Tag Archives: Sneaker Stories

Shoes

Shoe Spotting In A Small West German Town

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I went to my Uncle’s 60th in Germany the other day. It was a wonderful affair. Apart from celebrating, I thought it an apt opportunity to look out for abandoned shoes. Although I was travelling with family, meaning finding time to wander would prove difficult.

We took the car to the Euro Tunnel to get over to mainland Europe. Big slay. The journey started off on the right foot (pardon the pun) thanks to one discarded DC high-top sitting next to the awaiting cars. Either some Roadie had decided to part ways with it before starting a mind-bending metal tour in the EU or some kid lost it by sticking his foot out the car window. I’m think either excuse would suffice.

Unfortunately, this would be one of only two shoes I would come across during the weekend trip. Many shoes were dotted along the roadside but due to the fact that we were whizzing past in the car, I was unable to snap a photo in time. I did however notice an awful lot of flip flops, or thong sandals discarded along the French motorway.

Perhaps the Havaianas R&D team would benefit from a European road trip. Equally, any influencers promoting the latest #toesoutsummer trend might benefit from this excursion. Side note – is the flip-flop and jeans look authentically Scandinavian or is it a move from the ruling class so people forget they’re losing more money to taxes each year by the distraction of toe action. Suspicious right?

Needless to say, little to no abandoned shoes were photographed. Later that evening we found ourselves in a cash-only German dive bar. It was there that I spotted the most typically German footwear left on the tiled floor. Underneath the bar stools lay a heavily-worn pair of Birkenstocks, the Arizona to be exact. I didn’t get to find out to whom they belonged to either as they sat there alone the whole time.

I imagine the owner of the Birkenstocks was a local, someone who frequented the bar and enjoyed feeling the grooves underneath their toes that they put in the hours working for. My only other thought is that they were a memoriam to a bar-legend, but I was not willing to find out if they were glued to the floor. ‘Never touch another person’s Birkenstocks’ is a good rule to live by.

The next morning I retraced my steps around the town I had so often visited as a child. Walking down memory lane. All the toy and shoe shops seemed so much smaller than I had remembered. I suppose this is the usual realisation for places people rediscover later in life. I loved it all the same. In fact, it had become more charming a place than I had remembered.

My Uncle, reluctant to splash out on a pair of shoes for my other Uncle’s party asked if I knew of any shoe repair shops in the area. While my shoe knowledge is extensive, I would be lying if I said that I had a sixth sense for where cobbler’s dwell. If I did I’d probably be rich. Or arrested.

A quick Google later and we were in the first cobbler’s. A middle-aged German lady looked us up and down, realising we weren’t the usual clientele. My Uncle, pointing at a loose stitch on his forefoot, gestured for help, to which the lady pulled a face and said, “no sorry”.

Not wanting to have completely wasted the journey, I asked if I could take photos of the shop, which she politely invited me to do. I spotted a very snazzy pair of women’s shoes and asked if she knew the brand name. She shrugged, “I don’t know, I only repair the shoes.” A lady of few words. Germans are known to cut to the chase, allergic to dancing around the point, so I took no offence. Onto the next.

The other shoe repair shop was in the local mall a short stroll away. The man’s shop was small in comparison, more like a pop-up Timpson’s equivalent, although with fewer ex-convicts as staff members. Noticing we were interrupting a friendly catch-up with a local on a Saturday morning, we were hesitant about receiving help.

My Uncle did the same one-shoe dance, pointing to this somewhat broken shoe in his other hand. An animated point of the finger later and the German cobbler shook his head, “No sorry”. It seemed to be an easy response to fending off the English. They know we can never be offended if there’s a ‘sorry’ on the end of it. E.g. “I burnt your house down, sorry”. To which the standard reply would be, “All good, how’s the family anyway?”.

It was at this point that my Uncle conceded to buying a new pair, so off on a shoe hunt we went. Heading over to the next town, a place which had a bigger and better selection of trainers, spirits were somewhat high. Recruited as an impromptu celebrity shopper/stylist, I fuelled up on a mango and watermelon ice cream. I was on holiday after all.

A lot of shops were full of very German-looking leisure shoes. Think Clarks but on steroids. Better yet, Clarks on a mild dose of antidepressants. It was here that I spotted a pair of formal leather walking Strober shoes. I knew little of the brand, but the shoe was so Grandpa, I was infatuated with it.

Suddenly ,my penchant for dad jokes and white socks made all the more sense. The only thing holding me back was the 99.95 Euro price point (discounted from 199.99 Euros), and the fact that my mum told me in a Peruvian-equivalent way that I would ‘look like a geriatric’.

Could I pull them off? I truly believed in that moment I could. A pair of loose sporty diabetic-friendly socks and some beige chinos, chef’s kiss (FYI I don’t have diabetes but I did accidentally buy a pack of diabetic socks in 2018 off Amazon, hence the reference). In hindsight, I am rather glad I didn’t end up purchasing them as it meant I could justify the pair later on.

