I found a ticket in my
coat pocket the other
day.
It was a bus ticket
from Manchester.
I’d paid cash.
"Piccadilly,
where dreams go to die".
Lots of things happen there
some good
some bad
all rad?
My bad
Hey dad …
I’ll stop now.
I don’t exactly miss that bus,
its shuddering presence,
the questionably warm back seats of the lower deck.
They'd always smell like a years-worth of engine fumes,
stored away into the
hard wearing abstract pattern.
That
or an ill-kept Henry Hoover,
which I suppose is a small price to pay for comfort,
especially when considering the chilly temperatures of Manchester's winter.
The bus ticket was probably one of
the last things I bought in that city.
Although I’ll no doubt buy more in future,
chugging up and down the surprisingly straight
Oxford Road,
with it's mixture of grandiose and less-than-grand architecture plotted along
somewhat randomly.
Buses are an interesting place,
Reminds you how slow life can be
when you’re stuck in a traffic jam with
everyone.
All suspended in thought … well
not all, but most.
Some would rather shout about it,
announcing their thoughts out loud
hoping someone will join in,
which they seldom do
if they have any sense.
Let bygones be bygones.
and let people who shout on
buses do their thing.
Good rules to go by in life.
Here’s to the next bus journey I inevitably take in Manchester because of an unsurprisingly 'sudden' downpour.
I Wish (2011) – A Film Review
This film took me back to my childhood in a massive way. The carefree attitudes, the swimming lessons, discussing how the leftover crisp packet crumbs are the best bits. Luckily, that’s not all my childhood consisted of, had it been I’d probably be an Olympic-level swimmer with a Walkers deal … which upon reflection doesn’t sound all that bad.
I am currently making more of an effort to watch Japanese and South Korean cinema. To be honest, I’m trying to watch more films in general. My best year for Film was 2017 when I was in my second year of University. I’d often receive and be given recommendations from a friend at film school, discussing genre-bending pieces like Ben Wheatley’s A Field in England thanks to a recommendation from the king of film criticism, Mark Kermode.
Of course with Japanese and Korean cinema, the settings are based in places I know little of, which was part of the charm surrounding I Wish (2011),a film directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu. There was something tangible captured in its 128-minute runtime, I myself felt part of this group of friends, feeling somewhat exhausted after watching them traipse up the long and winding hill to school. My journey was slightly easier, consisting of an hour-long bus journey where the sweltering Indonesian weather was only made bearable by the occasional gust of wind from the bus window.
Swimming was an enjoyable part of twelve-year-old Koichi’s day, a subject he’d discuss over the phone with his brother Ryunosuke in great detail. The film was so brimming with a childhood innocence that even when Koichi’s friend revealed his recently dead pet dog was in his backpack, it was endearing and not completely horrifying. There’s obviously more context, yet it proves how focused Hirokazu’s direction was throughout the process, flipping this horror-esque trope on its head. I was totally invested in this journey, eager to watch these brothers reunite amidst the complications of their parent’s divorce.
As a backdrop, Japan plays a huge role in the film, with its many cultural colloquialisms seeping onto the screen. A huge volcano would linger in the background as Koichi would walk to school, its towering presence over Kagoshima a factor that the residents would simply have to put up with. One can only imagine how terrifying that would be as a child, a cultural separation that the director was tasked with communicating to the Western audience.
One of the mothers works behind a bar, serving drinks to elderly gentlemen while reflecting on her failed dream of becoming an actor. Consequently, she projects this onto her daughter, doubting her drive and ability to shine against the blinding lights of Tokyo. As with many of the character arcs, Hirokazu amends this by giving her a real moment in the spotlight, when the consequences are high and the group of friends trailing behind need her to pull through. Even as a child, these little wins go on to have big effects.
There was another scene in which the boys are trying to raise money for what appears to be a cross-country train journey, yet could easily have been a normal commute for your city worker. Events are exaggerated in our youth and the director manages to translate this successfully through his writing. Each of the toys sells for 5000 Yen, with the game shop worker observing them with his intricate figurine-based knowledge. This reminded me of many trades that took place in my childhood, and one in particular which involved me swapping a set of Pokémon cards for a three-headed Japanese dragon. I’d later go on to find out that the dragon was called Ghidorah, a monster of cultural significance in Japanese lore and frequently referred to by the late rapper, MF DOOM. Even the snacks they would eat and drink would take me back to the days of sipping Pocari Sweat in the humidity of the Indonesian summer.
