nike dunk
It’s a Jungle Out There
It’s a Jungle Out There
I spotted this guy early one Saturday morning in Sydney on the back of a massive night, which in his own words was ‘a bit of a bender’.
When things get wild though, this man is well equipped in his Nike Dunk Low Premiums from the Animal/Safari pack. A 2007 release, the shoes offer an interesting blend of patterns and textures that stand out from the pack (pun intended).
I will be honest with you, he was still drunk so I wasn’t really able to get much info from him other than he has about 30 pairs of shoes. You may think my job is easy, but trust me, it’s a jungle out there!
Impulse Buy
Jodie runs a market stall in Sydney, and on Sundays can be found at the highly popular Bondi markets selling an array of affordable womenswear.
She spends her time between New York and Sydney, and has found sneakers to be the perfect shoe for work as they offer the comfort, support and style required when spending all day on your feet.
She picked up these red Supergas as an impulse buy from a neighbouring store one day when she was caught short at a market and needed some sneakers. These were the nearest shoes she could find, and Superga have gone on to become her favourite brand due to their combination of style, quality and affordable pricepoint.
Making His Mark
Mark is a skater who makes his ‘mark’ on every skate park in Sydney, and also lets every skate park make a ‘mark’ on him too.
From sliding, grinding, flipping and (occasionally) falling he gets a permanent reminder of each skate ramp imbedded into the front of his shoes, and as you can see, these well worn Adidas Skateboard shoes have seen plenty of action.
The adage of I Dig Your Sole Man is that people’s footwear always reveals a story about their owner. However, in Mark’s case they don’t reveal just a story but also a catalogue of every skate park he’s visits (the Blue paint is from Bondi, White from Clovelly, and brown from Homebush – all different parks from around Sydney).
Basketball’s All Time Greats!
When you think about All Time Greats in basketball you might think about Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and of course the G.O.A.T himself Michael Jordan. For many of these players having a shoe endorsement with a major sports brand came part of the job and helped elevate their fame on and off the court. Along with the legacy some of these players left behind, their signature shoes have lasted the test of time and have become iconic in today’s sneaker culture.
No other brand has dominated the Basketball court in the last 3 decades like Nike. Signing MJ to a sponsorship deal in ‘84 helped Nike become the multi billion-dollar company it is today. So, for the sake of argument our all time greats are from the world’s 1 basketball brand.
Now i’m sure this is one of the most debated subjects by every sneaker head around the world, so continue reading and start commenting. Here are some of SoleHeaven’s greatest Basketball shoes of all time.
Nike Air Force 1 – In ‘82 Nike launched the most functional Basketball shoe of its time, the Air Force 1. This was the first ever Basketball shoe to feature the full length zoom air unit and one which included an ankle strap to prevent ankle injuries. This shoe has now become an iconic silhouette in the shoe game and has a massive following in the hip-hop scene. You can even say that this shoe has certainly been a major player in the resurgence of the hi-top sneaker today.
Nike Dunk – Back in ‘85 Being True to Your School was a movement Nike started with the Nike Dunk. Releasing the Dunk in a multitude of colours for teams such as the Georgetown Hoyas and the University of Michigan you could co-ordinate the shoe with any team Basketball kit. This really helped to break away from the white Basketball shoes of its day. Today, if you check out the feet of most high school kids you’ll notice that the Dunk is still as popular as is was back then, although now it’s warn with baggy sweats instead of 4” Basketball shorts.
Air Jordan 3 – The Air Jordan 3, the first Jordan to embody the Jumpman logo and one that propelled MJ to the next level in the NBA. In 88, MJ won nearly every individual award including league MVP and the Slam Dunk title; it definitely had to be the shoes as quoted by Mars Blackman himself. These are arguably one of the most desirable Air Jordan’s ever and with the iconic elephant print design they will go down in sneaker history as an all time classic. Need I say more?
Air Jordan 11 – Any sneaker head around the world has toyed with the idea of wearing this shoe at a formal party or even a wedding. Man, I’m even thinking of wearing them for my wedding one day (If the missus allows me to that is) The Air Jordan 11 bought style and elegance to the Basketball court with its Patent Leather upper. With it’s initial design inspiration being a sock, MJ bought further insight into the design process by requesting the Patent Leather upper so he could wear the shoe with his tux. The Air Jordan 11 has to be the coolest Jordan shoe ever. Period.
