Author: Bradley Martinez
Back in 2022, a couple members of Footpatrol had the opportunity to travel to the Netherlands with alongside ASICS and fellow ASICS TOMO accounts such as Naked, Slam Jam & more. Whilst there and placed into teams, we all had the opportunity to work come together and work on a bespoke makeup for the new GT-2160. The joint venture resulted in the creation of the ASICS GT-2160 TOMO “Kogarashi,” which is a Japanese concept that signifies where summer meets winter, and warm connects to the cold.
Building on that idea of people working together and inline with our frequent players franchise, we looked not only at seasonal changes but also how music traverses the globe but also the idea of connecting people no matter the climate. With that said, to celebrate we brought together three DJ’s from London (Alexander Nut), Paris (Jojo Krazzy) and Japan (vloQee) to work on three bespoke mixes and how music speaks to their respected regions.
The ASICS GT-2160 TOMO edition is now available to shop online at Footpatrol here!
Footpatrol: Hey, we hope you’re good? Huge thanks to the three of you for taking the time to talk to us. Could you tell us a bit about yourself and what it is you do?
Jojo: I’m Jojo SK, Producer/DJ from Paris, I started as a music producer and I blended this part of my skills with DJ’ing, now I run an event organisation called Sixtion, the sickest night in Paris.
Alex Nut: Hello Footpatrol, my name is Alex Nut, im a DJ, producer, label owner and radio host, born and bred in the infamous West Midlands, but have spent the last 20+ years living in East London, paying top dollar for fancy coffee and easily accessing a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. I’ve got a love for the more Soulful side of Underground Club music, from Hip Hop to House, Broken Beat to Boogie, Jungle to Jazz. My taste is pretty broad.
vloQee: I’m vloQee, an artist from Indonesia, I created character called “sebatsmen”, living in Tokyo for 6 years, where I pursue my academics and dreams while also DJing, modeling, and assisting Sabukaru online for events or content.
FP: Can you tell us about your origins in music, and your influences?
Jojo: I’m originally from Congo but I was born in France and grew up in the UK so I’m highly influenced by Afro-Caribbean sounds, and of course hip hop, the UK House scene.
Alex Nut: It goes as far back as i can remember, from my parents’ record collection, to Wolverhampton pirate radio, where i later ended up playing (big up Sky Line).. To the influences of early hip hop culture, graffiti, sound system culture, skating, dancing and digging for vinyl. Im old enough that vinyl was still the format of choice when i was a kid. Then i became a bit of a rave soldier, i’ve been out in clubs every week since i was 15, its just a part of who i am. When i moved to London i ended up getting a show on Rinse FM, which i did for 8 years before moving over to NTS. Plastic People was was my spiritual home, and was where i resided for a good number of years till it closed. That place was a huge influence on me and my musical journey.
vloQee: My mix is influenced by my surroundings and the music my friends create, with a strong emphasis on gabber, drum and bass, and trance, but on a daily basis, I primarily listen to jazz, hc-punk, and hip-hop.
FP: Can you tell us how your music links to the cities you reside in?
Jojo: My music is diversified, just like the city of Paris.
vloQee: My music is deeply connected to the Tokyo community, fueled by influential groups like Tokyovitamin, YAGI, and Sound Sports, who bring diverse musical styles and their unique energy to the city.
Footpatrol: Alex, how have you seen the uk music scene evolve over the years? and can you tell us about how you think sneaker culture shares similarities to musical culture?
Alex Nut: Well for better and for worse i’ve definitely seen it all grow from a grassroots, underground community of ‘heads’, to spreading far and wide, having a huge worldwide influence, to it all becoming a global business. But certainly in the early days of both the footwear and club scenes, it was very much a culture of digging. Things wern’t so easily obtainable, and it didn’t really involve having much money either,,, you didn’t have to go broke to buy kicks or records.. It was more who had the strongest passion, desire, style, and taste. In the early 90’s, much like digging for records, we would hear, word of mouth, about mom and pop sports stores with dead stock or rare gear in a neighboring town or city. There wasnt that many places to get cool kicks, it wasn’t really a mainstream phenomenon back then… much like the underground music scenes. The Jordan phenomenon definitely changed things a lot, but even then, in the UK it was still kinda limited to people with an interest in BasketBall or Hip Hop. Back then my interest was in finding Gazelle’s, Sambas, Puma States and high top Pony’s, which we would cut down and skate in. But later on the Air Max 95’s dropped and that changed everything, for a few years that was all anybody wanted.
FP: What is your favourite thing about music coming out of these cities?
Jojo: I think the rap scene because it’s people that had to learn the hard way on how to go from 0 to a 100 in this industry, with most of the time little budget.
