Zeha-Berlin Team up with Lark for Olympia Inspired Sneaker
Legendary German shoe brand, Zeha-Berlin and local Vancouver boutique, Lark celebrated their limited edition sneaker with a successful launch event at Lark.
Named after Carl Haessner, the founder of Zeha, the sneaker, the Carl Haessner IIX, is inspired by the Zeha sneakers worn by the Olympic athletes of Germany and the Soviet Union in the 1960s. Gold and black motif; trademark double-slash stripes, with golden embroidery, incorporates the spirit of the brand’s history and events in Lark’s hometown.
“We are excited about this collaboration with Lark and adding this sneaker to the Zeha legacy,” said Axel Menzler, the North American distributor of Zeha-Berlin. “It fits perfectly with the store, and the city, as Olympia meets high quality and high fashion.”
Handmade in Italy, from the finest Italian leathers, in vegetable tanned gold and black, the Carl Haessner IIX continues to carry the torch for tradition, craftsmanship and style.
Available only at Lark Clothing, 2315 Main Street, and onlinewww.lark.me
Lark and Zeha-Berlin unite for limited edition sneaker in celebration of the Vancouver Winter Games
Local Boutique, Lark and German footwear brand, Zeha-Berlin unveil their limited edition sneaker, this Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at Lark Boutique at 2310 Main Street, from 12pm to 5pm. This is a first time collaboration in the last century, and all in the spirit of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
The special edition sneaker, the Carl Haessner IIX Olympia, is a nod to Zeha-Berlin’s Olympic history, and in great anticipation of the Winter Games in Lark’s hometown. The sneaker captures the elegance and character of Zeha’s golden history, merged with the Carl Haessner luxury collection.
True to tradition, the Carl Haessner IIX Olympia sneaker beautifully connects the present with the past all in one step.
When: February, 7th, 2010
Time: 12pm – 5pm
Where: Lark – 2310 Main Street
CIPHER 2010 LIBERTINE
The 2010 LIBERTINE still maintains the essence of the last years most outrageous and original sneaker offering. Conceived by visions of the (in)famous Oscar Wilde and his treatise on aesthetics — with a street culture edge. The LIBERTINE is an ode to the flamboyant one-upmanship of urban-street culture fused with the luxuries of high fashion.
This new inception continues on the same trajectory extending into the contemporary, modern, high- end street fashion, but with a more refined and sublime offering.
High grade leather uppers and the same “Wilde” style attitude remains with a completely new archi- tecture. Refined aesthetics, sophistication, the 2010 LIBERTINE is a testament to discerning tastes and elitist bravado. Boldly stand out and declare your stylistic genius in the Libertine.
Available in Full Grain Ivory Leather with Black Quilting, Full Grain Quilted Ivory Leather and Full Grain Quilted Black Leather. US$179.99.
Manny Pacquio x Nike Trainer 1
THIS SATURDAY Livestock IS RELEASING THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MANNY PACQUIO X NIKE TRAINER 1. INSPIRED BY HIS 2ND ROUND KNOCKOUT OF RICKY HATTON, THE ‘LIGHTS OUT’ TRAINER 1 WILL FEATURE KEY AREAS WHICH GLOW IN THE DARK. KEY DETAILS INCLUDE AN EAGLE LOGO ACROSS THE BACK AND SPECKLED SOLE. TO COMPLIMENT THE SHOE A LIMTED ‘PACMAN KNOWS’ TEE WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE. MUCH LIKE HIS OPPONENTS THIS SHOE AND TEE WILL NOT LAST LONG SO ARRIVE EARLY OR FACE DEFEAT. GASTOWN & TORONTO ONLY!
STOLEN RICHE$ REEBOK PUMP 20
Twenty years after the first pair was launched, Reebok is collaborating with 20 of the world’s most iconic sneaker stores to create 20 limited edition versions of The Pump. Featuring stores from across Europe, Asia, the US and Australia these collaborations celebrate the iconic nature of The PUMP while giving each retailer their chance to customise the design classic in a fresh and exciting way.