I enjoyed this film a lot. With buckets of heart and spoonful’s of charm, this should definitely be a watch for anyone who has lost their inner child along the way. If you’ve got MUBI then I highly recommend giving it a watch!
The Garden Wall
The garden wall had seen better days. Vines clung to the ageing brickwork, the most obvious sign of its unkempt nature. His father had often enjoyed tidying, not the finished product but the process itself. It “kept him busy”, a way to stop his mind from delving off into the intrepid memories of the war. That was one thing the older generation had never gotten right, at least to his understanding, they could never truly enjoy free time. Leisure time as it was eventually called. Even a friendly meeting of faces over afternoon tea could only idle on for so long before the weather turned bad or even worse, the tea went cold. The English summer was the only time people would see the sun and bask in its warmth. Although people would remember how nice the sun actually felt and flee to the tropics to experience it in all its unfiltered glory. At least that was the case for the ones with cash to spare. The rest would visit their nearest seaside town, much to the distaste of all the locals, all of whom had already dealt with the miserable rain and coastal winds for most of the year. Striped beach towels on ice cream in vast quantities would flood the beaches of England, with remote radios tuned into whatever station could match the mood of the town on that particular day.
His father wasn’t one for sand, he hated the thing. Scarred by the endless feeling of grains stuck in his shoes as a boy, he vowed to steer clear of anything related to the substance. Instead, summers meant the recognisable patch of grass behind your house or the predictable shadow cast by the sycamore tree that meant a trusty break from the sun’s heat. He never understood why people were so keen on change, maybe it was his time in the military that had put him off the idea. His service had given him enough change to last him a lifetime (not that he’d had more than a couple tupence to his name now), years spent not knowing if he’d catch a good night’s sleep had left him eager for structure. The odd day or two spent lying on his own patch of land in the English sun was just about enough change for him. As another June would roll around, a weekend full of pruning and watering the plants was back on the cards. His friend at the farm across the way had been perfecting his cider recipe for the last few years, with each summer causing much anticipation among the pub dwellers in the nearby villages. The garden wall and pub were two places that could consistently provide his father with joy, failsafe options that would keep his already busy mind from over-working. Sometimes he had thought that the flagon of Millerdowns cider was the only thing going, it was certainly enough to put hairs on your chest, that was for sure.
The sun had been circling the local village for some weeks now, warming the cobbles and limestone rooftops that had seldom transformed the silhouette of that quaint English town over the decades. Every time he’d find himself sorting out the pantry or washing up the dishes in the kitchen, he’d catch his gaze wandering over to the end of the garden. His mind was trying to play tricks on him, convincing him that his father was somehow still there, patiently trimming away the collection of vines. Of course, that was not the case, his father having passed away almost 7 years ago meant that the garden wall had remained entirely undisturbed. Nature had run its course since his passing, clawing away at the red brick that formed the barrier between himself and the neighbours. Perhaps it was time. His wife had all but gotten sick of asking and bought him a pair of secateurs for his birthday, disregarding the fact that over the 9 years that they were married, he had not once brought up the subject of gardening. He knew she was doing him a favour but hiding his reaction to the present was not easy for him. Lucky for him, she’d always had a good sense of humour.
It was settled. He knew where the secateurs were and more importantly, where the garden wall was.
February Poetry: what happened to the uncertain?
What happened to the what’s? the why’s the where’s the wear and tear the “are those grey hairs?” that long empty stare as you slump up the stairs underground moving sound another screech lacking speech the please do not stare the “please mind the gap” the brief open air the scurry the grind a fresh cup of coffee that rush of caffeine in that static chair as you stare into a moving screen full of mice that are off for the cheese in tall towering traps suspended in the air soaring above for those soaring past underground tired but sound.
Janurary Poetry: W.I.P
He’d often stare back at himself in the mirror, wondering who he was that day. He knew where, but as he grew older he found out that mattered less. The sun gleamed in through the frosted glass, warming his skin, reminding him of the human necessity for warmth. That first sip of coffee was also something he routinely enjoyed, almost as if anything birthed from the earth’s soil had an integral consistency. Even if, humans seemed to be doing their best to interfere. For now, the coffee remained good and as for him, things were a work in progress.
