Source: AS Roma joins New Balance Last week I discussed Nike’s acquisition of Datalogue: Nike Continues its Acquisition of Tech to Advance CDA with Data Integration Company Datalogue While this isn’t exactly a similar tech move by NB, it does show how brands are finding new ways to engage a diverse marketplace, but as a…
The Blazer has been one of the best selling shoes of the year. The classic basketball shoe has arrived in a variety of colors and like the Air Jordan 1, it’s been a go to for casual looks. This Suede Mix version features denim and canvas in a jade color that makes for a really…
Krost is a streetwear company with a mission centered, philanthropic slant. the brand was founded in 2018. 10% of all sales go towards social issues and support a variety of causes. I’m late to the party in learning about Krost and I need to do my diligence, but on the surface it looks like a…
The Martine Rose collab on the Air Monarch is a love it or hate it design. The shoe places a larger upper onto a small midsole to create the bulges. The sheen on the material creates an almost patent leather look and the monochromatic pink is eye catching, but the design is even more vivid….
A shoe that released in 2018/19 and was immediately a love it or hate it model. The Monarch is one of the best selling shoes in the history of Nike. Streetwear brand Martine Rose took the shoe for a spin in a variety of colors, black, pink, white and volt. A large sized upper was…
The Air Jordan 1 Mid arrives in a GS only flavor featuring elements for back to school. The Composition Notebook concept has a highlighter colorblocking and a graphic around the collar of the shoe that looks like the notebooks used by students everywhere. Buy now on eBay
Over the last six years I’ve tracked the closure of stores, bankruptcies and the removal of wholesale accounts by Nike. In August of 2020 Sam Poser delivered a bomb of information on Nike’s removal of accounts of over 200+ stores. I shared that article here: https://arch-usa.com/susquehannas-sam-poser-delivers-death-knell-for-several-retail-chains-as-nikes-cda-sprints-forward/ In this video, I take the time to discuss…
Vans may not be hitting resale anymore, but the classic skate shoe is still an easy pick up. This true white color is perfect for customizing or just grabbing as an all white look for the upcoming spring months. Buy now on eBay
In my last book I delivered an entire chapter on acquisitions by sneaker brands of startups in fields that supported the ability for brands to move closer to their consumer. I’ve been writing about Nike and other brands’ acquisitions for a while. I hope those of us in sneaker culture are paying attention to what…
In all fairness, I really go in on my personal bias against all of the signature shoes being dropped. I don’t think PG deserves a sig, but he is a solid basketball player. You can find this model below retail. Buy now on eBay
Are collections acknowledging Black History Month, commodification or celebration? Nike and adidas have both gotten these collections wrong and smaller brands are now taking on the process of bringing attention to the rich contributions made by Blacks in America. Delivering a collection is complex. Everyone won’t like what’s being done, and this makes the task…
I have to admit, I hate the nickname “Freak”. I really don’t think it will age well and I hope Nike and Giannis realizes that being called freak isn’t equivalent to taking the power away from the word. It’s going to be weird when he’s an elder statesmen in the NBA with his kid’s at…
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Register for the Envision Mentorship Program: https://pensole.com/master-class/the-envision-mentorship-program/ The Envision Mentorship program seeks to connect the creative youth with a life enhancing opportunity by connecting them to industry visionaries in the fields of design, journalism, music, media, and marketing. Qualified candidates for the Envision Mentorship program will receive career guidance and exclusive product to prepare them…
Nike carved out a space in the Crossfit community with the Metcon and has hit HIIT with the SuperRep. The brand simply builds sneakers for athletes and then floods the market with concepts that excite and engage. In a move that proves sneaker culture is mainstream, Nike dropped a “What The?!” concept for a Metcon…
JD Sports is acquiring chains at a rapid pace, but in my opinion it seems a bit hasty and the value given to each acquisition, when compared to Hibbett Sports acquisition of City Gear shows a distinct issue with how much is being paid. Could the issue be the cost of real estate in the…
The classic Blazer was Nike’s original basketball shoe. It’s now a retro worn for fashion and the simple look is an easy to style model featuring pops of color on the Swoosh. This pair has lemon Nike branding. Buy on eBay
The Titan Shop in the Philippines has become synonymous with Nike/ Jordan Brand collaborations. The shoes often celebrate the love of basketball in the PI and the fascination with NBA players like LeBron and Kobe. This LeBron 17 Low is striking with its red durabuck upper debossed with taglines and highlights from Manilla’s basketball scene….
Under Armour’s upcoming Black History Month delivery is the best concept I’ve seen from any brand attempting to celebrate the rich heritage of Blacks in America. The brand collaborated with photographer Devin Allen. Devin has been the camera behind some of the best photographs taken for Under Armour. Devin Allen is also in line as…
Merrell is known as an outdoor company. The company also has an assortment shoes for a range of industries. One of their best shoes is a model created especially for the service industry, The 1Six8 Mesh AC+ Pro. I ordered two pair of the shoes for family members who finally returned to work after the…
https://www.thenorthface.com/vectiv The VECTIV System by The North Face features a three pronged attack on the trail with the The Flight, Infinite and Enduris trainers. This video and post is to look at the digital merchandising/user-customer interface utilized in presenting the new trail shoe to visitors to the website. The swipe/scroll feature on mobile works much…
The Toro AJ14 features a smooth nubuck with the classic 14 elements based on the Ferrari. Buy Now on eBay