“The products that we carry in the shop are as diverse as the clientele – from pure sneaker heads to customers that really just want sneakers to walk around in.” said Hung Lam, owner of Stolen Riches in Toronto.
“The design is inspired by the city of Toronto. We really wanted the people who bought the kicks to see that these shoes scream ‘Toronto’ and everyone that worked here had input into the design” added M. Lam. “The materials that we’ve used actually relate to the climate here. From the Teflon fabric all the way to the bottom of the midsole which is treated for snowy winter days, to the warm inner liner especially for those sub zero days, plus the smoked out outsole idea that came from slippery ‘black ‘ ice. We wanted to represent the city, the shop, and Canada with the relaunch of a classic sneaker that everyone in Toronto will want to get their hands on come November 20th.”
This limited edition PUMP20 collab will be available from Stolen Riches in Toronto on 20TH November 2009.
Cement — Holiday 2009 DC LIFE Collection
Done up with a classic wing tip toe for a touch of luxury, introducing the Sector 7 WT and Admiral WT of the Holiday 2009 DC LIFE Collection. Built on DC’s slim and comfortable dress sneaker outsole, filling the uppers are premium leathers and construction, a trademark of DC. The incorporation of cement and concrete colors, a staple element in skateboarding, runs as a key design thematic, and the honed stone effect on the collar and straps represent what ledges look like after they’ve been grinded. A unique double ankle strap—a first for DC—adds flare and class for days on the high top Admiral WT. We could all use a little class, right? Right.THE LEGENDARY DANNY WAY CELEBRATES 20 YEARS AS A PRO SKATEBOARDER
dcskateboarding.tv Serving up a D-Way Video
Every Day Throughout November
Throughout November DC celebrates 20 Years of pro skateboarding by one of the most iconic and legendary skaters of our time: Danny Way. Check out http://www.dcskateboarding.tv for exclusive content celebrating his career so far, including a new video every day for the next 20 weekdays throughout November.
Even people who don’t follow skateboarding have probably seen a photo of him. At the age of six, Way began skating street at Del Mar Skate Ranch with his older brother Damon (Co-Founder of DC). By the time he was 10 he had two sponsors, and by the age of 12 he had discovered vert, joined the H Street Skateboard team as an amateur, and launched immediately into production of “Shackle Me Not” and “Hocus Pocus,” two of the most influential skateboard movies of all time. After turning pro at the very young age of 14, he kicked off DC as the first team rider along with Colin McKay, with various contest wins and accomplishments in the late ‘90s giving him more fame and respect. After jumping out of a helicopter into a vert ramp twice, his vert, MegaRamp, and street performance in “The DC Video” and follow up in “The DC Video, Deluxe Edition” gave him unprecedented notoriety, including earning “Thrasher’s” Skater of the Year making him the only skater to earn the prestigious award twice.
As far as records and accomplishments, in 2004 he rolled into a gold medal in Big Air (on the MegaRamp, invented by Danny himself) at the X Games, then again Gold in 2005, 2006, a Silver in 2008, and a Gold in Big Air Best Trick in 2009. Global acclaim followed in 2005 when he became the first person to jump the Great Wall of China on a skateboard. The follow-up was a drop from the 82’ neon guitar outside the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas, earning him another world record: highest bomb drop. The list of World Records, medals, and wins is seemingly endless.
Beginning today visit http://www.dcskateboarding.tv for the release of a video clip a day for the next 20 weekdays. A combination of legendary as well as never before seen footage will provide a level access and insight into his career that only DC can provide.
DC Staff Photographer Mike Blabac has also assembled a gallery of his favorite Way photos from over the years. Blabac has been the key photographer for much of Danny’s accomplishments, so the gallery at http://www.dcskateboarding.tv is a great recap of many of his career highlights, going back to photos from Way’s first vert pro contest win in 1989.
Way’s other sponsors—Plan B Skateboards, New Era, Pacific Drive, Independent Trucks, Nixon—are also supporting his 20th Year in a variety of interesting ways. Check out each of their sites for more on Way’s incredible career.