It was wandering around where I saw this golden boot (not a reference to Headie One’s hit song) and other silver baby shoes. I feel like if I got to the level where I justified buying these as house decorations, I would truly be ‘cooked’.

Here is an interesting sock packaging that I spotted in a souvenir shop. It was a very Japanese present in my mind. Would you be happy to receive this from your partner on Valentine’s Day? Let me know in the comments as I cannot figure out if these are a big yes or a big no.

My Uncle did successfully purchase a pair of shoes for the birthday party the following day. Opting for a Bugatti formal/sporty shoe hybrids in a light brown, the mission was a relatively fun exercise. Even if he didn’t go for the more hybrid sole pair I was vouching for. They looked in the vein of the Nike Cole Haan hybrids from the early 2000s where you would get a formal shoe sat on a Lunarlon midsole.

image via Pinterest

Had I ever ended up in the finance industry, I’d have got a doctor to write me a note so I could wear these. That’s where the diabetic socks would have really come into play. In fact, maybe I should buy another pack for future health-related excuses. Is it a hate crime to dislike someone with diabetes? If not it should be.

Getting back to the hotel, I decided now was the time to go for a wander while the rest of the squad went to nap. Darting straight for the local sports shop, I was eager to relive my childhood-sneaker epiphany by going to the sports shop that started it all. The only problem was I couldn’t remember which one it was or if it was still open. Regardless, I headed to the nearest Intersport hoping memories would come flooding back.

Solid Brooks running shoe selection at the local Intersport

Entering the shop triggered a deep sense of nostalgia. A distinct memory of helping my mum and auntie buy my cousin a pair of adidas football boots returned to the front of mind. Tracking through the racks, it was clear that the shop had a decent running shoe selection. I pored over the prices and sizes on display for almost thirty minutes before heading to the other side of the store where the hiking shoes were kept.

It was then that I spotted the Meindl glowing from afar. Long had I thought about this premium hiking shoe. It’s understated leather upper bowed in elegance and silently spoke to its marvel of German footwear making. I had strolled into many Outdoor shops in the UK to only stare at the high price point of the Meindl footwear selection.

Paying £175 was out of the question, yet the suede and tightly woven stitches called my name each and every time. Not to mention the leather GORE-TEX edition, which reached as high as £220. Now it was all making sense, acknowledging the top-tier quality and the way it poked its head above the rest. The 250 Euro price point was eye-watering but I was eager to find a way of making it happen.

on-foot shot of the Meindl Caracas in brown leather GORE-TEX
The moment two stars had collided

I discussed the shoe with the Intersport employee, where she took out the insole to see how my foot fit against it. Opting for a bigger size to allow for any foot swell during a hike (hot I know) I went with the UK12.5.

I also decided to go on the obstacle course, feeling no pinch points across the stone edges and wooden logs. I felt like a man in his forties testing out a pair of shoes for a grand adventure. Although I am still in my twenties, I am not the head of a family or a father to any children, so I was coasting on pure adrenaline (a slight exaggeration and artistic license are used here). I was in my element. I felt awesome, as the Americans would say.

The store assistant left me to umm and ahh as I tried to figure out how on earth I could bring down the price. One University discount, size-related discount and cash deposit later, the card machine read 140 Euros. I had won the game of life (or thereabouts).

in-hand shot of the Meindl Caracas in the brown leather

Walking out of the store, it was obvious that the stars had aligned. Not only had I returned to the mecca of shoes, the place that started it all (to be confirmed), but I had also managed to pick up the Made in Germany Meindl’s that I had wanted for years. Elated, I felt it was right to snap a photo and capture the moment.

Miendl Caracas in Germany

Feeling a strong post-success hunger, I decided to walk to a fine kebab shop where I was able to pore over the quality upper in the town square. You can see the slightly confused lady in the background, either that or her face is one of pure envy. You can decide for yourself on that one.

The next day I told my cousin about purchasing a pair of Meindls. He laughed, stating he only knew that avid German hikers wore them, not really hip people in their twenties (not his exact description). I asked if he would ever own a pair, to which he replied, “If you ever saw me pushing a stroller in them, you know I am near the end.” I think the German craftsmanship was lost on him. Needless to say, I am absolutely chuffed with them and they look grand on foot.

Fond memories, cheap bakeries, good value double Espressos and a wander down my footwear-related past meant I was made up.

kicking it back in the New Balance 996 Grey and Nike Air Max Torch IV
My Dad and I posted up on the block (like a lowlife?)