Alex Nut: I can honestly say that some of my most favorite musical memories have been down at Plastic People, which for those who don’t know was an amazing small, basement club on Curtain Rd in East London. I would go to various different nights, on different days of the week. DBridge and Steve Spacek’s Blackpockets nights were really amazing. Co-Op was the night for Broken Beat with the likes of Dego, Seiji and IG Culture and i also got to see the early formation of Grime and Dubstep down there in the early 2000’s as a regular at FWD with very young and fresh faced DJ’s/MC’s like Skream, Skepta, Plastician, Wiley, D Double E,… luckily i eventually got to play down there myself. CDR would be on a Sunday, where producers could come and try their new, unreleased music on the incredible sound system. Which is where i met Floating Points. Theo Parrish had a monthly residency there also, which was always a really special night of music… i mean, for me, nothing has ever come close to what that club was, and what it did for the underground music scene. I feel blessed to have experienced it. But yeah there was loads of other wicked nights… i would regularly frequent Bar Rumba, Herbal, Fabric, The End etc. I never got to go to Metalheadz at Bluenote or see Soul II Soul at the Africa Centre.. Which i still have FOMO about.
vloQee: What makes Tokyo’s music scene fascinating for me is the constant influx of fresh releases across various genres, happening every week or maybe everyday.
Footpatrol: Alex, eglo Records, can you tell us a bit more about this and the origins?
Alex Nut: Same as above really, it all started as a result of crossing paths and making friends with people down at Plastic People. That’s where the label started. At this time i was on Rinse FM and working in music PR radio plugging, constantly on the look out for new music and meeting artists to bring to the radio show. And this is how i ended up crossing paths with Floating Points, Fatima and Funkienven aka Steven Julien. No one had put anything out yet, so the stars aligned and it all seemed to just make sense. Still to this day, no matter how far and wide we branch out, Plastic People still really informs the spirit of the label.
FP: Can you tell us any similarities between paris music scene and fashion scene?
Jojo: They go together, people like an artist for more than the music nowadays, they want to be able to relate to a state of mind, a lifestyle, a fashion sense, and of course the music first.
vloQee: What makes Tokyo’s music scene fascinating for me is the constant influx of fresh releases across various genres, happening every week or maybe everyday.
FP: If YOU were a sneaker, what would you be?
Jojo: Air Force 1
Alex Nut: Gotta go for an OG Addidas Gazelle, in green. They’re just solid, timeless kicks. No frills, but still steezy.
vloQee: Maybe Mars Yard, it’s rare but everyone knows about it
Footpatrol: Alex, you’ve played all over the world, How have you seen music that comes out of the UK connecting people?
Alex Nut: The UK is the one of best places in the world for creating club music, we’ve birthed Jungle, Broken Beat, UKG, Grime, and given our own fresh take on House and Techno. We’ve got that Sound System heritage, so the low end is important here. The scenes used to be a lot more tribal and separated but now i feel its a real mixed up melting pot. The club is a unifying force, and dance music is a positive form of creative expression, and a release for many people. It’s bridged communities and forged relationships all over the world. Created jobs and international travel. Its amazing.
FP: Do you have any shows coming up where people can come and see you? And where people can also listen to your mixes?
Jojo: Yeah Oct 20th Sixtion event in Paris, not to miss out on!
Alex Nut: We have our next Eglo Records party at Corsica Studios on 21st October with special guest Atjazz which we’re really looking forward to. I have a monthly show on NTS, and will soon be starting a new residency on Rinse FM again. If you’d liked to check out my mixes and shows head over to my Soundcloud page, I’ve got plenty of mixes up on Youtube also, dig in!
vloQee: Upcoming show this end of October and early November. You can listen some of my raw mix at mixcloud or soundcloud.
FP: Thank you for taking the time to chat to us! Are there any words of wisdom for people looking to start DJing? Or any shoutouts?
Jojo: S/O Sixtion!
Alex Nut: Yes i’d like to shout out Soul II Soul, The Wild Bunch, 4Hero, Marc Mac, Dego, Kaidi Tatham, Bugz In The Attic, Kool DJ Red Alert, Mark Pritchard, Goldie, Fabio & Grooverider, DJ Flight, Theo Parrish, Masters At Work, Jah Shaka, Channel One, Q-Tip, Benji B, J Rocc… the list is endless…. And my words of wisdom to anyone just starting out in DJ’ing… is to check out all of those names i mentioned above.
vloQee: Dan Wieden once said “just do it” and shoutout to Mr.Bianco who gives me the chances to do my first big set in Tokyo.
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Sneaker collaborations aren’t anything new however, over the last few years they’ve become a constant within weekly launches. From Nike with their arsenal of Travis Scott, Sacai or A Ma Maniere and more or even New Balance with the likes of Salehe Bembury, JJJJound or Joe FreshGoods, it was collaborations like those which, over recent years have put sneaker collecting into a new light.