DC ATHLETES DOMINATE AWARENESS AS TOP DRAWS FOR THE SUMMER X GAMES
In a recent on-site survey that was published by ESPN for the Summer X Games 15, DC athletes were ranked the top draw for attendees and ranked the most popular. DC’s Travis Pastrana at 54% was the most sought out by a considerable margin, Ken Block came in second at 21% and Dave Mirra followed at 20% of the vote.
The survey also sought information on specific sports and how favored they were among the respondents. Two-thirds of those attending to see specific sports or competitors specified both Rally Car Racing (66%) and Skateboarding (62%) as main draws.
”Lightning” Bolt Strikes Twice at 12TH IAAF World Championships In Athletics in Berlin
Three-time Jamaican Olympic gold medallist and PUMA athlete Usain ‘Lightning’ Bolt shattered his own world record and delivered a stunning first place finish in the 200m on Thursday night at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Competing on the hottest day on record this year in Germany, Bolt and the track were literally on fire.
The Jamaican sprinter surged ahead of his opponents and raced to victory with an astonishing 19.19 seconds finish. Bolt shattered his own world record last Sunday in the 100m race when he clocked the fastest time ever recorded for that distance in just 9.58 seconds. Previously the world records for the 100m and 200m were set by Bolt exactly one year ago this week at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Wearing the now infamous custom-designed Theseus Pro sprint spike, dubbed the PUMA YAAM, after his favorite food, Usain Bolt exploded out of the starting block and powered past the pack, running hard through the end, again cementing his title as the “Fastest Man in the World”. The PUMA YAAM sprint spike that propelled him to victory twice in the last week was developed by a team of PUMA designers and technicians who studied and measured Bolt’s stride and foot form. With this information and ongoing track-testing, they created a custom-made sprint spike that best suits Usain’s unique body kinetics. The vibrant orange color was chosen to contrast Olympic Stadium’s signature blue track. The shoe is designed to provide power, speed and stability. The “engine” of the show is a carbon plate, which adds speed and power but no weight. PUMA has also designed an athletic, low-profile version of Usain’s signature track spike, called the PUMA STREET YAAM, which will be available at select retail locations later in the year.
EXCLUSIVE - LEGEND TALK W/ EDWIN MOSES
Edwin Moses won gold medals in the 400-meter hurdles at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics. Between ‘77 and ‘87, Moses won 107 consecutive finals (122 consecutive races) and set the world record in his event four times. Moses was also an innovative reformer in the areas of Olympic eligibility and drug testing. In 2000, he was elected the first Chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, an international service organization of world class athletes.
He spoke with us following the presentation of the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award to Usain Bolt.
KIXPO 2009 SNEAKER AND STREET WEAR EXPO - Dallas, TX – July 25th, 2009
Kixpo 2009 is the largest Sneaker and Street Wear Exposition to ever be organized in the state of Texas. The event is being presented by Dead Stock; a group of collectors, vendors, and designers based inDallas, TX. The event will display and exhibit products from sneaker collectors, urban fashion designers, vendors and sponsor companies from around the country. The displays will include rare collectibles, custom products and promotional goods from established companies involved in the rapidly rising Sneaker and Street Wear Culture. The event is being held at Life in Deep Ellum, 2803 Taylor St., in the Deep Ellum area ofDallas, TX from 2:00pm to 7:00pm on July 25th, 2009. The increased exposure of inner-city lifestyle has opened the door to a new wave of fashion trends. This wave has spread internationally, provoking several tradeshow events and expositions along the way. The opening of several boutiques and shops that carry Street Wear products in Texas has prompted Dead Stock to provide a platform to raise awareness for businesses, collectors and consumers alike.
The event has garnered support from over 20 sponsors, both on a local and national level, that include Sport Sole, Puma, Scion, Reebok, Vitamin Water, Akomplice and Red Bull to name a few. The list of giveaway and raffle items grows daily, including over 25 pairs of limited release sneakers, pairs of custom sneakers, clothing pieces and several accessories. Kixpo is a community event that is free and all ages. The 2009 event also features a new sneaker donation center for the Shoes for Orphan Souls organization. Dead Stock has also launched www.kixpo.com to keep the public updated with the latest information and to provide a forum for feedback.