Shoes

Abandoned Shoe Stories

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When browsing the web for more hidden books on footwear, I came across a rather interesting magazine on Onitsuka Tiger. Among the photos in the advertised post was an image that detailed an assortment of shoes all of which had a red piece of string tied to them. Fascinated by this photo, I would soon learn that this was an exhibition created by a Japanese artist called Chiharu Shiota. In her piece called Dialogue from DNA, Chiharu viewed footwear from a perspective I’d never considered before, finding how “objects can contain the air of an absence, about how nothingness often speaks volubly about objects and people.”

Photo by Sunhi Mang

“One of Shiota’s favorite works is an assortment of used shoes that she collected from various people in her neighborhood in Osaka. “I asked them to write out little histories attached to the shoes, and the result was extraordinary,” she says. “I got messages about how a woman wore a particular pair of black pumps on the day of her husband’s funeral, about a girl who had worn a pair of sneakers on the occasion of a break-up with her boyfriend. Some of the shoes were battered and had holes, others were crushed and looked like cabbages; others were practically new but a little sinister-looking.” Shiota displayed the shoes in such a way that they looked as though their owners had just left them there temporarily, and would soon be back to wear them and stride out the door.” – Page 50 Onitsuka Tiger 60th Made Of Japan. (Words by Kaori Shoji. Photo by Sunhi Mang.)

I recognised this view myself, having photographed abandoned footwear since my trip to Peru back in 2022. I think what sparked it was when I spotted a sandal being ingeniuously used as a door hinge. At that point, the object had transformed into something I had never realised it could be. During the time it made me chuckle, but since I have taken it to be a revelatory moment.

My version of Homer’s infamous epiphany

Since moving to the Big Smoke I have found myself taking photos of any discarded shoes that I have come by, all in the hope that I can one day include them in my book on shoes. Giving people a multi-layered approach to the vast world that is the objects that go on our feet.

A pair of Nike Lunar runners left at the bottom of a communal bin in Manchester (June, ’22)

To a certain degree, shoes are the only item of clothing left that truly reveals who we are, at least when it comes to the Western world and the generation born in the 90s upwards. Similar to what Yohji Yamamoto was saying in Wim Wenders’ documentary about him, the days when you could tell someone’s profession by what they wore are long gone. A shoe says a lot about someone, even more so when they are not being worn by said person. Whether someone is shy or confident, how they walk, their beliefs, their ability to dance the night away, their priorities and their insecurities are all tied onto that person’s foot at the start of the day.

Clearly this person’s priority was for their feet to stop hurting. Bun heels.

However tempted I have been to pick up these discarded trainers or sandals, I realise that it would not be practical in the slightest, especially because I already own more shoes than the average person. So having considered the moral and even hygienic aspects of taking all these objects, regardless of if I end up hosting what could be a similar exhibition to Shiota’s Dialogue from DNA, I have decided it best to stick to a digital perspective (…at least for now).

Where Shiota has asked the person who donated their shoes to add a storied note, I will have to stick to a combination of simple facts as well as a sprinkling of artistic license. Where I found the shoe, the type of day it was, what mood I was in, what brand and year the shoe is from are all questions which first spring to mind.

A knit-based shoe washed up on the shores of Huanchaco, Peru (Feb ’22)

If you do know of any picturesque pieces of footwear that have been thrown away on the streets of London, then by all means drop me a message or better yet, send in a shot that you took yourself!

Shoes

Nike Air Max Deluxe – The One That Got Away

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The Air Max Deluxe released back in 2018 to mixed reviews. I was working at the Size? store in Bristol at the time, and therefore witnessed this reception first hand. I remember seeing them on shelves thinking they were a decent looking shoe. Not having seen them before, I was intrigued by the shoes unique upper. I was sold by the interesting “oil spill” colourways but was put off by the £160 price point. At the time the Nike Vapormax Plus were flying off the shelves. Although they were £170, we could barely keep enough stock and were no doubt our bestselling shoe. I wasn’t the biggest fan of them myself, the Vapormax line had been a cool concept to start off with but practically speaking, the sole didn’t feel stable enough for me. Whilst an impressive feat of technology, they were more of a gimmick in my eyes. That’s just my opinion though, I have spoken to a few people who have used them as their daily running shoe.

Nike Vapourmax Plus

For the most part, I watched the Deluxe’s sit on shelves. They sold steadily, but it wasn’t till they went on sale that they really started to pick up. I would glance over at them every day, tempted by the loud colourways. The blue, white and orange pair had really spoken to me, two of my favourite colours on one shoe, it was a no-brainer. I went up to the stockroom on my lunchbreak and luckily we had one pair of UK12s. I put them on and to my dismay, they felt awkward. The two little nubs on the back of the inner heal didn’t bode well with me and the upper seemed stiff. Unimpressed, I placed them back on the shelf and left behind the thought of owning a pair.

