All you sneaker buffs should head over to the Nike Sportswear website to check out their new feature about the Air Max lineage. There are great downloadable OG posters, videos explaining the evolution of the Air Max 1 to the newly released/redesigned Air Maxim, and this sweet design-centric timeline.
I’ve been rocking Trainers for years and I’m happy to see Swoosh revisiting this old gem and breathing new design and life into it. This video is an example of why I can’t get down with other brands. Nike is about performance, design, and change. That resonates with me as an end-user regardless of whether or not I’m going to a workout or not. Every design decision is intentional. Why would I wear something that wasn’t designed for comfort and performance? I love Bo Jackson’s input at the end of the clip as well. Bo Knows.
Nike Sportswear Hong Kong
Last summer I had the pleasure of previewing the newly opened Nike Sportswear flagship store at 21 Mercer in NYC along with it’s opening festivities. In true Nike fashion, I was invited to check out NSW’s digs in Hong Kong. Although the store’s Grand Opening has long past (it opened in October of 2008), I still wanted to take advantage of a rare opportunity to feature an HK destination that should be on the top of everyone’s lists when visiting.
See the rest of NSW Hong Kong after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
After years of having their feet planted firmly in the Atlanta lifestyle market, Standard opened the doors to it’s second location in Lenox Square. To commemorate the expansion, Standard has partnered up American footwear giant DC Shoes for their first collaborative efforts. The goal in this collaboration was to represent design elements that have always been strongly present in the motif of Standard. The true red color embodies the strong presence of red accents at both locations along with the green laces and insole, which represent the artificial turf that covers the floor at the new store, as well as the live turf used at various events at the original location.
Check out more at the Standard Blog.
Here’s a closer look at the custom Vans from the Laced Up sneaker event we took part in a few weeks back. If you happen to be in Charlotte, they’re on display at Niche right now. Stop in and say hello to Bobby, and while you’re there, take some photos and send ‘em over!
View more custom Vans from Laced Up after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Last Friday, we arrived in Charlotte about 3 hours before the Laced Up show at The Forum with our custom custom PROCESS Chukka boots in hand. Just enough time to drop them off with the show’s coordinators, grab a bite to eat, and get back to the show. Thanks a million to our Queen City friends for showing us around town, giving us the VIP treatment, and for the endless hospitality.
Shout outs: Radar for letting us crash at his pad and for the endless shenanigans (videos will surface on the internet), A.C., Camila with Blu Magazine, Myk with D.M.N., Shane, BLNGxBDGT, Bobby and Niche, Josh and Black Sheep, Ryan O’Malley for the sweet prints and the basement tour of the Davidson College archives, and everyone else we met or forgot to mention.
See all the mayhem from Laced Up after the jump. All photos by Hadi. Read the rest of this entry »
Part of the our crew will be heading up to Charlotte for tonight’s Laced Up sneaker event at The Forum. We were given this pair of Vans Chukka boots a few weeks back and the first thing we had to do was mask the soles with tape before we sprayed the canvas sneakers with the color we wanted. I don’t want to give away what our custom sneaker looks like, so I’ll leave you with a hint. It was inspired by the Bombera illustration Georgios made for the PROCESS line. If you’re in Charlotte, come out tonight for the big reveal. Everyone else, stay tuned because we’ll have photos from the show and more making-of shots very soon.
The PROCESS team has been asked to participate in a custom sneaker show called Laced Up in Charlotte next month. Yesterday, an unmarked box containing these white canvas Vans Chukka Boots arrived at our studio downtown.
-Anyone have any ideas what we should do to these puppies?
-Anyone know how to transfer graphics to canvas?
-Anyone want to ride up to QC and party with us the weekend of the 12th?
Leave a comment or email us.
Stay tuned, as we’ll post “process photos” as soon as we decide on a concept/direction.
