pack

Welcome back! This post marks the first time that Asics has featured on my blog, now I've always had a soft-spot for the brand mainly through the Saga, Mai, and Gel Lyte 3 silhouettes. I collected them for some years before the hype really kicked off and my collection featured a few big pairs noticeably Salmon Toes, Nice Kick's and at the top and the rarest was two pairs of Mclaren F1 Racing Asics. Brand new, never worn and utterly beautiful.

I ended up clearing out quite a lot of my collection as it sounds funny but the constant chatter online throughout the groups ( Buying & Selling Runners, CBKI, ISS) along with social media being at the height of its sneaker cringefest (Props & Ballet Poses) made me distance myself away from the brand, this isn't the first time I've done this, notably with Nike around 2014 but lately I've been snapping up choice pairs of Asics that I might have missed out on during the hype as most of these can be found for decent prices in the current market, it really is a buyers/collectors dream. 

This leads somewhat to today's article as Asics's kindly asked me to shoot it's upcoming K100™️ Pack, a release that is very important to the brand as it celebrates a 100 years since it's founder Kihacchiro Onitsuka's birth.

Sadly Mr. Onitsuka passed away in 2007 but his legacy for personal betterment and fitness has lived on through his brand and let's not forget, if we had no Onitsuka we'd have no Blue Ribbon Sports which would later evolve to become Nike.

Right now you may notice a few names thrown around in this article well currently Asics is operating under a 3-way split, you have ONITSUKATIGER which handles most of the retro classics like Mexico 66 - simple runners that don't really come into the sneaker market for me as I'd say they're more of a general fashion product. Next up you have ASICSTIGER which is more of my style of product and while will cross over with some of the Onitsuka range it mostly features more technical runners such as the GEL Lyte 3, GEL Lyte 5, Mai and Saga. Finally, you have ASICS which is the core running product for the brand and features the height of technology and it mostly purchased by runners but some models have transferred over to a more lifestyle-focused audience. 

Back to the K100™️, the pack features a loud colour palette of yellow, orange and green all tied around Kihacchiro's love of sunflowers this is shown the most on the Tiger Corsair which features the artwork emblazoned on the leather upper.

ASICS contribution to the pack is the ultra-comfortable GEL-Quantum 360, one of its top of the runners, I've had a few pairs of Quantum's before and I can honestly say it's one of the most comfortable pairs available on the market, this rendition has a knitted wave pattern, a new lacing system for increased lockdown and a multicolour GEL midsole, the first time I've seen this been used on the model.

Rounding off the pack is my favourite from the three, the GEL Mai. I've got plenty of time for weird silhouette and it doesn't get the respect or love it deserve, it comes with a rare asymmetrical lacing system that takes away the pressure from the front of your foot and just oozes Japanese quirkiness, the K100 version comes donned up in premium suede, mesh and carries over the same almost tropical colour-way.

Finally, each pair comes with a sunflower patch attached to the laces, special box and a small envelope inside with a message dedicated to the founder, I live for little details like this, it's an added cost that brands don't really need to do but I think it makes all the difference.

I hope you've enjoyed my latest post, please scroll down to view the imagery and I'd love to hear your feedback over on IG, hold tight for another article in the coming weeks.

Peace!

 

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Size? x Nike: “What the Safari”

First of all let’s just take a minute to appreciate that there were no leaks of these shoes until a week before their launch, that’s something unheard of in today’s world where everyone’s bartering the latest information or images for props or social currency so fair play to Size? for keeping this one under wraps.

Now both of these pairs have me extremely excited, they’ve been sat on a wall in the office for months and the first time I clocked, well I knew these would create a fuss, I think it’s the best pack we’ve seen from Nike, let alone Size? in a good amount of time. 

I’ll start with the 95 as I have more affinity for this shoe, I own decent amount in my collection including 4 pairs of Neon’s from various years and I’d really put it up there as my favourite Air Max. I’ve always dug the background, design and mystery behind the shoe, the upper based on human anatomy, the perfect choice of launch colours and that panelled gradient has been taken advantage of by collaborators for special renditions to good effect, on top of this, Japan’s and London’s fascination with the model has always kept it cool and because of this it has well-earned it's place in my rotation. 