Days later, the love for them had still lingered. Each shift I’d find myself picking them up off the sale rack. “Give them another chance” I thought as if they were a past lover … after all, beauty is pain. That week they did garner quite a lot of attention, they seemed to be the favourite colourway after the black and iridescent joints. Every time a customer would ask to try them on, I would breathe a sigh of relief when they didn’t say UK12. That was until my luck ran out. I had a gentleman in his late 30s come up to me, an unexpected choice for such a customer but a solid one nonetheless. He’d asked for a size 12 and my heart sank. As I climbed up the stairs and into the stockroom, I convinced myself that there was no chance he would actually go through with buying them. No way. Impossible. I brought them down where he tried on the left foot, took a few steps and looked at his wife. He said, “yeah these are good, I think I’ll take them”. I looked back at him smiling through the pain.

Convinced he was going to bale last minute; I took them up to the till and watched the transaction being put through. I needed to see for myself that the pair was gone, like some form of therapy. My colleague bagged them up, he knew I had been mulling over that pair for some time so had a little smile on his face. The Deluxe’s eventually left the store never to be seen again. A few months later the “No Sleep on Tour” Skepta collaboration came out, but it just wasn’t the same.

Nike Air Max Dealuxe x Skepta “No Sleep On Tour”

A whole year later and the World was a very different place. We were about a month and a half into lockdown and it had been time since I had bought any shoes. Having more time to browse, it was hard not to find steals as people were worried and letting pairs go for cheap. I came across the Deluxe’s in the fabled colourway for £60. They were practically new, so it was an easy decision. A few days later the Post man knocked. It had been a long time coming. I smiled and grabbed the delivery off the floor. Taking them into my room I carefully opened the package, seeing those blue lines shimmer through the slit I just created. I ripped the package open, hoisting the shoe up into the air like Gollum holding the ring in the fiery pits of Mount Doom. They were mine, my own, my precious… Nah, I’m kidding but I was certainly gassed.

Accurate portrayal of me finally owning a pair of those blue and orange Air Max Deluxe’s

It was sunny day, so I whacked them on ignoring my already questionable lockdown outfit. They were comfier than I expected. They must have just needed some time to break them in. “I must thank the previous user via the Depop review” I thought to myself. Since then, they heavily featured in the rotation as they coupled well with the baggy Calvin Klein denim I had found on eBay that same month.

I now vowed to try and pick up any Air Max Deluxe I come across that goes for less than £50. Like some budget version of Thanos collecting the infinity stones. Currently, I sit on two pairs of the blue and orange colourway, as well as the ‘Midnight Navy’ pair that I picked up last week. I recently was watching the Complex Sneaker Podcast where one of the hosts Brendan Dunne, was of the opinion that they did in fact flop. With the US being less of an Air Max market than the UK and Europe, I can imagine him being correct. The Deluxe managed to do well for a first-time reissue, certainly grabbing an entirely new audience that ended up loving this lesser-known Silhouette.

@toni_brugnoli making the Deluxe’s look good.

I don’t see them about too much anymore, most of them having been mashed up by the festival circuit the same year they were purchased. No longer do they traverse the pavements of Manchester or anywhere else for that matter. I don’t that mind that though, in fact I almost prefer it. I’ll keep wearing my pair, feeling happy whenever I look down at them wrapped around my feet.

Me on that fateful day.
Shoes

The Nike Court Tradition BRS – a Forgotten Silhouette

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It’s 2010. Mackenzie tracksuit tops are big on the school playground. Guys are using those small Nike string bags at school. Those ridiculously small Nike bookbags or also everywhere, as AJ Tracey confirms in his song Provisional License, “Old school I had the tiniest Nike backpacks, all of my books them bent up”. He’s not lying, everyone I knew who used those also had the most mashed up books. Another big memory from back then was the Superdry jackets that had about 50 zips on them. Guys would have them zipped up halfway with the most questionable gelled up hair. Thank goodness for Virgil and Kanye who made it their goal to “raise the overall taste level of the world”. However, my first example of their ‘improved taste level’ was in the form of the shutter shades Kanye used to wear. I came across them in Primark and bought a yellow pair which in hindsight, looked ridiculous.

I suppose for most, your pre and early teens are an awkward stage. People have just stopped being dressed by their parents, so they need to figure out what clothes means to them. It’s a journey to say the least. One piece I look back on with pride, are my Nike Court Tradition 2’s. A pair I in fact recently picked up off eBay for cheap. People have been sleeping on them and let it stay that way. Anyway, my mate and his older brother had a pair. They were the football Coaches kids which already put them on a higher level of cool, at least in my eyes. Having said that, the Coach would without a doubt, wear a pair of these Lonsdale shoes to every practice. What’s worse is, he always pulled them off. The drip was relentless. That’s how I remember it but memory can be a funny thing.

