Sneaker heavyweights Nike, adidas, Under Armour, and even new comer Brandblack's catering to their athletes' desire for self-expression drives the sneakerhead culture as each colorway and signature sneaker presents a masterpiece coveted by many. Along with this, customization processes like NIKEiD or one-of-a-kind craftsmanship by Mache gives athletes a bevy of colorful options for each and every game that sometimes deviate from the color palette of their respective teams. In a world where uniformity is a necessity, but individuality and unique aesthetics lead to marketability and profits, the NBA is tasked with policing its players' numerous sneaker options to uphold the principle of a team uniform. Popular sneaker blog Sole Collector spoke with the NBA to discuss the sneaker guidelines that allowed for creativity and self-expression, but also maintained a "dress code". According to Christopher Arena, the NBA's Vice President of identity, outfitting, and equipment, in 2012 team managers and sneaker companies began requesting their athletes be allowed to wear bolder footwear. As a response, the Association created a calendar attentive to holidays, like Christmas, continual celebrations, such as Black History Month, and special events that authorized the striking footwear options a presence on the court. Above is an infographic by Brett Dalzell illustrating all the days when NBA players can wear special sneakers, and go to Sole Collector for the full read.
footwear
The Middle-Ground Between Sport and Fashion /
With so many limited release shoes and hundreds of silhouette variations, it's easy to lose focus on the macro view of the sneaker game, but the industry is changing. Brands like adidas and Nike, which have been synonymous with the sportswear industry, have ventured into the middle ground occupying the merging gap between sport and fashion.
This past fall, adidas released the Tubular: a modern, innovative, and commercial silhouette heavily influenced by the high-fashion Y-3 Qasa Shell. The shoe's designer and now VP of Global Design, Nic Galway, recently sat down with Nice Kicks to discuss the shoes design as well as how adidas plans to navigate the current intersection between style and sport. Check out an excerpt of the conversation below as well as the accompanying video, and for a full read head here.
“Nice Kicks: When did work on the Tubular begin and how did it come about?
Nic Galway: Basically it started some time ago, maybe four to five years back. At that time, I was looking to promote within the company seeing how far back we could take the collective memory of our brand. I was very interested in Originals, but at that time I was working with Y-3. So, I took a trip and was looking at old products, [including the original adidas Tubular.] It wasn’t so much the actual shoes but the prototypes that led to that shoe that really caught my imagination. The prototypes were somewhat crude, they’re handcut, handmade, and they had a real charm about them. It got me really inspired. What I wanted to do was to strip back the idea to what the initial thought would have been as to why they started that product. So it wasn’t about creating a one-to-one version of the original Tubular, but rather understanding why they did it. That took me to the idea of suspending the foot over a tire which is very close to the end product that you’ll see today.
Nice Kicks: In the past couple of years, the non-retro lifestyle running market has really taken off. What do you attribute that to?
Nic Galway: I think people have become a little bit tired [of retro.] They love the past– I think that will always be a strong root in everything we do– but people are looking to be challenged I think. You’ve had a long period of similarity and now I think people are much more open minded. That’s why we’ve created the products we’ve been working on. I think it’s proving to be a big success because the reaction we get to these more challenging products has been incredibly positive. I think that’s a good sign for the industry as a whole.
Nice Kicks: Recently you’ve received a new title. What is your direction as the new VP of Global Design at adidas?
Nic Galway: It’s where we start, it’s all about creativity. What I want is that everything my team does to be rooted in creativity. Whether it’s a bring-back, in which case we do it true to the original and make it to the highest quality, or if it’s something that’s forward reaching, it all has to start with creativity. I really want to bring everything I’ve learned over my experiences with the brand and bring that to the team and I really want to move forward constantly. Adidas is a pioneering brand and that’s what I stand behind.
Nice Kicks: Lastly, what can sneakerheads expect from the adidas Tubular as it launches? Is this the first step towards rapid innovation for adidas or is the Tubular a model that will remain relevant and on the market for years to come?
Nic Galway: I see both. I see the Tubular as a stake in the ground. It’s an intention from us. We want to let people know that we are an innovative brand with a very rich history. I think this rich heritage can either be a hindrance or it can really be a true enabler. For me, it has to be the enabler. I think this is a starting point and what I’m really looking forward to is seeing where we can take the Originals brand moving forward but doing it in a way where people can still connect.”
Nick Young and 2 Chainz in Latest 'Most Expensivest Shit' /
Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young, AKA "Swaggy P", joins 2 Chainz and GQ in the latest edition of "Most Expensivest Shit." In the episode, the two stars head to RIF in Los Angeles, a sneaker shop that has been covered by other urban culture staples such as Nice Kicks and The Hundreds. Browsing a collection that would make the biggest sneakerheads on the planet gasp, 2 Chainz and Swaggy P are privy to an inventory that included the Nike Air Mag, original Yeezys, and Air Jordan Retro IV collaboration with Undefeated and Nike. Just purchasing the shoes in the video would cost a whopping $46,000, after retail of course. Check out the video above.