The 95 features Nike’s famous Safari print adorning the side panels of the shoe, with grey suede toe box taking charge at the front and the most luxurious leather tongue holding it together underneath the round laces which come black as standard but also include an additional pair of orange laces if you’d like to change it up, this all sits on a black midsole that most “Pin-Roll Sneaker Lads” love to complain about but I’ve always been a fan due to it’s the practicality of being easy to clean and the bonus of not having to repaint the midsole in 5 years time. 

 

So yeah big shoe, copping two pairs, thanks and love.

 

Right moving on to the one that’s causing all the noise at this current time, the AIR MAX 1...

Now I’ve never been a massive 87 guy, I’m sure you’ve heard this outbid TJ mouth multiple times I’m not sure why, I don’t massively dislike the model I just have no real attachment to it, when everyone was grabbing the hype pairs I think I must of been focussed on other shoes at the time, probably Air Flow’s if my memory serves. 

I find them a little uncomfortable and chunky (referering to the banana shape of recent years that has now been somewhat rectified), plus the upper is rather simple for my tastes, I know while this is a major selling point for most collecters and I can already hear the cries of outrage going through their minds right now but it’s not a big model for me.

That being said this is the best I’ve seen the 87 look in a very, very long time, I’d compare unbxoing the shoe to akin to my reaction when finding brand new pair of “Hufquakes” - the materials and build are THAT good and I’ll touch on that now. 

The 87 is quite similar to the 95 in terms of build, it’s well put together and beautifully premium but forgoes the suede toe box and the black midsole. I’d say the main difference is the addition of premium orange mesh on the toe box and panels and a silky white mesh tongue, said tongue is finished off with an embroidered leather patch and finally the front is graced by the HOLY GRAIL aka Mini-Swoosh in a matching orange thread. 

Numbers for both shoes are limited, below what I’d consider a QS drop by today’s standards. 

Anyway please take a look at my photos below and if you’ve found them or this article helpful drop a comment/message on IG happy for you to save/use the images to just tag a man init. 

P.S - You can also watch the latest episode of True To Size? for a another look and in-hand review of the shoes and a chance to win the pack, T&C's apply.

Peace!

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Event Recap: Adidas Falcon

Greetings!

I'm writing this update with a fan blasting into my face on a very humid Sunday night, I've spent the Bank-Holiday weekend recovering from last weeks trip to Berlin.

Feels like I'm flying all over the place at the moment, although I find sitting still for any amount of time frustrating I really can't complain, I've spent the last few weeks hopping all over the UK and Europe and it's been a great first half of the year, seeing new places, meeting new faces and re-affirming old friendships.

This was my 4th time in Berlin and 2nd this year so far and you can read about my last visit by hitting this hyperlink which will take you to my Puma RS-0 article, anyway I've really started to warm to Berlin.

During summer it's beautifully hot and winter savagely cold, I guess I've always had misconceptions and assumptions about Germany, instantly I think Adidas, well-built cars and a people of a reserved and serious demeanour with quite a few skeletons in the closet, not saying the British are any less guilty of a questionable past but I've always felt a rivalry between the two country's, this is probably a little extra for a blog about shoes but I guess it puts into context how different Berlin is from the above, it's a very liberal, anything goes and positive sort of place, well from what I've seen anyway and I like it, everyone I've met has been friendly even with my extreamly limited grasp of the langauge which basicallty consists of Guten Morgen (Good Morning) because it's my name and Danke schön (Thank You Kindly) because I always think if you're going to badly attempt someone's language it's always best to be polite about. 

The reason I was in Berlin was for the launch of a new women's exclusive model from Adidas, it's called the Falcon, I actually didn't read the Press Release but I'm assuming the name came from the Falcon Dorf which has now been changed to the awful sounding Yung-1, a bad decision from the three stripes fam in my opinion but I guess they're aiming to be hip and down with the kids now as that audience have moved on from the Boost hype. Oh, I can complain and bore you about this all day as I think it really detracts from a beautiful shoe at an almost embarrassing level, enough so that I'll probably keep calling the Yung-1 by its original name (Falcon Dorf) just in case I'm overheard and laughed at in public or maybe I'll just make my own up.