10 Sneaker-Based Songs You Have Never Heard Before
We all know about that time the Game threatened to kill you if you tried him for his Air Max 95s, but what about all the sneaker references in the world of music? Don’t they deserve some shine? I headed to streaming platforms to see what all the other crop of trainer-related songs were like and more importantly if they were any good.
In no particular order, here are a list of songs that stood out for one reason or another:
1 – New Balance – Dijah SB
Starting off the list is this upbeat track from Dijah SB. The instrumental and vocals speak of a solid level of production with a chorus that will sure to have you singing along.
2 – Reebok Classic – Chimpo
Big Manc DnB energy on this track from Chimpo, along with a nice reference to the more under-appreciated part of the sneaker world. Salo smashes the chorus with her vocals so its a nice pairing once again.
3 – LA Trainer – Johno37
This German cloud rap song has a fun instrumental and catchy chorus which will have you rapping along even if you don’t have a clue what they’re saying. I picked up some LA Trainers for £20 from the local JD the other day and found the track, was pleasantly suprised so you know it had to make the list.
4 – 95 Air Max – Cavalli Rich, Chuck Swagg
Channeling that OG Atlanta Trap rap energy is this track from Cavalli Rich where he talks about the exploits of being a hustler. “We don’t wear Air Max but we Air Max” – yes, you heard right.
5 – Asics – DrippieL
Another German track, this one’s just got a fun instrumental and the lyrics are the most chilled. Got a – lets make a song about this pair of ASICS I love from my home studio vibe, but I’m here for it.
6 – AIR FORCES 3 – Da BP, Yodha
This one is chock full of references, even sampling a bunch of the more popular sneaker related bars from the US Rap songs. Plus the instrumental is pretty good so this one’s a solid addition to the line-up.
7- Air Max – Pika
One of the few songs with an actual music video – which is actually fairly decent. Got a nice Reggaeton feel to it and is pretty catchy, even if you don’t really wear the exposed bubbles on your feet.
8 – Adidas – Peach Pit
One of the few Indie tracks on the list but with good vocals and solid song writing, there’s a lot to like here. The chorus that mentions adidas is also worth checking out.
9 – Swoosh – JONNY5
A German artist that I found myself listening to a fair bit during my lockdown runs, this track takes notes from French Plug music and early Playboi Carti era stuff, so right down your lane if that’s your thing.
10. OG Max’s – Pre Dolla
Probably the most typical song when compared to the classic sneaker-based American Rap songs. Has a hint of The Madd Rapper in the Pre-Dolla’s voice, which along with the instrumental, makes for a good listen. Fair few direct references to the shoe game too so the most on the nose out of the list too.
Park Chan-wook – Time means nothing
Last night I watched Park Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden (2016), a film packed with the Director’s narrative style. My thirst (pun intended) for Korean storytelling still lingered, remembering I’d seen his short film crop up on MUBI, I swiftly hit play. Park Chan-wook’s short film, titled Judgement (1999), was based on the 1995 collapse of the Sampoong Department store, a catastrophe that saw many people swoop in to claim Government pay-outs. The film was perfectly named and explored the theme of judgment from almost every angle imaginable. The Morgue worker’s character was so fully developed within the 26-minute run time, proving the director does not need a 2-hour-plus in order to tell a story. Even characters who had only been referred to through memories seemed to roam the physical space of the morgue’s back room, a further implication of the brilliant script. As the cameramen are shoved out of the room, Chan-wook shows us the behind-the-scenes results of the Sampoong Department store, where family secrets are no longer buried. Judgement is more than worth your time and goes to show exactly how much the short film medium can achieve.
Luckily for you, it’s available to watch on YouTube, so if you’ve got a spare 30 minutes or need some thought-provoking material, this should be on your list.