Every time we’d go about town, my mates would be wearing their pair of BRS’. They had the Velcro editions and I’d be glimpsing down at their feet, completely jealous. It took me a while, but after some nagging, I managed to convince my mum to get me a pair. We headed down to the local Sports Direct where I would often window shop. There was an array of DC and Airwalk shoes on wall racks as usual, but I wasn’t after that. I went over to the scary Store Manager to ask if I could try a pair on in my size. He always had a crazy look in his eye, like he would just go off at you if you rubbed him the wrong way. Whenever I’d walk in, there was always a 50% chance that he’d be shouting about something or someone. Hope he’s doing better these days. Luckily, he was in a good mood that day because next thing you know, I was trying on a pair of size 9’s. I went for an all-black pair with laces. The first three eyelets were different neon colours which I thought gave them a nice pop. My mum wouldn’t let me near the Velcro pairs that my mates had in fear that I’d turn into a degenerate. Parents have a funny way of thinking sometimes. I walked out 5 minutes later with a fresh pair in a brown Nike Box (a feeling I truly miss) in my massive Sport Direct bag. Mission success.

The only pair of BRS’ I could find with the different coloured eyelets. My pair was similar but with neon colours.

Since they were a general release and had a cheap retail price, the leather on them was of low quality. This worked out well for me as they had plenty of miles put into them and never creased too badly. The shape of them was excellent and the embroidered outline on the swoosh was a beautiful detail. I really loved my pair and had some fond memories in them. There was this one time I got pushed over by some guy outside my local Newsagents whilst wearing them. However, I was off balance to begin with so it’s not like I could blame the lack of traction on the soles. Bar that one terrible memory, all of them consists of good times and sunshine. I look forward to adding some more positive feelings to the pair I recently picked up off eBay. The Nike Court Tradition 2 is a shoe that I feel a lot of people have a past with, but one that no one really talks about. Viva la Nike BRS!

These were a cold pair that I always had my eye on. The neon eyelet and the 3M heal tab was something else!

[Upon finishing writing this, I may have actaully had the pair above with 3M hit on the back. I feel like I used to want to have the back of my shoe on show for some reason and that seems more than fitting. If that is the case then these were the building blocks that made up my love for the Air Max 95 Neons]

Shoes

My First and Accidental Sneaker Double Up

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The double up. A classic move in the world of Sneaker Heads. One that really cements your place as a shoe fanatic. That is unless you’re a reseller, in which case you’re just greedy, or as some may say, ‘entrepreneurial’. My first double up was a mistake. Although to this day, I still have the two shoes in my collection. Partly because no one else will probably buy them off me, but also because they hold a dear place in my heart. Let’s go with option two, it sounds better. Anyway, the first the shoe I doubled up on was the HUF x Wu Tang’s from 2014. I remember seeing them online as part of a collection pack with some clothing bits and socks, none of which I picked up apart from the creps.

I think at that point, I was aware of the Wu Tang Dunks, so I knew what having the “W” on the side of the shoe meant. I’d watched a review on them from OG Sneaker Youtuber. It was the guy with the see-through plate that spun round 360 degrees and the intro had a voice clip saying, “I’m an addict to Sneakers”. I’ve linked the video below so you can relive what I felt all those years ago.

When I first saw the £125 price point, I was in shock. That was steep for me back then. No way was I getting the go ahead on these from my Mum. I knew it was a case of biding my time and waiting for the right price. A month or two had gone by and they had sold out of all the online retailers I was aware of. I didn’t really use eBay too much back then apart from researching how much certain collectable figurines were. I managed to find a seller out in the US who was selling a few sizes from his account. They looked legit and for a total of £82, I was willing to take the risk. I ordered them. The first time I had ever ordered something like that from America. How long it’d take for them to arrive I wondered. The awaited time in my purchased items section had said two weeks. That was manageable. Every day after I finished school, I’d rush home to check the status of the shoes. The journey itself was exciting. Until that is, the day they hit the UK. Somehow, they’d got shipped up North by Royal Mail. They had ended up in some apartment building where a lady had signed for them. I spent days with the seller trying to get more information but got nowhere. That was it. All that excitement for nothing. They were gone, never to be seen again.

Upset about the loss I had just taken, I decided to move on. The dream of getting the HUF x Wu Tang’s was over and I just needed to accept it. A few shoes had been purchased since to try and fill the void in my heart, but the gap was still there. I was in college now, over half a year later, sitting in the canteen during my lunch break I decided to browse the Route One website on my iPhone 4. I was scrolling the sale page much like I used to do. Then I saw it. The HUF x Wu Tang’s for £25. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I kept saying “Oh my gosh no way” to the point my friends started to get concerned. Little did they know they were witnessing a Sneaker Head during his finest moments. They were witnessing the art of ‘the steal’. I didn’t have time to explain to anyone what was going on, so I added them to my basket and checked out as quick as I could. Thirty seconds passed and boom, the confirmation email came through. I can even remember feeling that now. Top 10 college moments that. A week later they arrived at my house and I was gassed. I wore them round the house for a few days, pouring over the different details on the shoe. The wait was over. They were mine.