Anyway, let's talk about FALCON, FALCON, FALCON! Ok, so it's a chunky panelled runner, it's only available in women's sizes currently but I could see this changing in the future, it's very similar to the Raf Simons Ozweego in its appearance although somewhat simplified and missing all those weird plastic bubbles bar a metallic one (that I don't really feel fits with the shoe) near the toebox. The shoe drops the three stripes branding, utilising the Trefoil logo on the tongue in Blue and a Teal script logo on the midsection, I've also seen a mock-up with the stripes added on in post by a good friend of mine and it looks rather decent to be fair.

What I do really like about the shoe is the colour blocking on the outsole, the two orange lines meet at the point of the toe where it meets the suede, it really stands out and shows just how parts of a shoe that are normally forgotten about can really impact the looks and grab your attention, I also appreciate the hidden-stitched pink panel on the heel, it's a nice premium touch and I think it works well.

The creative and marketing behind the shoe is awesome. Very fun and doesn't take itself too seriously making it one of my favourite campaigns to date if you've played Far Cry 2: Blood Dragon you'll know what I'm talking about!

Talking about the creative is a good way to spin this post back to the event, after a big breakfast and a brief visit to Overkill we arrived at the location and walked into a huge dilapidated industrial estate, the first thing to greet us was a huge life-size Tyrannosaurus Rex an unlimited candy floss stand and fairground rides, I could tell this was going to be a good event just from the first 10 minutes.

Inside was a bar serving slushies and cocktails, pick n' mix area, tattoo, fortune teller, magician, braiding and a piercing booth, in the corner was an area with a big ball pool and bumper cars followed by an area made to look like the inside of a supermarket for bloggers to take photos within. 

I'd just like to touch on that for a second, now I know I dip in and out of this shallow social culture, aka like and share my shit please family. But yo when you're sat lounging by a ball pool drinking a margarita and watching about a million bloggers live streaming, snapping, taking photos posing, arguing over who found the best spot to take a selfie, well it's hilarious, I've seen it before in America there just doesn't seem to be any modesty, ah I don't know if that's the word I'm looking for, I guess I just still find it embarrassing, it's part of my work, I love my work but watching myself talk or posting about shoes is still slightly corny, don't think I'm not cyberdyne level self-aware. 

But again this was probably wasn't helped by the fact that I smashed my phone during my first night in the hotel watching an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in the shower so couldn't join in... I'll get off my high horse. 

We got all the content we needed at the event so decided to return to Paul's Boutique to dig through a few piles of vintage, picked out a few gems but nothing in my size this time unfortunately and after trying to get through the airport with 6 pairs of shoes after my last visit I really wasn't feeling carrying anything home with me. 

After a quick nap back at the hotel, we returned to the Falcon launch for the evening's entertainment Stefflon Don was headlining, I've never seen her live before and was thoroughly impressed as she put on a wicked set, got the room moving and pulled off a volt two-piece looking ultra fire, I'm a newly converted fan. 

That's it for this post, it's a little brief and runs off on a tangent but I hope you enjoyed the update, just wanna say love to Nathan, Alex, Ellie, Justin, Holger, Peira, Kane, Calum, Nessie and of course Adidas for making it a memorable trip, check the photos below for a somewhat timelined look at my time away and you can also hit this link for the offical Size? write up when it goes live. 

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Event Recap: Puma x Bobbito Garcia

I thought I’d start off this blog post by letting you know that I’m typing this on a 3 hour train journey back from Manchester sat next to Alex after filming another episode for TTS I can’t talk about the product in this episode yet but it’s been one of my favourites to film and we’ve been getting a lot more streamlined when it comes to our screen presence on top of listening to our viewers, making the right adjustments as we go forward.

Oh and I got to glimpse a selection of forthcoming Nike product for 2019 today and I’ve been completely blown away, I can’t fucking, fucking wait for what’s coming and it’s really made me excited like a little child which is a huge positive after feeling somewhat out of touch with it all these last few months. 