Where did the Dad Shoe Trend go? – An Ode to the Air Monarch IV’s
“You a bad B you yeah?” – asked the assistant store manager at the shop I used to work at. It’s 2019, I’m crouched down sorting out the Carhartt beanie display when I get asked that. I’ve got a pair of Air Monarchs on my feet in the black and red colourway. I was hesitant to wear them that day as it’d been a while. “The age of the Monarch is over. The time of the 990v5 is now.” I was considering retiring so that little education on the Manchester Bad B Monarch crowd was the final nail in the coffin. The Monarch had served me well during my time in Bristol but now the day had come. It was the pinnacle of the Dad Shoe era in 2018, a time when pairing up white tube socks and some classic white trainers would get you far. Far in what, however, is yet to be defined.
There was a time in 2018 when all the Bad Bs in your local area were wandering into Sports Direct and sifting through a pile of orange Nike boxes to find their right size. I know this because I myself did the same on my lunch break one day, not that I’d consider myself a bad B in any sense of the term. This era was loaded with bulky silhouettes, a much-needed change from the Sock Shoe era that had just been. NMDs and Ultra Boosts were on their way out as the Air Max series made it’s way back into the fray.
Now, in hindsight, I feel like the bulky shoe movement spawned the era we are currently living in today or at least the one that is almost over/teetering on the edge. To my recollection, the cycle over the last 10 years has somewhat been as followed: Vintage, Sleek/Modern, Bulky/New and looks to be like we might be heading back into vintage runners again with the Mexico 66 slowly simmering under the influence of fashionable Tik Tok’ers. The Monarch, particularly the fourth iteration, embraced the bulkiness of its silhouette as a by-product to comfort. Who didn’t mind this? Dads and Grandpas who’d wander in, see their size already out on the shop floor and walk out the store chuffed with their brand new set of kicks that’d last them for the next 10 years. Plus, they did this all before the Monarch IV was considered ‘cool’.
This bulky look went on to inspire the design language of high-end sneakers such as the Balenciaga Triple S and Versace Chain Link 2, both of which featured huge midsoles. Then Buffalo Boots slowly crept into the mix, with the ‘alternative’ crowd making these look cool enough for a larger female audience to be enticed into picking up a pair. Nike collaborations with sacai did much of the same with its LD Waffle, then building on that stacked midsole again with the Vaporwaffle. Meanwhile, the New Balance 990 series started gaining huge popularity as people were no longer put off by its high price point, having already picked up numerous pairs of Air Max 98s which were only £50 cheaper, yet nowhere near as sophisticated.
That year saw the Dad shoe trend evolve and mutate through the various footwear camps, all while the Monarch’s shadow grew smaller and smaller. I still own a pair of the original white and blue colourway, a choice I’m happy about considering it was rumoured that Nike stopped production on them in 2020. Although a quick Google search reveals that they’re still available on the Sports Direct website, albeit at the eye-watering amount of £57, and that’s their sale price too! I remember the good old days when you could pick them up for £32 pounds at your local Sports Direct. It’s nearly doubled since! Now that’s one example of inflation that no sneakerhead seems to be talking about. Long live the Monarch IV.
My original reason behind writing this was the idea that the New Balance 2002R and 1906R are merely extensions of the Dad shoe trend. Both silhouettes, had they come out during that time in 2018, would have perfectly fit the programme. Yes, both have hit the mainstream audience, but you can’t tell me that they wouldn’t look out of place on your Dad’s feet at the next family barbeque. Just look at the Up There Store x New Balance 2002R “Backyard Legends II” pair, the perfect Dad shoe (granted the inspiration behind the shoe is very Dad shoe-inspired). I wouldn’t go as far as to say as this is the hill I’d die on; it just might take me some convincing.
Side Note: Does anyone remember the MK2 Teknos – talk about a flash in the pan moment.
Check out this fun Wedding-related story about the Monarchs!
Free Silver Bullets in Manneh
I missed Nike’s “Silver Bullet” drop in 2017 and being a broke student, resell prices weren’t an option. Almost a year later in the Spring of 2018, I picked up a pair from Depop for £100 all in. Result. They arrived in good nick, a receipt from JD Rochester crumpled inside the red Nike box. I slipped them on and headed to the library, 3M gleaming from all different angles. I was at the deep end of third year at the time, so dissertations and essays had me tied to the library. ‘At least I’ve got a pair of 97s to get me through it’, I thought, a minor saving grace.