About a month later I was watching TV on the couch at home. I remember it still being warm and light out after arriving back from college, so it must have been at the end of summer. Either way it was a late delivery from the post man. A near five o’clock delivery is a rare occurrence, but a welcomed one. I was confused when the package arrived as it was directed to me, and I wasn’t expecting anything. I looked over the different labels to see an array of different notes on the box. One thing I did know was that it had come from the US. Still confused, I opened it up. It was only till I saw the light green HUF shoe box that I finally realised what they were. No way … it couldn’t be? Over half a year had gone by and I hadn’t heard anything about the shoes I had ordered from America. Yet there they were. They had finally managed to make their way to me. I could barely believe it. Eager to make sure they weren’t fake; I took them upstairs to compare them to my Route One pair. They were good. I didn’t want to confuse which pair they were, so I labelled the inside of the box, “Pair 1” and “Pair 2”.

Today they both sit in my collection upstairs. The Route One pair I took to Uni but never put any serious miles on them. In fact, both are still in close to deadstock condition and in serious need of love and wear. I think they still look sleek and with a pair of baggy denim shrouding them, I could definitely make them work. The only thing that gives away their age is the speckled midsole and perhaps for the eager-eyed Wu Tang fan, the “20th Anniversary of 36 Chambers” label on the tongue. I don’t think I’d get rid of either of these shoes because of the sentimental value they hold, but also for the fact that they have Wu logo on the side of the shoe. Priceless.

Shoes

Top 5 Reebok x Garbstore Collaborations

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Reebok was churning out a whole host of collaborations between 2013-2016. One independent store who had a unique take on their coveted silhouettes were Garbstore. A British retailer based in the Notting Hill area of London that stocks a selection of staple clothing with an Americana twist. As described on the website in reference to the Reeboks’, they write:

“London-based designer Ian Paley takes his main reference point from the “unseen” elements of the original Reebok classics. Each collection between the two brands is a graduation from the last. Through their collaboration together, archived models such as the Fury Roads, Aztecs and Pump Graphlite have been brought back in revitalised fabrics and colourways.”

I would agree with this statement, as they really did focus on the smaller details when it came to their collections. In many ways the store’s collaborations were quite forward thinking. A lot of the reverse elements and subtle twists on key features of the shoe are ones we now see quite a lot in the market today. As far seeing them on feet out in the real world, it didn’t happen too often. I only remember seeing someone wearing a pair once. They often went on sale, especially in a UK12, or ended up on eBay from random wholesaler. I had the navy Club C pair which was based on the lines of a tennis court. I picked them up for £40 including shipping off the Garbstore website and was ecstatic as I’d had my eyes on them for a while. I did put quite a lot of miles on them as a shoe, to the point where they got cooked as my night out shoes. I owe it to this pair of Reeboks, as they helped me fall in love with the Club C silhouette. Sadly, they’re no longer part of my collection as I was downsizing, and I let them fly on Depop for cheap.

  1. Reebok x Garbstore Club C

I’m biased when it comes to these as its the only Garbstore shoe I actually owned. The navy and white upper tells a beautiful story behind its Tennis Court influence, whilst the brown lace guard and tongue are what brings that shoe into the top tiers for me. The toe box ended up creasing nicely and really did show its wear off in a elegent way.

2. Reebok x GarbStore GS Workout “Outside In”

Such a classy take on the workout. That almost fine wine gum bottom really sets a great base for the shoe to be built on. The mixture of purple and pinks against that prodominantly cream upper is what truly makes this shoe great. I have had a pair of these on my eBay wishlist for about 4 years now and it might be the time to finally pull the trigger.

3. Reebok x Garbstore Classic

Probably the first shoe on the list that I wish I owned. You simply cannot go wrong with a Reebok Classic as a shilouette. The little detailing of the Reebok lettering in which the last two letters “ok”, are the tid bits that reveal that this isn’t just some normal reebok. The almost Collegiate upper, mixing that wonderful navy and light blue, is just so simple yet effective. Of course what completes this shoes overall quality is its nappy suede upper. You can even tell from the upper that the quality on these are on point. These are a serious contender for my favourite Reebok Classic ever.

4. Reebok x Garbstore Ventilator Supreme

The shape on these are the main reason why I chose them for fourth place. Something Air Max 90 heads would be very keen on with its pointy toe box. I also quite like that purple mudguard that wraps around the shoe. Whilst the colourway doesn’t completely work in my eyes, these are definitely a pair I’d wear.

5. Reebok x Garbstore

The colour way on these immaculate. That earthy brown works wonderfully next to that grey and green. My 2014 self was a sucker for that Hexalite logo as well so you know I would have been all over these. The speckled midsole on these a clear sign that they were released during that 2014-16 speckled era.