Check out the flyer for Laced Up after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Contest winner, Kedarius Peoples, on stage performing in the GameChangers “Beat The Odds” tee designed by Epidemik Coalition’s Georgios Saliaris. Photo by Ross Martin
Atlanta high school students got together this morning to compete in a spoken word showdown on the subject of GameChangers in celebration of Black History Month. GameChanger’s emcee & “voice of Atlanta”, DJ Greg Street, introduced speaker Divine Bradley who came with a message to inspire the youth in attendance to follow their dreams. Georgios, Ross, and myself were really impressed with his presence and ability to motivate.
Soon afterward, the spoken word contestants assumed the stage while their student counterparts cheered them on with fervor. I was blown away with their performances and passion for changing-the-game with subject matter ranging from family members who inspire them, Rosa Parks, Correta Scott King, and Barack Obama’s ideal of change for America.
A panel of celebrity judges included Angelo Taylor (4-time Olympic Gold Medalist) and current Atlanta Falcons players Curtis Lofton and Jamaal Anderson. They crowned Kedarius Peoples of Cedar Grove High School (Senior) as the 1st place winner. He took home a $1,000 scholarship to pursue his dreams and a pair of the exclusive Nike Sportswear Black History Month Air Force 1 sneakers that were designed and inspired by the rich history of African American culture.
It’s great to see Nike’s involvement in the Atlanta community and as always, they do it right and they do it BIG.
EC’s own, Ross Martin, took some great shots of the event. Check out our selects from today after the jump. More to come in next week’s Photo Friday…
I dropped by Motive807, Austin Texas’ world-famous streetwear & sneaker boutique, while I was in town last week. They carry many great brands and boast the best sneaker selection for a single store in the southwest. Fahad, the store’s owner, let me take some photos of the shop, gave me his thoughts on the NFL playoffs, and he suggested some Austin grub to check out. See store photos after the jump.
On Friday afternoon, Kobe Bryant made a surprise appearance at Dillard High School to visit with Florida’s 2007 - 08 boy’s state championship basketball team. Kobe spoke to the team about training, mental-game preparations and the proper footwear needed for speed as the squad prepares to defend its 2008 crown. Dillard’s basketball team is one of the premier programs in the state of Florida, garnering four titles in a row from 2001 - 2004, and again this past season.
Probably the most interesting part about his surprise visit was when he announced that the team would receive customized Nike iD versions of the new Zoom Kobe IV sneaker. I caught wind that this was going to happen last week but I had to remain hush-hush until after the event, which is almost too good to be true! Could you imagine being one of these players? To us, it’s like Tinker Hatfield showing up at our studio in downtown ATL to let us design sneakers with him. Pretty much never going to happen!
Check out more photos of Kobe’s surprise visit after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Zoom Kobe IV sketches
I just participated in a webcast where Kobe Bryant revealed the new Zoom Kobe IV that claims to be the worlds lightest basketball sneaker weighing in at 11.6 ounces. Surprisingly, it’s a low top sneaker. The sneaker boasts technical details such as Flywire technology in the upper (which was made famous by the Hyperdunk), LunarLite foam in the forefoot, and a Zoom Air unit in the heel.
The sneaker comes out in China on January 1st, 2009 and hits US shelves on the 1st of Febraury. Kobe’s first game in the Zoom Kobe IVs is December 19th against the Miami Heat.
Check out screenshots from the webcast and photos of the sneaker after the jump.
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Autographed DJ Clark Kent/Black Friday Air Force 1 shoebox
About a week ago, sneaker fiends in New York, Boston, and Miami were camping out for these Nike Air Force 1’s that they had never even seen before. They were set to release early Friday morning, November 28th a.k.a. Black Friday. The designer of the sneaker, DJ Clark Kent, and Nike kept the sneaker a mystery for weeks, yet people were still hyped on its release.
After combing the internet for photos of the shoes on Friday morning, I was disappointed to see the lack of quality images so I got together with Decatur Dan and we made it happen. Also, word on the street is that these will be dropping in other cities soon. ATLiens, check your usual spots for more info.