Nike Foamposite 1 – Now if heaven had a shoe I’m sure it would be this. In ’97 Nike launched its most expensive and most innovative shoe to date. The idea having the outsole, midsole and upper all made from the same mold was one of the biggest challenges in the history of Nike, but one of which they achieved with the Foamposite 1. With one of these shoes molds costing a cool $750k you can understand the neck snapping price tag and hype that comes with a shoe like this. This shoe has now been re-released many times since the original when Lil’ Penny was rocking them in those Penny Hardaway ads. Perhaps it’s most coveted release was when Nate Robinson rocked them in the ‘09 Slam Dunk competition while jumping over big man Dwight Howard. Even Superman would die for a pair.
So there you have it, some are a given, some may be a surprise to you all. But based on the pure impact and influence that these shoes have had on the Basketball court and sneaker game there is no question that these shoes will be sought after by sneaker heads in years to come.
Until next time.
KB – Veteran Baller/Sneaker lover
Where is Qustom Queen?
Customizing used to be so much fun. Other than some scars and sleepless nights, there was nothing negative about it. I was doing something that I loved and was making money on top of that. I had excuses to travel and meet amazing people and even won an award. Customizing has given me some of the most fun I have ever had, and all sorts of people took an interest in me. Did I mention I designed a pair of shoes for JayZ and was interviewed by Trevor Nelson? Yet, with all of these achievements, I grew tired of it.
I started feeling very burned out last spring when I had just taken on the task of training as a photographer (I can’t paint shoes forever, right?) and was juggling my training, work, customizing and my then hectic home life. My waiting list was two months long, and looking back, I should have taken a break after clearing that, but got snowed with the usual Christmas orders of names on shoes and cartoon characters that often get ordered round that time. Not what I usually like to produce at all and it became a bit of a chore.
Customizing had turned in to a money making machine, which on occasion, did not live up to its namesake. I had lost almost all passion I had for it and was exhausted trying to fit it in around my life instead of incorporate it as part of my life. The quality customers and ‘sneakerheads’ were few and far between and I was receiving messages from prospective customers trying to get customs for sub £50 (including the shoe!).
Another thing that got me down was the continuation of the amount of counterfeit versions of my work there was out there. And I don’t mean other artists copying my designs, I am talking about mass production of fake Nikes & Supras with my designs on them coming out of China. The first pair that was brought to my attention was the Hunter V Hunted Supras. I actually saw that as a bit of an achievement, being recognised enough to be faked, but then more and more designs started to show up on various counterfeit websites, my MJ Supras were completely bastardised. Then the sneakers I made for JayZ’s friend and colleague, Memphis Bleek were bootlegged too. I gave up looking at fake sites a while ago because it upset me to think about the kids working in sweatshops for long hours putting together ‘my’ designs, and the money the exploiters were making out of this.
As I type this, I realise that I have not updated my once thriving facebook page (www.facebook.com/QustomQueen) with any new work in almost a year, only a few customer orders which have either been seen before, or are not worth much of a mention. The page is littered with status updates suggesting a comeback, but as much as I would have liked to, I just couldn’t do it. After Christmas, I decided to put my brush down for a while and have a well earned break from it all and concentrate on my photography training. I am glad that I have been keeping busy with something creative rather than an office job, and have a few weddings under my belt already. So far in the first half of this year, I have completed TWO pairs of customs only. I used to do on average two pairs a week.
I miss customizing and the passion I once had for it. I even miss the stench of acetone and the sores I got in my nose from inadvertently inhaling the fumes of industrial adhesive. My cupboards are still full with base shoes I have hunted down at various points over the past few years, and are now not only waiting for the right idea to be picked out, they are waiting for a return of my old attitude. As am I!
Some things will have to change if I am to avoid a repeat of this mindframe I seem to have fallen in to. I am going to have to mentally go back to basics, back to the days of posting a pair of freshly painted customs on a forum back when I started, and biting my nails waiting on the response from my peers in the community. This is the first time I have considered that I might have lost a lot of confidence in my abilities. It takes a lot to put your hard work out there and potentially have it shot down in flames, and if there is one thing that has developed in recent years, it is peoples education on customs and what they expect from those more established within the community. It is going to be an uphill struggle for a while, but I am fortunate to have made some great friends through this who I know will be behind my return 100%
So while I would have loved to have atleast one pair completely finished to unveil along with this blogpost, I am sorry that you will have to settle for a teaser of what can be expected soon. I am sticking with what I love, movie themed shoes. Stay tuned!
At least I am confident that my shoe photography has improved…..