Shoes

My Questionable College Shoe Rotation

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It’s safe to say my college rotation wasn’t the best. Nor was it the worst by any means. Oh and when I say College I mean ‘high school’, the two years of education before University. Just in case we have any American Readers. Having only fully started getting into sneakers the summer before starting college, there was a lot of learning to do. I remember wearing my Vans Old Skools for a large portion of the first year. They were on the brink of being too small but because of the simple colourway, they were easy to wear.

Vans Old Skool

I then moved finally gained the courage to wear my Reebok x Palace’s. I managed to get the last UK12 that summer off of END clothing. An extremely lucky find. These got a lot of complements throughout their use. A great shoe to this day. I really put the miles on them and eventually ended up having to retire them after X-Fest in summer 2016. A good 3 year run to the point where the Triferg logo started fading off the back of the heel.

Reebok x Palace

Then onto second year. I found a love for Reebok after the Palaces gave me a good run and many a compliment. I found a cheap pair of black Ventilators off Buttery Store, a site which has now closed, I think they were £40 quid. They fit half a size big and upon reflection, was not the best Reebok shoe I could have chosen out of their line-up. Somehow, I ended up missing the Workouts, Revenges and even the Club C, a novice mistake. I think I was fond of the little window at the bottom of the shoe which let you see the Hexalite midsole technology. I did end up picking up another Reebok Ventilator after this stupidly. The Reebok x Major DC shoes, which had a detailed pink 3M toe box with an iced out sole that had a blossom tree underneath it. I was a huge fan of the blossom tree under foot however I haven’t worn them to this day. They have literally sat at the bottom of my cupboard since 2014. The Ventilator did end up going on to get some love with Kendrick Lamar doing his first collaboration project on that silhouette. A few years prior to that you had shoe stores like SNS and Hanon doing their own renditions through collaborations. So I guess my love for the model in hindsight was justified.

Reebok Venitalator

I actually ended up swapping these for the week with my mate at college. He was the only other UK12 I knew and had picked up a pair of Nike Trainerendors back when they had ACG on the tongue and not Nike SB. By that point he had mashed up his pair as well, so it was a relatively fair trade. I came out on top as the Nikes were a lot comfier than the Hexalite technology. Not to mention the mesh toe box on the Reeboks was pretty chewed up by that point. Come to think of it, I’m not sure why he did swap, probably because he thought he fancied some change in his life. It’s the little things in life as they say.

NIke Trainerendors

I managed to find a cheap pair of Adidas ZX Flux’s for sale on their website for something ridiculous, like £28. It was a UK12.5 and was made up of a single Tree-camo upper. This was back when adidas had a good thing going with their ZX line. I remember there being a lot of buzz for the iridescent pairs.

Adidas ZX Flux ‘Iridescent’

Adidas at the time were also doing at ‘create your own’ ZX section on their website where people could upload a photo for their upper. I remember people trying to get away with jokes designs and some pretty non-PG photos. Clearly, they’d found a loophole in the system. Kind of like how Barclays did those custom Bank cards. All I used to see on The Basement were people with Bape Camo cards, I was almost convinced to create one myself. Having been to a Flux Pavillion concert Shepards Bush a few years prior to having these, I did knickname them the Flux Pavillion’s … I don’t know what I was thinking. On a side note, what actually happened to the guy?

NIke ZX Flux ‘Tree Camo’

I have literally had my ZX Flux’s up on my Depop account since the summer of 2016 and no one has bought them. That’s a total of 6 years. They’re even up for £18 all in now and they still haven’t budged. I suppose that’s more of an indication on peoples view of how these aged.

The last edition to my college rotation was a pair of black Eric Koston 2’s with a gum bottom. These got equally as mashed as the Ventilators in the end and probably got more use than any shoes on the list. If I were to rank these, I would definitely place these as a close second to the Reebok x Palace’s. At the time the Koston Air Max’s were everywhere. I even had two of my mates arguing about “who got theirs first”. They had both got the Black pair with the white mid-sole colourway, the only difference was one has a mesh upper and the other was canvas. I remember them looking to me to ask which pair had come out first to which I just laughed. I couldn’t be bothered with the silly argument, sitting there feeling superior in my Koston 2’s. Whilst I don’t think the silhouette aged too well, I still think it’s a Nike shoe that garners respect.

NIke Eric Koston 2

Overall, my rotation definitely was not the best out there. It consisted mostly of General release shoes that had hit the sale racks. I knew of the Jordan 11s gamma blues that released in 2013 but at the time, shoes that price were just way too expensive for me. I did manage to get a pair of Columbia 11s though in my second year of college, but they never got worn. I wasn’t brave enough at the time and my jeans weren’t baggy enough to sit on them correctly, so they’d end up looking like boats. I did amass a decent collection but as far as the ones that got worn, well those you already know about. Looking back, my shoe knowledge and rotation has vastly improved but it’s all part of the experience. You just have to look back and smile!