A few years later and they were beat, gone, finished, caput, done out, pooped, wrecked, dunzo… you get the idea. I’d had them tucked away at home in a clear zip lock bag having chucked out the original Nike box out a while back. Rumours of a “Silver Bullet” retro hit the web around October 2022 so I thought, best fly the old pair for the fresh 2022 retro. I put it up for £75 quid, a decent chunk of change towards the new pair.
Few days later a friend messaged me telling me about some exchange deal that END was doing up in Manchester. I’d only moved out a few months ago so it was a good excuse to head back. After some minor digging, I found out he wasn’t lying. ‘Head to this Silver Bullet themed event and swap out your old pair’ was along the lines of END’s Instagram post. Sounds good to me. The train up would cost £70 quid (£18 of which I got refunded thanks to delayed train) but that sounded a whole lot better than forking out £165 for the new retro. Plus, it was for charity so it morally made sense as well.
Four and a half hours later I was back breathing in the crisp air of Manchester’s damp streets. The event only a few hours away, so I headed to my mates to kill some time. We drove to the destination with my friend inevitably queuing a host of 67 songs like he was sponsored. Luckily it was a short drive. Arriving in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, we saw a queue with some old friends outside this warehouse. The insides were covered in tin foil, remnants of what could have been a Salford’s annual conspiracy theory convention or even Chuck McGill’s house from Better Call Saul.
A projector beamed an animated loop that depicted a liquid metal substance transforming into the Silvy B, very cool. Inside, a reflective bubble bouncy castle minus the bouncy floor was where the swaps were going down. Everyone lined up with some crusty Air Max 97s in hand, ready to complete what most sneakerheads would deem an unfair trade, even if it was all above board. Getting closer to the desk, I witnessed a girl getting turned away cause of some technicality, people including myself were starting to worry, maybe there was a catch?
I was up next. I gave my name as the girl scrolled down a spreadsheet list full of names. A few clicks later and I was in. I placed my old pair on the desk taking one last look at them before they departed, many memories of roaming the Bristol streets were formed in those. They’d served me well. She slipped an OG 90s Nike box an END bag, handing them over to me. They were mine, the swap was secured. I stuck around for a bit afterwards watching an assortment of people bob about in their various Air Maxs, clearly everyone had got the memo. I caught up with a few old mates from the store and then trudged back home the next day. Dipping in and out of Manchester had been a daze, the docile streets of my quiet hometown slowly becoming more of a normality. I slotted the 97s away, “keeping them on ice” as some would say. What for? Who knows. I just know that I’ve got a fresh pair of “Silver Bullets” and I’m sound with that.
Is this the Sneaker Retro of the Future?
Back when the first Air Max released in 1987, people’s minds were blown by the exposed Air unit. How do I know that? Well, Nike have done a great job marketing and documenting this, making sure its Air Max line remains relevant for years to come.
Now-a-days, releases from the Swoosh still embrace that same Air technology, just look at the Air Max Scorpion which dropped in the second half of 2022. Recent models like the Air Max 720 and 270 were also added to the lineage, dropping on Air Max day in 2019 and receiving lots of attention, yet has seen waning interest post-pandemic (admittedly, the Air Max 270 is still a go-to gym shoe for many). So, which of these is the Retro of tomorrow, the retro of the future? Is it the Scorpion with its crazy sole unit? Possibly, but I’d like to think otherwise.
We need to truly understand how mind-blowing and crazy the reactions were to the exposed Air unit on the Air Max 87/1 to really understand the possible future of the footwear market. We need to ask ourselves as sneakerheads or as people with interest in the industry, which recent drops created a reaction in the past few years? We need to look at shoes that may seem wild and futuristic now, but will fit perfectly within the design language of 20 or 30 years’ time.
Just look at the success New Balance is having with its NB 1906R and 2002R, models designed over 10 years ago that look like they were only penned yesterday. That’s just one example, but even then it’s too close to its original. We need to look to the 80s and 90s, releases from 20 years plus which still fit in today.
Of course, the Air Max line was designed with a running purpose in mind. The Air Max 95 “Neon” colourway had a black midsole because they were a trail running shoe first, a detail that would allow the midsole to look clean after a heavy trek in your local woods. It may not seem like a big deal now but most shoes at the time had a white midsole, so this feature really went against the grain.