Sgt Robot by Dave White
Dave will be visiting Kidrobot USA for the pre release events and in store signings as follows….
Kidrobot NYC Wednesday 3rd June 6pm - 8pm 118 Prince St (at Wooster), New York 212 966 6688
Kidrobot Miami Thursday 4th June 6pm - 8pm 638 Collins Ave, South Beach, Miami 305 673 5807
All enquiries www.kidrobot.com
Dave White Studio
w: www.davewhiteart.com
e: info@davewhiteart.com
http://twitter.com/DaveWhiteStudio
Free Travis Barker & DJ AM Mixtape Download
TRV$DJAM are offering twitter users an early download of their brand new mixtape, and it only costs 1 tweet! Click here
to pay your tweet and download the album.
Feelin’ Out Fila - Merrill Lyons, Footwear Design
Interview by J.R. Ewing
Women’s sneakers have always been a tricky market to win – yet Fila are winning. What is the secret formula? Not trying to do anything else instead of that. The shoes are built at a very high cost and are well designed with a higher-end background in mind. When we run our prototypes they are always expensive – we take everything from those shoes and offer them at a lower price. We don’t think in terms of making a $40 shoe, or a $55 shoe, we just make it work and make it good. Then we’ll fit it into the price point. We can drive down the prices afterward.
Since your best-selling shoe is the Melrose, are there any other styles to look forward to this spring or fall? We’ve spun it in a bunch of great new colours, and are coming out with a low version of the Melrose. Based on the same tooling we’re coming out with more casual and athletic-inspired stuff, as well as more sporty trend-based styles that are totally different than the Melrose, but equally interesting.
Do you have anything coming out other than a padding or leather? For example, there’s a different treatment on the Melrose Scarf … It was sort of a wacky idea that proved quite successful. I saw a lot of kids wearing scarves, and wondered if I could put one on a shoe, and it worked. I’ve decided to continue with some sort of dressing on the collar. The following season, we worked with geometric patterns, and I’m really excited – but they aren’t coming out until fall.
Fila in particular have a strong presence in the vintage market. Do you draw on that for inspiration in the women’s line? We know what worked in the past, and we definitely have our favourites in the office. I try and bring hints of previous styles – whether it’s a colourway, or the way a logo treatment is done, or some sort of pattern. I try and make the line cohesive and relate it back to our history. The company was established in 1911 so there’s almost 100 years to draw from.
What’s your favourite Fila shoe of all-time besides one you designed? I really love the M Squad. They no longer make it, but hopefully will again, it’s a basketball shoe reminiscent of great ‘90s basketball footwear.
Do you have any plans to do that kind of thing in women’s wear? We did a collaboration that involved Sportie LA and 3M – 136 pair with a jazzercise theme. We’re just feeling it out for the future.
Would you consider yourself a sneakerhead? Yes and no. I’m a designhead, really. I love fashion, footwear, industrial design, and graphic design … any design.
And how did someone originally from Toronto get to be one of the creative directors for one of the world’s largest footwear brands? There was a lot of hard work. I got a degree at Dalhousie University. Then I went on to study at the Rhode Island School of Design, and I can’t speak more highly of how that school helped my career. Sometimes, in the design industry, you have to move out of your comfort zone. No one told me to do this. No one told me to get off my butt and come into Fila and make a whole line. I just took it up myself and know the best kind of work is self-motivated. But it all comes down to me loving sneakers and wanting a sneaker I never saw before.
Feelin’ Out Fila - Mark Eggert, Design Director, Footwear
Interview by J.R. Ewing
What exactly does a director of design do all day? Well, I’m overseeing the footwear design team,
consisting of four people including myself. I do design work wherever possible and interface with marketing and sales, and trying to keep everything on the same track, basically. I’ve had this job for about a year and a half after being with Fila for three years. We’re trying to draw inspiration from who we are as a brand, and where we’ve been. Historically,
we’ve had a pretty good play in both technical on-court arenas, as well as a detailed Italian lifestyle look
– so I feel we can go in a few more directions than some of our competitors.