Anyway last Thursday I made the journey up from Guildford for a special Puma event and I just wanted to drop a little recap on that and a few photos.

This year it's the 50th anniversary of the Puma Suede arguably Puma’s most iconic model, for me there is no argument, it carries a huge legacy and I've gone a long time refusing to wear anything else from the brand with the big cat, let’s face it the last few years have been very hit and miss but the Suede is always something I’ve had respect, time and love for and I’m glad to see Puma giving it the year long celebration it deserves. 

The event was hosted in Shoreditch just around the corner from Bird, I got off at Old Street and ran towards the venue, because standard, I was behind schedule. If you’ve been to a few events around the area you’ll know the setup, it’s one of those spaces underneath the overground train-lines sort of like a big brick alcove, inside the place was decked out with banners and displays paying homage to all things Suede and in the middle of the venue were two chairs for the events main focus, an interview with Bobbito Garcia conducted by Livin Proof's DJ Snips.

Now I've been lucky enough to witness Bobbito talk the talk on a few occasions and I'll always say to those who're interested in footwear it's something you've gotta see, the guy is always polite and humble and will take the time to answer any of your questions drawing upon years of experience and a wealth of genuine, no bullshit sneaker knowledge something the industry is severely lacking at the moment, he's also the author of Where'd You Get Those which some say is the big boss of all sneaker books, personally I found it one of the hardest to read as that shit is wrote straight out the mouth and somtimes it's more confusing than Tolkien but eh' it's good read and I'd reccomend for the collection.

The talk wasn't the only reason Bobbito was in the country, he's also launched two Suede's as part of the 50th anniversary, both decked out in premium materials, easy to wear colours and little signiture details on the heel, I wont go too much into these as my pairs haven't arrived yet to give you an honest review and photos but I'll update the article once they do. 

Bar the talk the drinks were flowing, b-boys and girls took to the floor to crack moves and Bobbito himself took to the decks, a good event, classy, old school and enjoyable. 

I'd like to thank Puma for the invite and all that came through to the event, took a few snaps below so please take a look and if I shot you on the night and you'd like any of the photos in ultra, ultra high resolution just drop me a line and I'll email them over.

Peace!

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Event Recap: Sneakerness Zürich

I’ve only just realised that my last post on the Air Max 1 "Curry" was my 10th article since starting the blog, I’ve never put myself out there as a writer, it was mainly an area for me to jot down my thoughts, away from drama, brands and social media and I’ve found writing very therapeutic, which has come as rather a surprise as before the blog I’d shudder with hate at picking up a pen or opening a word document. 

I would like to add that it does help that the feedback has been positive, and I’ve enjoyed reading messages of those who like my style of writing and commitment to making the best content I possibly can, something I’ve always believed is a good word here and there doesn’t cost you anything and it’s good to support your mates, you’d be surprised at the effect it can have on someone’s day. 

So anyway this is more of a personal recap of the start of May and my visit to Sneakerness.

May is always my favourite month because it’s my month of birth, the fabled time when the warrior of prophecy arrived to bring a new light to the land of footwear, but nah seriously I just like cards, cards and action figures, stuff that keeps me young and being around my friends and family is always fun, I like to drag it out as long as possible until everyone is sick of me but in reality it’s just nice to celebrate another year of not being totally useless. 

This year I was invited to Zurich in Switzerland for Sneakerness AKA Europe’s largest and I’d like to say most professional event franchise, now since leaving my past business I’ve been getting a lot of work here and there on a consultancy tip, I’ve got 5+ years of knowledge when it comes to sneaker events and it seems people are eager to tap into that, but this is the first time in ages that I’ve been invited to sit on a panel talking shoes, It takes me a few questions to warm up but I quite enjoy it being honest and this was one of the reasons that Sergio and his team flew me out.

Now I’ve never been to Switzerland before, I wasn’t even sure where Zurich was on the map, all I could think was tax evasion and useful little army knives but damn, the place is beautiful! It’s all clean concrete, trams and old style houses surrounded by hills and mountains of lush green forest, honestly one of the best places I’ve visited, I even thought about moving for s split second before I realised there’s pretty much one sneaker store out there (Titolo) and I’d be very much lacking for work. 