Shoes

Sneaker Stories – Getting Pied in P-Rod’s

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I remember really wanting a pair of Paul Rodriquez’s 8th Nike shoe. That was back in 2014 when I was rocking the Koston 2’s. A staple in my college shoe rotation. My black pair with the gum bottom truly got mashed up. I remember seeing the 8’s on skate websites and loving the silhouette. They were sleek and techy. The upper was something off a football boot and coupled with the ridges of the Lunarlon midsole, they just looked sharp! Not to mention the sole itself which had a heat map of your feet’s pressure points. I was sold. The blue and black colourway was the first to come out which I wasn’t too keen on. I had to bide my time for the right colourway to come about which it did, the Shield edition.

The orange hits with the 3M detailing, it was me all over. I waited and waited for a UK12 to go on sale but alas, I never found a pair. I eventually settled for the “Blackout” pair. It was simple but I was mainly in love with the design, so I wasn’t too bothered. I found a pair on a skate website going for about £75 which given the over £120 price point, wasn’t too shabby.  

They arrived and went straight on feet. I was moving to Bristol soon for university later that year and they were coming with me. Whilst I loved the look of them on-feet, I struggled fitting them with my then – trouser situation. In 2015 I was donning the finest Zara jeans that weren’t spray on skinny by any means but weren’t baggy either. The cheeky Nando’s vibes were certainly a lot stronger back then, that’s for sure. Having big feet also meant that trousers would certainly make a difference in creating a smaller looking shoe. Nevertheless, they got their fair share of wear (that rhymes) because of their simple colourway.

It was fresher’s week (lads, lads, lads) and there was an 80’s themed dress night at a club down the road. The club was fairly – big so a large portion of potential future Uni mates would be there. I struggled finding an outfit at first, finally settling on my classic blue Zara jeans, a Puma top that I had bought for the gym and my P-Rod’s. The top was a dark blue with a neon-pink Puma logo which I clearly thought, “yeah, 80s that”. Just in case my outfit legitimacy was questioned, I rolled up my trousers to reveal my white Nike tube socks. I was unquestionably 80’s at that point, the night was mine.

We arrived at the club after a 45 second walk. It was busy and the queue was large. I made it to the front where I remember the bouncer giving me a strange look. I thought he was eyeing me up as a potential aggressive youth, a troublemaker, so I just smiled when he handed back my ID. In hindsight, I should have taken that as a signal to go home and save my nostalgic outfit for another night. Alas, I continued on into the depths of the club.

Hire SWX Bristol – Eventopedia – Events Bristol

The people I was with hit the dancefloor. It was chart music galore. “Where was the 80s hits” I thought? It was then that I learnt that these Club night dress codes were a big sham, the naivety of my 18-year-old self. The group I was with formed a circle right at the front and started busting out their finest moves. I was cringing. This was not my thing. “I’m too cool for this”, I said to myself, neon-pink puma logo beaming from my chest. As the hours went on, there was luckily a decrease in the number of dance-off circles formed.

The end of the night was near and there weren’t as many people about. I had spotted a girl I recognised from a few towns over. She was dancing with her mate. Noticing I was getting a few glances, I slowly made my way over. There was a small space between the two groups now. I just needed to wait for the right moment. As I was closer, my outfit was consequently more visible. She glanced up and down, scanned the puma top and kept going. The top hadn’t put her off, so surely I had a chance. It was at that point that she noticed the combination of my white Nike socks and my all-black P-Rod’s. Her eyes stayed there for a few seconds. “ohh yeah, she knows her crep’s, lets go” I thought. I was wrong. Completely wrong. I’m not sure I recognised her facial expression, but I knew it wasn’t a good sign. Thinking back, it was somewhere between a grimace and a smirk. Seconds after she pulled that face, she whispered something to her mate and they both walked off. That was it. I had been pied. Never a fun moment for a man but it’s even worse when she’s put off by your shoes. It’s even more of a sour feeling when you consider yourself a sneaker head. After that night I stopped wearing the P-Rod’s for quite some time. They had betrayed me.

Granted they need a clean.

Since the summer of 2016, they have in fact been sat at the bottom of my cupboard. 6 years of imprisonment because of one failure. A harsh punishment, but apparently the price a shoe must pay for letting their wearer down. I can now say, as I am wearing the actual pair right now, that I have moved on. My P Rod’s  and I are ready to take on a whole host of new outfits this year. I have made peace with the memory and the crep’s themselves. Life moves on.

Upon finishing this story, I just remembered another tale where my crush laughed at my P-Rod 7’s on mufti day, perhaps I should stay clear after all…