How did the whole collaboration on the NAS collection come together? Nas came into the store in New York, and was just shopping around, and our corporate office is right upstairs. Someone went down there from our
marketing team and just started talking with him – and offered to give him something to wear on tour, because he was shopping for a trip to Africa, I believe he was playing some shows. It turned out he’s a huge fan of the brand. Back in the late-’80s, it was the one thing he aspired to wear as a kid. We got talking about what he was interested in, and that became the vintage collection. At the same time, we had him get behind some of the newer products.
Do you plan to put any original pieces out from that late-’80s era? We have our velour suit, which was one of the iconic products, which we continue to make. As part of the NAS collection we re-released some of the originals he identified with, as well as footwear. We’re always trying to go back through the catalogue and find
those products that really made us who we were, and bring them back in a nice way.
And you brought back all the Bjorn Borg stuff, which had a big impact in the Canadian market, because a lot of people remember him – especially the Sentanta jacket. Things have kind of cycled around. I’m 35, and everyone my age and older knows the Borg and Fila from back in the day. We brought back the original pieces as close as we can get to them, without any
effort to modernize, because it’s starting to look like a relevant look again. Sentanta is the Italian word
for ‘73. When we talk about who we are as a brand, there’s always a piece from that era because it’s so important, a reflection from when we were firing on all cylinders, and as great as we’ve ever been.
Personally, what is your favourite Fila product of all-time? My favourite shoe is unquestionably the Grant Hill II
– or the 96, if you wouldn’t mind calling it that today. I wasn’t necessarily hopping in it, but I recognize it
was a great shoe, and I was happy we were able to bring it back.
OG Stacy Peralta on his thirty year relationship with Vans
By Duane “Sweets” Watson
STACY PERALTA, director/ skateboarder/surfer, Z-Boys
What were your favourite sneakers of all-time? Vans, without a doubt. I still wear them and will probably wear them for my whole life.
What is it with you and Vans? It’s just like heritage, it’s where I’m from it’s who I am. I was the very first skateboarder in the world to be paid by a shoe company. I was one of the very first kids to get a shoe sponsorship, but I was the first to ever be paid to wear shoes: $300 per month, which back then seemed like a lot, but now it’s nothing.
Vans were the sneakers of choice? They were the only choice. There was no such thing as a skateboard shoe back then. It didn’t exist. Now, it’s just a way to make money off people. It’s not like anyone re-invents, they just put a different logo on it, maybe put the stripes in a different direction. But it’s all the same stuff made in China. The revolution is pretty amazing in that people are dressing their feet in an artistic manner now.
Three Stripes High & Rising
It’s safe to say that Ben Pruess sees the sneaker game from a higher altitude. His bird’s-eye view of what the world is doing comes from his close connection to all of the major players in boutique retail, and a history of seeing things globally. Growing up as skateboarder from NYC turned pro snowboarder at 16, Pruess worked for the French brand Salomon until they were bought by adidas – leading directly to a job over on the side with the stripes. If you’ve noticed adidas Originals coming with a stronger
line and cooler shoes, consider Pruess the catalyst who helped step their game up. Hot off the heels of their aZX initiative – which was over a year in the making – the global vice-president for adidas is currently in full swing, but spared some time to share insights into where the brand is at now.
By Ace Six
How satisfied were you with the reaction to the Originals aZX project last year? The 60th anniversary of adidas was a good time to take stock and celebrate how far we’ve come, and
what we have to bring to the table for six more generations. Our brand is about creativity, fun, and
inclusiveness – and, if you look at the visuals we created, you can get a sense of how eclectic the
party is and how it is comprised by a diverse group of people. Whether it’s Jeezy, or Beckham, or just
some cool kid showing up, we are the kind of brand that can bring people together and let them be
themselves.
What is the marketplace feeling like in the early months of 2009? Customers are a little bit nervous, and honestly have bigger concerns than getting their newest pair of sneakers, but others had harder times during the last holiday season. The campaign is keeping people with Originals at top of mind. And the positive message is resonating more. It’s a good break from the other messages going on.
There have been rumblings of retro-ing the Dikembe Mutombo shoe and package … I love the sneaker community because they can find out everything we’re doing as we’re doing it.