I stayed at the lovely Swissotel and after some confusion at the checkout I opened the door to my room, the bathroom and beds were clean and the shower powerful, that’s all I really care about when I stay at hotels so I can’t fault it, freshening up I got dressed and replaced the battery in my camera and made my way down to the event which was literally 2 minutes from my hotel, very good planning that, thanks. 

So what was my thoughts on Sneakerness? Well it reflected the city it’s within, it’s clean, well put together and friendly never once was there any drama that sometimes underlies the U.K event and I’d put this down to Sneakerness being a business first then expanding into a community rather than the other way around which brings up its own issues later down the line, yes it’s a slower method to running a event but it pays off dividends in the long run, the event was split into 3 rooms, first a lobby area where the talks and bar was located, next the huge room which featured the sellers and brands and finally above it all was a balcony and chill area featuring a Supreme archive and another bar and seating area. 

Everyone was happy to see me and the places was filled with old friends and new, blessed vibes all around, I enjoyed my talk sat on a Panel hosted by Kish with Julz and Matt both long-time event owners/hosts. 

Something I know you guys will care about is what stock was on offer as this is a crucial part of the event, and I was pleasantly surprised by the spread of course there was a ton of SW 97’s and Off White and sellers stocking those left the event very happy with a few racks in there pockets but bar that you can really see the different tastes, trends and pairs that are popular outside of London for instance, 95’s, 90’s and Spiridon’s were in abundance and for a good price and these would usually be snapped up before most events even opened, again there was also a nice mix of TN’s and vintage, mostly small sizes but nice to see. 

Supreme obviously does well in such an affluent country that’s restricted in terms of stores so this was moving hands super fast but also a first was a vintage Polo seller that had some classic items including the fabled Snow Beach all for what I consider good prices. 

I moved myself around the event taking photos and recording a few clips for Size? and then dipped back to the hotel before being invited to a Friends and Family dinner, Lebanese food but the drink was flowing and was the perfect end to the day, everyone went out to a club but now being old I went back to the hotel and watched a few more episodes of Deep Space 9 before falling asleep surrounded by Egyptian cotton. 

Winding down I won’t delve too much into Sunday I spent most of it in the pool or at the gym before heading down for a quick look at the event  and to pick up a pair I had my eye one, dropped those back at the hotel and did a big fuck off circle of the city snapping photos and just taking it all in, got an early night as I had to be up at 4AM for my flight which ended up getting cancelled and just became a massive nightmare but your man sorted it all and I didn’t spoil my stay.

Take a look at the photos below and as always let me know your thoughts either through IG or my email, massive thanks to Sergio and the team for having me out and thanks to the crowd who listened to me drown on about footwear events, I hope you found it insightful.

Peace!

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Nike Air Max 1 "Curry" Retro

Welcome back, I'm currently typing this grumpily from a sunny garden with a glass of OG in hand, life doesn't get much better, but I'm stressing about the workload coming up over the next few weeks. This is going to be a very quick write up as I'm keen to put my head down and get a few articles out this, one covering my time in Zurich, another on the Temper Run and finally a recap of the Puma 50th Aniversary event I'm attending tonight. 

But right now I'm here to talk Air Max, Nike Air Max 1 "Curry" to be precise and ahead of this week's episode of True to Size? where we go in-depth with a comparison of the original and the retro I wanted to bring you my thoughts and also a few photos that turned out aight otherwise, they'll only sit on my hard drive.

The early 2000's where a golden era for Air Max 1 with a lot of pairs that collectors now refer to as grails dropping and now trading hands for lots and lots of money, most of this fire originated from overseas with heavy hitters coming from Japan through collaboration with Atmos or designated a Co.JP drop meaning it was exclusive to the country at the time, even if I feel Atmos fell off hard in recent years you still can't deny the effect these shoes had on today's footwear industry.