With that logic, do we look at the Nike Wildhorse or updated Pegasus line as future-retros that will have sneakerheads going wild? Old Pegasus models such as the 83 still receives love from the vintage runner afficionados and mainstream market, their classic silhouette making them easy to wear. The rubber midsole on the pre-2000s edition is also much more durable than its updated foam counterpart. While the latest 39 version might be way better for energy return, I think it comes at a cost of foam durability, as Lao Tzu once said, “The flame that burns Twice as bright burns half as long.” Therefore, in my opinion, the Peg 83 would outlast the Peg 39 by quite some miles. On the other hand, you can still see the early 2000s Peg editions pop up on eBay from time-to-time so I might be completely wrong. Chances are though that they were only copped when Stewart was adamant to embrace his New Year’s challenge and picked them up from his local sports shop only to remain hidden in his pantry cupboard after a handful of 5Ks. We’ve all been there Stewart, chin up.
Having considered these run specific lines, I would like to look elsewhere for a more promising suggestion. Keeping it within Nike, if we look at the brand’s most cutting edge division, it’s got to be the ISPA line formed in 2018 (Improvise, Scavenge, Protect and Adapt). When I used to work at the Size? store in Manchester, there was one shoe that I’ll always remember leaving a huge impression. I worked in the stockroom, meaning hundreds of different shoes would pass under my nose as I booked them in for delivery. That one shoe which I remember to this day, was the Nike ISPA Road Warrior from 2021. Granted, Zoom units aren’t ‘new technology’ and we’ve seen them exposed before thanks to the Zoom Spiridon Cage 2, but not like this.
The shoe had a total of four Zoom units, two of which were stacked! Not to mention the quasi-Shox looking springboard mechanism that housed the Zoom units, plus the assortment of techy straps attached to the knit upper. The shoe was wild and still is! That to me is a great example of contemporary Nike innovation. Side note: I wanted to try the pair on but we only had them in women’s sizes so the closest I got was a description from my stockroom friend who happened to be a UK6. To this day I have to go off, “oooo, these are bouncy aren’t they”, a less than sufficient description to say the least.
I recently picked up the Nike ISPA Link, eager to get a taste of the division’s technical prowess and believe you me, I was not disappointed. This forward thinking design from the ISPA division combines the latest of technologies for the modern human (enter “all humans are athletes” phrase here). That’s a thought process that all the best designers of their time were considering, think Tinker, Peter Moore or Bruce Kilgore, something which has been side-lined with a large portion of Nike’s recent output. Then again, the brand needs to sell basic logo Ts and simple retros to fund the research process. A process that went on to fund Kipchoge’s sub 2 hour marathon and kept it true to Nike’s “Impossible is Nothing” ethos. Back to the designers though, what do those guys have in common? Is it the socks they wear or the toothpaste they use? Unlikely. Jokes asid, what links the aforementioned designers was that they all created a silhouette, a shoe which is still relevant in the industry today. Sure, the Swoosh’s marketing plays a part but the product comes first (or so I’ve been tricked into thinking).
As we have seen recently, cutting edge thinking isn’t everything. Look at the 2022 retro of the Nike Air Kukini and its lukewarm reception from sneakerheads, the models now sat on shelves at 60% off and they’re still sitting. Madness. These were birthed out of Nike’s Alpha Project division that embraced futuristic design brought on by the turn of the millennia.
The early 2000s actually birthed a number of forward thinking editions to the sneaker world, such as adidas’ Crazy 1, the ACG Air Dri-Goat and the Air Jordan XV Moc, influenced by a cultural fascination about what the future would look like, a theme reflected by film and TV. Most of the models only gained a cult following, with specific parts of the world resonating with these releases more so than others. You don’t even have to look that far back to see a tech-heavy shoe flop. Take the adidas Springblade, a wild looking addition that saw a quick transition from shop floor to adidas archive. This is good news for sneakerheads like myself who end up picking up an old pair of Springblades for about £30 on the second hand market. Mind you, it’s definitely more of a niche pickup.