But there isn’t a reissue of the shoe because we didn’t resign a contract with Dikembe – the model
will get its own name after that. The same issue exists with the Patrick Ewing collection, where there
was a contractual relationship back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, which did not continue afterward. We
have the attitude and the rivalry in the range of colours that people know even if we don’t have the
logo on there. Luckily, people still associate their memories with that certain athlete.
We’re spoiled for choice with so many shoes to choose from. Even the most obscure of obscure
has a fan base somewhere. The internet allows us to have access to it. And then, it’s partially about the
management of our range, since we can only bring out so many products each year. A lot of these niche
products are important to us, though, because it shows that we’re listening. But we can’t do one small
program after another. You’ve got tools you bring out each season wisely. Some have to bring the image,
and some have to bring the business – and so it’s just a balance. Selecting it is a fun process, though.
Do you see ‘90s basketball back on the rise? Do you see people getting tired over over-the-top graphic sneakerhead looks? Are they going back to more simple stuff? What about the environmental approach taken with the Grün program? These philosophies are permeating different parts of the brand. The Grün initiative is a responsibility that we are trying to incorporate in bigger and more seamless ways. We take that responsibility seriously, and are progressing each season, putting those ideas into bigger-volume shoes, and bigger-volume apparel programs. Grün has been a great place to start because it showed how committed we were.
Where are you headed for fall 2009? Definitely continuing under the umbrella of 60
years. We took a little bit more time to focus on the stripes story. And you’ll see a bit more of back to
basics: some great suedes with adidas Originals colours – burgundy, dark blues. And we’re seeing
the Campus coming back. There’s a skinnier profile in denim right now. We got a great response with
the SL 72. A lot of the guys in Scandinavia are doing a little bit of the roll-up thing and showing more
attention to their footwear. The classic shoes are a little cleaner, where it’s not so much a big graphic
story as a strong colour and perfect design. There are still sneakerheads who want to see over-the-top
graphics, but I think things are balancing out.
Starting & Ending With A-Trak
You may know him as Kanye’s tour DJ. You may know him as the man behind indie label Fool’s Gold. You may know him for putting on Kid Cudi, and as the man behind and beside Kid Sister. An internationally renowned turntabalist since he took the DMC championship in 1997 at age 15, Alain “A-Trak” Macklovitch has been putting work in. He just released his super cool tight pants mix CD, Infinity+1. But is it spandex-approved?
by Lissa Monet
How did your sound go from hip-hop to shiny disco-synth dance music? I’m a DJ first and foremost. Everything kind of starts and ends with my DJ sets so all of these transformations stem from that. I used to play only hip- hop, then started playing more upbeat party breaks, then it was me and my friends making our own bootlegs that were more up-tempo. And once you’re in that range you realize there are electronic records that can match a fast OutKast record. That’s how I started playing more of it in my sets and doors started opening from there.
Would you call this hip-hop for hipsters? I don’t have much of a problem with that word – a lot of people think otherwise but I don’t really care. Genres are less relevant now, everybody goes to parties and hears different stuff thrown together in DJ mixes, everybody is on MySpace all day long listening to various stuff. I still think of myself as a hip-hop DJ but the way it ties in are the stories I hear about the early days of hip-hop, like how Afrika Bambaataa would grab different records and the common thread was that he made people dance. He’d put a Kraftwerk record next to a James Brown record. Same thing we’re doing.
You broke and signed Kid Cudi, and catapulted him into blogosphere star status. But with the Crookers remix of “Day N Nite” blowing up do you you think you were overlooked in any way? No, not at all, he was just a kid from Cleveland living in New York and my friend was managing him. I don’t think it ever crossed their mind that it would become a mainstream dance smash – literally an Ibiza record, you know? It grew organically and became bigger than anything we ever thought. I’m superhappy about it.
Do you think Kid Cudi and Kid Sister are related? What? You mean because of the “Kid” thing? There are similarities – hip- hop with a fresh sound and fresh perspectives, but it’s still real rap to me. It’s not some fly-by-night trend. I’m the executive producer of the Kid Sister album, which is finally coming out this summer.