Now there's been some confusion over the past few weeks about the origin of the Curry some have said it's an Atmos collaboration, some have said it was a US Exclusive which is why I waffled on with the above but after doing some digging and talking to Nike man in the know Daryl Valdez it turns out Offspring stocked the orginal, if this was imported at the time I'm not sure as I know there was a period before certain stores had an official Nike account when importing was common practice throughout the industry with many shipping over exclusive pairs to puff up their stock and flirt with other brand accounts, funnily enough the Curry wasn't that popular and ended up hitting sale racks, but again that isn't an uncommon story for the time.

Coming back round to the shoe at hand, well I've always had a soft spot for earthen coloured Air Max and a lot of my favourite pairs fit into this category, but the Curry has always been up there for me, understated and easy to wear with a beautiful nubuck saddle and broken up with white mesh and pops of blue on the eyelets and tongue tag, a simple but perfect palette and this has now been transferred onto the 2018 retro, although I may add not as faithfully as I would like. 

Oh, I don't know - I don't want to be constantly negative but it's not the same, it's close but no cigar, the colour is oversaturated and the shoe just feels like it's dropped down a few levels from premium, that and the shape leaves much to be desired. I wish now we'd of seen that perforated leather mock-up that leaked earlier in the year, I wouldn't have been mad at that.

Calming down and coming back to reality, well look, you're not going to find a DS OG pair that's wearable without a lot of time and money, even then you'll probably need a sole-swap aka even more money, ok they aren't awful and are in line quality wise with the other Air Max 1's dropping this month, so if you're a fan of the colourway grab them, if you're a fan of fucking amazing retro's take my advice and go grab the Purple Punch. 

Again thanks for taking the time out of your day to read my musings, don't take offence this is all my personal views and I'm not exactly your normal footwear breh. Props again to Daryl for the fact check and also Ghulamb for lending me his pair of OG's. Anyway, catch the next episode of True to Size? this Friday at 7PM for a good look at both the original Curry and the new and of course my handsome face in a much happier mood. 

Peace!

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Puma RS-0: Reboot

Welcome back, hope you're good, it's been awhile since my last post which featured the Puma Thunder Spectra and I'm here with another big cat post to cover it's RS-0 launch also I just wanted to give you all a little overview of what I've been working on the last few months added with a little rundown of what happens on a press trip to anyone who's ever wondered, it's not always fun and games but Berlin this past week was enjoyable.

Right so its no secret I've been doing bits and pieces for size?,  you might of seen me takeover the odd story, there's lots of changes and cool stuff coming and It's an interesting and fun time to be working with a massively important store for collectors in the UK. One part of the role has me working alongside Carnaby Streets previous manager Alex Vas to present passion driven content that really showcases the brand at its best. 

This also means we're travelling frequently, one week we could be visiting a store to talk with the staff finding out what they like to see on the shelves, the next we could be working with local photographers to create imagery and sometimes a brand will get in contact about a new story or shoe drop that they'd like us to cover, these events usually happen overseas because either the product has a connection to the city or a partner/store they're working with is local or its close to the HQ. 

Going back to the event at hand we were given very little details before the trip, sometimes that's worrying as I like to plan everything out but usually it's for secrecy reasons, anyway I know some good people working in the PR team who always look out for me so I knew I was in safe hands. Transport from the airport is normally a nightmare for but they sorted all that in advance so that was bless.

The evening before my flight I set my alarm for 4.30AM to be awake out the door at the airport for 6AM. The flight was chill and I spent it sat with Franklin (King of Trainers) and Nathanial (Crep Junkie). I've only managed to catch them fleetingly at shoe launches for snippets of conversation so it was great to have a long overdue catchup. 

We arrived in Berlin to beautiful weather and grabbed a cab with musicians and Puma brand ambassadors Krept & Konan to the Nhow hotel. The place was massive, (supposedly Puma had hired over 100 rooms for guests). I've never stayed in anything like it, think quirky boutique but on a huge scale. For example, you had Star Wars playing in the elevators and the decor of my room consisted of varying shades of pink, thankfully the mini-bar was fully stocked. 