Don’t forget to download DJ Clark Kent’s hard-to-find Black Friday Mixtape that he made for the release of the shoe. Note: It’s a large file, so I’ll have to take it down in a few days. Get it while you can!
Download: DJ Clark Kent - Black Friday Mixtape
More photos after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
This might be the only reason to wake up early on Black Friday. Sneakerhead extraordinaire, DJ Clark Kent, collaborated with Nike on this Air Force 1 sneaker that comes out this Friday.
“So I went to the fabric library, picked the prime suspects and went to work on the design,” said Clark Kent. “The end result…Something Black, Luxurious & Fly, and FRESH!!!! What better way to start the holiday shopping season?!?!”
Now I understand that you can’t tell what they look like from the teaser photo above, but word on the street is that they’re the best-looking pair to drop this year. We’ll see…
If you happen to be near 21 Mercer in NYC, Concepts in Boston, or Shoe Gallery in Miami, you’ll have a chance to grab a pair. Apparently the launch will begin at 4am at the 21 Mercer store. Clark will then travel to Boston and deliver the 10am launch at Concepts. He will then fly to Miami for the 8pm delivery at Shoe Gallery. What a day! I hope he packs his “day-after-Thanksgiving” sandwiches.
No word on an Atlanta release just yet, but let’s keep our fingers-crossed.
I recently posted a preview of the new Nike Store at Lenox Square and had a chance to be one of the first people to create some sneakers in their Nike iD Studio. This morning, I was totally surprised to get a phone call telling me my shoes had arrived (a little over 2 weeks later, that’s fast!). I went for a clean/basic look and as it turns out, my new Dunks match my new Atlanta Hawks fitted that I picked up at Philips Arena a week ago. Speaking of Philips Arena… does anyone want to go to AC/DC on December 16th?
I cruised up to Standard this morning for the release of the Ladainain Tomlinson Air Force 1 sneaker. Here you see Ryan Acker [StreetLocal] and Farshad with a pair of the highly desired sneakers. Check out my photos of the folks that camped out on Standard’s blog.
You get this card after your Nike iD session. See my creation after the jump.
I just got home from a tour at the new Nike Store at Lenox here in Atlanta that opens tomorrow [10.30.08]. I think that most ATLiens that love hands-on design are going to respond positively to the NikeiD and T Bar offerings that make this store very worthwhile. See everything after the jump.
Here’s a teaser our special project this week. Can you guess what we’re up to? There are clues everywhere! The wildest/funniest/most-interesting answer will win a PROCESS tee sent straight to you!
You’ve probably heard or noticed that Nike will be opening a new flagship store in Atlanta this Thursday. I’ll be on a “behind the scenes” store preview Wednesday afternoon [10/29/08] and I’m going to post photos on Wednesday afternoon/evening so everyone can see the store before it opens on Thursday.
Earlier this year, I attended the Nike Sportswear store opening celebrations at 21 Mercer in New York City and I’m interested to see what special elements they’ve incorporated from 21 Mercer into ATL’s newest gem!
As my last and final report on the Nike Sportswear 21 Mercer Store in NYC, I’ve saved the best for last. My personal favorites, the Nike Dunk and the Air Force 1. You can find me in Dunks practically every day. I took the above photo because this is no ordinary Nike Dunk. It is a seamless sneaker with a colored octagon pattern created in homage for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Since 1985, the Dunk has served its owners as a basketball shoe, a skate shoe, a vintage shoe, a piece of history, and a work of art. For its rebirth under the Nike Sportswear banner, an ergonomic molded ankle collar, spring-loaded stay-put tongue and a reinforced upper with skived edges makes this iconic piece even easier to love.
Find out more about the re-designed Dunk & Air Force 1 after the jump.