The Timberland 6-Inch Boot: Form, Function, and Hip-Hop Cool /
The Swartz family was certainly not aware of the cultural mainstay they created in 1978 when the Abington Shoe Company became The Timberland Company solely from the success of one boot. Timberland, footwear specialists, makes a boot called the 6-Inch Waterproof Boot that is so deeply rooted in popular culture due to its functionality, simplicity, and urban youths who stomped around New York City in the early 1990s, specifically those in the world of hip-hop.
What made the 6-Inch Boot so unique, and better than its competitors during the time of its birth, was the boot's creation process. In 1965 Timberland introduced injection-molding technology that fused soles to leather uppers without stitching, producing a true waterproof boot. Innovative design and production led to a classic in 1973 when Abington Shoe Company delivered one of the first leather waterproof boots of its kind, the Timberland 6-Inch Boot, originally named under Abington as the "Timberland". The Yellow boot was an immediate success. Such a commercial success only made sense for Abington Shoe Company to change its name to what it was best known for, hence The Timberland Company. Incorporating premium full grain nubuck leather, rubber lug soles, comfortable glove leather lining, padded leather collars, and unprecedented craftsmanship, Timberland's 6-Inch was the perfect work boot to fit within the company's hard working and dedicated philosophy that represented its fellow New England natives. Furthermore, the boot carries a simplistic attitude and build highlighted in its "Yellow", "Wheat", or "Butter" colorway that stores like Saks Fifth Avenue keenly recognized as a staple in fashion. This aspect allowed the Timberland 6-Inch to transcend its construction, weatherproofing, and work-purpose origins, opening the doors for the 1990s taste-making hip-hop community in New York City to make this rugged boot "cool".
The NYC hip-hop scene in the '90s saw Timberland's 6-Inch Waterproof Boot everywhere--on the feet of Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, Jay Z, Swif-N-Wessun, and more. In a 2012 interview current Timberland CEO Jeff Swartz stated how he was initially surprised the boot had such a following amongst inner city teens and young adults. Why was this the case? The pride the Swartz family has in their brand and their product was evident as Jeff Swartz spoke. He proclaims, "We make the best damn boot in the whole world, we guarantee it for life and it won't disappoint you... Our strategy has been about putting your head down and making something so good that they gotta have it." This confidence the Swartz family has injected into Timberland since its inception goes hand in hand with hip-hop's self-boasting and tough mentality that is often confused with brash arrogance. Black Timb poster boy and Wu-Tang member, RZA, said of the boot in an interview with GQ last year, "They had all the qualities of a good product and that's why we continued to wear them. Timberlands became something that was cool and rugged at the same time." In a world where suede Pumas, shell-toe adidas, and Jordans were already staples in wardrobes, the Timberland boot offered a fresh alternative to add to rappers' baggy jean, oversized, working-class chic look, while offering form and function in New York City's brutal winter weather. The boot was name dropped with ease in songs and appeared on album covers seamlessly fusing fashion and hip-hop into a cohesive unit that still remains today, "Timbs all seasons for ass kickin' reasons," rapped Swif-N-Wessun in his 1995 "Wrekonize". This trend that gained momentum in the 1990s has now turned into a staple piece in the wardrobes of all walks of life and is still seen on the feet of pop culture's most influential people such as Kanye West and Cara Delevingne.
Without the Timberland craze that swept through the hip-hop and urban communities, the 6-Inch Waterproof Boot would not be the icon it is now. To pay homage to this fact, InTheRough took to our current urban environment in Greenville, SC with our classic Timbs to shoot a lookbook. The purpose was to highlight the confidence, rugged, and cool characteristics that weave through Timberland's boot and hip-hop culture. The top of Greenville's Paris Mountain and a happened-upon skatepark, called ROOTS Skatepark, served as the perfect landscapes with their colorful, raunchy, and boastful graffiti facades. We showcase the one and only Yellow 6-Inch Timberland, as well as a copper brown pair that compliments the classic. The lookbook is available above, enjoy!
Buy your pair here and read more about Timberland on the brand's website!
ROOTS Skatepark
3708 White Horse Road, Greenville, SC 29611
Supreme/Clarks /
The Wallabee has long been a staple amongst the Clarks footwear lineup that has recently seen a revitalization as it has served as the foundation for several collaborative projects from streetwear brands such as Kith and now Supreme. Made exclusively for Supreme, the Wallabee Low features a premium two-tone suede upper in four different color ways. As the transition from winter to spring often calls for versatile boots, the Supreme/Clark Wallabee is both functional and trendy. The collection will be available in-store at Supreme's New York and Los Angeles locations on March 5, as well as internationally in Japan on March 7. In the meantime, check out Supreme's website for their current offerings.