I had a few hours to kill as the main event kicked off at 7PM so I linked up with Nathan (size? Social) and Alex to go hit a few spots. Thankfully Nathan is a pro when it comes to navigating Berlin. The first place I wanted to visit was the famous Pauls Boutique a vintage store I'd been planning to hit for a few years after hearing some amazing stories of hidden grails. If you've never been the only way to describe it is a cross between an archive and a jumble sale but gems are there, you just need to dig for them. Shoes are rammed into boxes and cubby holes and we spent a good hour pulling everything out and digging through boxes trying to find something funky and well... I ended up leaving with 5 pairs, more about those at a later date SNM.

We grabbed a quick bite to eat at a wonderful Thai spot and I mashed my way through a bowl of Beef Pho while working out a loose content plan for the evening, I.E what to focus on and what did Puma need in terms of coverage, again we were going in blind but it's always good to prepare regardless, making moves back to the hotel we freshened up, grabbed our gear and made our way to the venue.

The venue was an old warehouse, nice and spacious with little showcase houses and displays dotted around, two bars a DJ and a games room sealed the deal and kept it jammed right up until close. In the middle of the main room was a hanging display of spotlit footwear with images projected on walls around. The houses each held either a collab or special project. The one that seemed to bring the most excitement was the Sonic edition which features a shaggy suede upper and embroidered details based on the speedy hedgehog and the famous Green Hills, these will move fast (ugh pun) trust me. 

Sonic x Puma RS-0

Sonic x Puma RS-0

Roland x Puma RS-0

Roland x Puma RS-0

Puma RS-0 "Optic" - Remind me to bring a flash next time

Puma RS-0 "Optic" - Remind me to bring a flash next time

Konan & Krept

Konan & Krept

It was a GOOD event and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, surprisingly the Berlin crowd is far more laid back than London and such balmy weather allowed me to chill outside and catch up with old friends and put faces to people I've spoken with online. Special shouts go to the PAQ lads, Greg K, Tom, Dan, Rhy, Shez, Will, Adam and Thomas, pleasure seeing you all however brief. 

Now there was an after-party, yes I did attend and yes I did attend the after-after party rocking back to the hotel at a grand old time of 5AM. I've come to realise I have a serious problem when it comes to talking about shoes once I've had a few drinks (I very rarely drink anyway). Once you get me going, it ain't stopping fam, so props to those who sat mock enthused while I droned on about sole units. 

Pain was felt the next morning trust me, I packed my bags and got a 40 minute cab back to Tegal airport. I had a few extra bags on me due to my Paul’s Boutique excursion but the check-in staff were pleasant and didn’t charge me extra. The flight was around 2 hours which I spent most of it asleep followed by a taxi home where I began writing this recount. 

Now I’d like to use this part to go a little deeper into the shoes as that’s the reason for the trip. What isn’t communicated so openly is that this is a major move for Puma, it’s not just a single shoe coming to market its the reboot of R-SYSTEM (an old cushioning tech that covered a few models including the famous computer shoe) franchise taking from the past and updating and refining for the 2018 customer. You’ll see collaborations and special projects throughout the year and it will all sit under the RS umbrella. 

The first drop from the reboot is the RS-0, It’s received a lot of love online recently so I was intrigued to check them in the flesh. I’ve got a pair sat next to me now and first of all the build quality and materials are very, very good. Puma hasn’t always had the best track record with this (BWGH anyone?) so it’s nice to see they’re listening to us, no glue stains here. 

The shoe is built from a mixture of materials a thick nubuck surrounds the toebox followed by mesh and then a super soft full grain leather takes over the main section of the shoe including the lacing system which is a nice touch. The midsole extends into the upper and connects to an embroidered foam stripe. The internals of the shoe feature a neoprene boogie and the insole is cushioned. I wore my thunders during the event but many who had the RS-0 on-foot told me they were very comfortable. Round the back of the shoe is a Rubber cage this also holds my least favourite part of the shoe, a rope lace looking pull tab, I don’t think it’s needed but it’s only a small detail so I’ll let it slide. 

Finally, the colourway connects all the models of the first range, a mixture of white, grey, black and a striking turquoise very close to “Dusty Cactus”. 

I’d like to thank Puma especially the UK team for its hospitality during my stay, the RS-0 is available now at most good retailers, thanks for reading, any questions just drop me a message on IG.  

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