So that doesn’t exactly bode well for my theory on the Road Warriors or the rest of the ISPA division for that matter. While it may have caused a reaction amongst a small number sneakerheads including myself, it doesn’t come close to that of the Air Max 1 back in ’87. This might have something to do with modern culture though rather than the shoe itself. The internet and drained serotonin levels amongst those 15-25 have resulted in a lack of surprise and shock value. Chances are you’ve seen a shoe on social media before you’ve seen them on the shelf at your local shop. A shoe would have to be that much crazier in order to gain a reaction out of you, or some might be gassed with the shoe in hand but be less obvious about their excitement. This thought process isn’t exactly helpful, as it means that shock value could still be both completely relevant and irrelevant, depending on the person. A sticky one still.
How do you go about judging a future retro classic in that case? Perhaps new releases that have gained a mass following and recognition could be an indicator. Look at the JJJJound Projects, each time they’re leaked a shockwave is sent running throughout the sneaker socials. Yet again, this is only a niche crowd of enthusiasts who amplify this excitement and not touching the outer edges of the footwear-loving world. Not to mention the fact that they only deal with classic and iconic silhouettes, so it’s not exactly cutting edge design; back to square one it is.
As a matter of fact, the future could be less about Swooshes and Stripes than it is now. Fashion is closely attached to its cyclical nature, implying that these brands won’t be going anywhere, not for now at least.
Trainers themselves could completely transform between now and 2050, deeming current releases as old and insufficient compared to the designs of the future. We may not use shoes at all, the Barefoot Movement of today has grown since its niche following in the early 2000s, Vivo Barefoot and Vibram Five Finger lines garnering more attention each growing year. The recent Artificial Renditions are also worth considering, taking social media by storm with its incredible new renditions that suggest the future of footwear design will only get more dependent on tech. However, it’s too extensive a subject to try and relate solely to the footwear industry, I only hope that we use it wisely.
In that vein of thought, the Air Jordan and Air Max Line could turn into museum pieces, items only there for household decoration. I realise a lot of Air Jordans have been sold at respected Auction Houses under such a title, however I’m on about the models of today here, not game-worn Jordan’s from the 80s; different kettle of fish.
I recently picked up a pair of all leather Sports shoes from what appears like the 1930/40s period, a truly vintage pair that harks back to the days before Blue Ribbon Sports, years during the early Reebok days. They are truly for decoration though, bought for £20 at an Antiques shop in the town across from mine. Even if they were my size, I wouldn’t even think about wearing them because one, they’d fall apart, and two, they’re just far from practical. This might seem obvious to most of you, yet as someone who loves his old trainers, this mindset is one that only applies to this pair in my collection. Given the fact that I own a silly number of shoes, that’s quite the statement.
This mindset is one that could be applied to all my other pairs, not by me obviously, but to that future individual who finds them knocking about an old Antiques shop. They’d pick them up (unlikely to be a size UK12 mind), and think, “what a great display piece!”. They wouldn’t think, “Aww yeah, I could get about in these” or “Ah wicked! A vintage pair to go straight on foot”; and walk them over to the till in some invisible, minimalist robotic shoes that been invented by some future brand and has built in heating and ventilation systems. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself like the designers of the early 2000s, take a look at the Nike Adapts though, they’re not miles off.
I’m probably veering too far off topic now, yet I say all that to come to what may be some sort of conclusion. I think the future of footwear will factor in practicality and health a lot more. New science will reveal that people who wear X type of trainers are X% more likely to develop health issues as a result of the footwear they own, creating a dramatic need for change in the industry. Sure the human anatomy is being considered in the design of today, but that’s constricted to the sporting world and more specifically, running. What about the other 85% of our lives that are spent flexing on haters or for the time you’re stuck in office shoes that were based on the formality of the early 20th century?
Brands like adidas started this thought process with its Feet You Wear line of performance trainers and Nike with its Free line, boosting the Barefoot trend for brands like Vivo Barefoot. Other brands like Camper tackle the practicality with formality problem which is good to see but I don’t see them outperforming the brogues at Clarks, change does take time I guess. What I’m saying isn’t new, I just think the science will become harder to ignore.
Can I give you a specific future retro, not really. However, I can tell you the Future of footwear looks practical AND still cool… I hope. Otherwise catch me in a fresh pair of Air Max 90 “Infrareds” looking fairly decrepit and barely being able to walk!
wear shoes, write poems 