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First off, I want you to check out this amazing stop-motion video of the Nike Cortez playfully tumbling through the decades. The video shows the Cortez (designed by Bill Bowerman in 1967) evolving in front of our eyes! As you can see there have been hundreds of colorways and materials used throughout the years, but this sneaker’s construction has stayed remarkably the same until now. The current Cortez looks the same as before but it has been designed with comfort in mind. The minor adjustments are simple molding at the ankle and improved cushioning in the footbed.
Secondly, here’s a garment that everyone is familiar with…
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Today, I want to highlight a very unique article of clothing. This is the AW 77 track hoody that’s been redesigned for the Nike Sportswear line. 1977 was the year the hoody was created, and it gets it’s namesake from Athletics West, Nike’s elite track and field club of a bygone era. This garment has been worn by legendary runners such as Pre Fontaine and Alberto Salazar.
The redesigned/modern-day version of this hoody is a collaboration between Nike and Loopwheeler of Japan, who are known for making the best fleece in the world. They’re one of the only manufacturers in the world that still makes cotton fabric on loopwheel machines. I heard they only make enough fabric to make eight of these hoodies a day. Talk about Limited Edition!
Find out more after the jump.
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Air Max 90 Flywire
One of the greatest aspects of attending the 21 Mercer store opening launch party a few weeks back was being one of the first to see Nike’s icons redesigned for the new Nike Sportswear line. I’ll focus on 2 of my favorites here, the Air Max 90 Flywire & the Flywire Windrunner.
Designers at Nike started with the original Air Max platform, but increased the interior padding and ankle molding. With newly skived edges and unexpected upper materials the new Air Max 90 Flywires are a quintessential blend of Nike’s past, present and future. A key design element here is the patented Flywire technology that allows for super-lightweight construction. You’ve already seen Flywire earlier this year in the Beijing Olympics and particularly on Kobe Bryant, in the Hyperdunk.
See more photos of the AM 90 Flywire and Flywire Windrunner after the jump.
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You can only do this one place in the world, and I can’t wait to return to 21 Mercer Street in New York with the EC crew so we can participate. Nike Sportswear Bespoke is a new and innovative appointment-based design experience that gives you the opportunity to work one-on-one with Nike Designers to flex your creative muscle and customize a pair of one-of-a-kind sneakers.
I know that you’re thinking this is the same as Nike iD, but it is actually much different. For example, Georgios and I had the opportunity to customize some Dunks at the Nike iD Studio at 255 Elizabeth in NYC last year and we found a set color palette and predetermined material choices. However, during your appointment at Nike Sportswear Bespoke, you’ll be able to choose everything from the the color of your outsole and laces, make color-blocking distinctions on different areas of your sneakers, and choose from an extremely large database of materials.
Reach out to the guys and gals at 21 Mercer and get yourself an appointment to customize a pair of Air Force 1’s. Who knows what’ll be next on the list? I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the Air Max 1 but more than likely it’ll be another one of the icons, the Dunk.
Check out examples of the endless possibilities after the jump.
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Sandy Bodecker - Nike Vice President of Design
This one’s for all the architecture and design junkies out there… I’m in NYC for the official launch of the Nike Sportswear line, and I just got out of a sneak peek of the flagship store at 21 Mercer Street. Tonight there will be a huge block party starting in about 15 minutes that marks one of the biggest launches ever for Nike’s lifestyle gear. I hear that some big names will be attending.
Since I was one of the first people to spend time in the space, I wanted to share some immediate imagery with all the EC readers out there. There are a lot more topics to touch on, but for now, enjoy this unique store/studio space.
The interior of the store is made up of actual materials taken from basketball gymnasiums from the 5 boroughs in New York. This exemplifies the “mashing up” of sport and culture, according to Sandy Bodecker (Nike Vice President of Design aka The Man Behind Nike SB) who you see here jammin’ on his Blackberry at 21 Mercer.
Check out the other photos after the jump. And scroll to the bottom for a special surprise that I’ll elaborate on later.
I’m going to the party now, but I’ll have more to show really soon.
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