You’re known for your fashion sense but what is your take on Sean John? I can’t say I rock it myself – but to each his own.
Will you be incorporating spandex into your wardrobe anytime soon? Right now I’d say no. But there are so many things from over the years I never thought I would wear and then find myself wearing a year later.
Will you wear sunglasses to the seder table at Passover this year? No, no, no. I’ve never taken it to that level.
Which brands are you messing with now? The way that I like to dress is like some sort of balance between some designer stuff and more high-end streetwear. One of my favourite brands is Nom de Guerre – a store in New York. On the designer side, I really like Martin Margiela. I wear quite a bit of Christian Dior. Surface 2 Air make really well cut clothes. Sixpack is a line from France and they make my favourite designy T-shirts.
Have you had an influence on Kanye West’s evolution of style? More on the music side than fashion side, I think. He goes way deeper than me with couture stuff. If there’s anything I helped expose him to it was when streetwear was starting to get big and everybody was rocking hoodies with varsity jackets and fitted caps. I was the one person who defined that in Kanye’s circle. But I know I helped him more with broadening his musical horizons.
What is your relationship like with your Nike Air Max 90s? Well, I did a record last year for Nike called “Running Man,” a 45-minute piece on iTunes. Then they invited me in to design a shoe. Anybody can go into the iD Design Studio and make their own style, but they made sneakers available to me that weren’t in the catalogue. I was able to do some lasering and bring out certain colourways that weren’t available. I went in with two designer friends of mine because I’m completely useless when it comes to design. We picked colours close enough to the Fools Gold logo colourways, which were yellow and black, and toned with yellows and browns and stuff. And then we also made a Running Man Dunk High: blue, yellow and black because those were the main colours on the record.
Do you have a sneaker story from your years growing up in Montreal? When I started getting into sneakers there weren’t any specialty shops, compared to now. I used to buy everything on the road – I remember going to Japan and coming back with seven different pairs. I would have to buy a suitcase to bring them back, and I’m not even a collector, I wear everything I buy. But when you grow up listening to hip-hop your kicks are the make or break point of your entire outfit. Your shoes have to be on point, because that is the foundation of style.
Jordan 2009 Designer, Jason Mayden
Jordan 2009
Excerpt of upcoming interview with Jason Mayden, Designer Jordan 2009
Did your own Chicago roots contribute to your role with the Jordan brand? Well, I had the privilege of watching Michael play, and those ties entitle me to give back to the community here and around the world. Regardless of where I am, I have something attached to my name that keeps me focused on a greater mission. Locally, we have athletes like Ray Allen, Rip Hamilton and Michael Finley who show up and do skills camps and breakfast clubs. I mentor students who want to get into design. We have a national program called Jordan Fundamentals. Internationally, we’re involved with a French street ball tournament, and MJ went to China several years back. Normally, there’s a barrier between athletes and their audience. We try and treat our consumers like family.
When did you first get to see Michael Jordan in the flesh? My dad took me to my first Bulls game in 1996, when they were playing the Philadelphia 76ers, just as Alan Iverson was coming into the league. We were in the nosebleed seats and I remember every head in the crowd turning in unison as he ran back and forth. Back then, wanted nothing more than to design a Jordan, and when I finally got to witness him as a living, breathing person, I knew my dream could come true.
For the latest Jordan shoe, were you drawing on past designs, or taking new inspiration from anything? We derived the aesthetic primarily from MJ’s sophistication on and off the court. If you look at the complete line, each shoe has a specific direct language that makes them unique and distinctly Jordan, so we continue forward with that look.
There was a time when it was all synthetics, and a lot of plastics, so how did you end up with satin and pleating on the upper part of the shoe? I’m a huge fan of martial arts, and the sport of fencing was an easy connection to make, since the footwork can also translate to basketball. The satin represents the clean aesthetic of Michael; the pleats build structure into the material. We wanted to reduce the amount of layers, increase the strength, but keep it sophisticated. The satin won’t get messed up, either – it’s engineered to outperform a lot of synthetics out there. The shoe is really based on MJ’s defensive mindset.