Now of course, there are multiple ways of collaborating. Whether it’s a store bringing the ideas forward to a brand or the brand itself scoping the world to find the next industry leading talent to bring their eye and name to something, get it right and it could be something that could go down in history. Another way that sometimes gets overlooked is when a brand, or for this latest story, a band becomes affiliated with a brand so much so that it becomes uniform and forms part of their image. Sometimes it’s easy to go down the route of Hip-Hop, Rap or R&B but there are occasions that see them delve into the world of metal and that’s where we’re at today.
We’re of course talking about the latest Korn x adidas collection. An affiliation that goes back to the early 90’s, the band would frequently wear the Three Stripe tracksuits and this quickly passed down to their audience and became somewhat of a statement uniform for their followers. They even had a song called A.D.I.D.A.S though for anyone who’s heard it will notice its playful take on ‘All Day I Dream About Sports’. But for ‘23, after decades, the duo finally made that relationship official with a collection harking back to the band’s past. Though this is the latest venture into this genre, it definitely won’t be the last.
With generations of people growing up on this genre of music, it’s easy to forget how much of a cultural impact some of these bands have had on the music world and just how relevant they are even to the point of people like Ice Cube and Public Enemy sampling bands such as Slayer and Black Sabbath.
So to celebrate, we thought we’d go back in time and take a look at some of our favourites. From samples, to limited releases through to general releases, the breadth of these collaborations seems to be endless.
A heavyweight within the Nu-Metal scene, back in 2003 Nike decided to celebrate the genre-bending, Sacramento based band Deftones with their very own Nike Dunk High. Limited to only 40 pairs worldwide, these are still one of the rarest Dunks and seem in safe hands with the likes of JD Beltran having them within his collection. In keeping with the leafy green city centre, the band kept things simple with a predominately green leather upper whilst their logo takes dominance on the heel.
One that may have slipped under the radar for many and one that still hasn’t had much information shared regarding it but to celebrate their 2017 ‘No Filter’ tour, rock legends The Rolling Stones teamed up with French football team Paris Saint Germain for a collaboration that included 55 pairs of the Air Max 1 you see above. With a range of apparel within the collaboration as well, it was the AM1 that gained most attention. With The Rolling Stones logo featuring on the lateral side of the shoe, the PSG emblem featured on the medial.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Metallica enlisted the help of Vans to celebrate their debut album ‘Kill ’em all’. Like Iron Maidens 2012 collaboration, the Sk8 Hi and Slip On were the silhouettes of choice and continuing in a similar theme, the album artwork was a focus of the collaboration.
One that never technically saw the light of day apart from a few sample pairs for the bands friends and family, the Iron Maiden x Nike Dunk High ‘Beasts from the East’ shows how these coming togethers can go down in folklore. Taking away the limelight, the Swoosh becomes a translucent feature upon the iconic artwork that brought a heavy attitude to match their debut L.P. A must have for many, the pair was not too long ago spotted on the feet of frequent Nike collaborator Travis Scott.
With over 40 albums since forming back in 1975, Iron Maiden once again found themselves collaborating on a footwear collaboration, this time though, with Vans. Receiving a general release back in 2012, the band opted to celebrate one of their first albums ‘The Number of the Beast’ that released back in ’82. Using a Sk8-Hi and a Slip On as the silhouettes of choice, the band took their recognisable album cover and used this as the highlight of the collection.
A constant when it comes to this genre of collaborations, Vans never skip a beat in similar vain to their next collaborator, Motorhead. Having formed in 1975, the band went on to cement theirselves within music history with their blend of heavy metal and punk rock. Continuing the theme of using album art covers as inspiration, the team looked towards their first studio album ‘Motorhead’. This means a clean all black upper is met with the bands logo on the heel whilst the iconic Snaggletooth, aka the War-Pig featured on the insole.
Revolutionary at the time, the Air Presto paved the way for many future sneakers and quickly became a firm fan favourite. However, a pair that may have gone under the radar for many with only 15 pairs known in existence is that pair above. Celebrating a worldwide tour back in 2001, Nike provided Eric Clapton with his very own Air Presto. Although a relatively subtle iteration that saw a predominately grey upper, underneath the heel shows the EC World Tour graphic that makes these pairs so special. Thankfully and after much persistence, it’s thanks to people like Prestology for shining the light on such things!
One of the more recent editions and during the recent craze of sneaker collaborations, Nike stayed true to past efforts and this time celebrated 50 years of Grateful Dead. For this, the SB team paid homage with three neon colour ways that make us think back to those psychedelic rock days and the genre in which the band will go down in history for being one of the biggest within.
After the brands explorative collaboration with artist KAWS, for FW23 the team are back to continuing their collaborative efforts. This time, they team up with Japanese brand UNDERCOVER.
This latest winter ready offering is a reimagination of technical clothing, this time looking through a fashion lens. Traditional pieces from within TNF’s arsenal have been given a fresh update with UNDERCOVER building on their roots within the world of streetwear to create a seamless relationship between street and performance.
Take a closer look at the collection below and shop this latest collection online at Footpatrol here!
Through advanced algorithms, AI analyses vast amounts of data, including consumer preferences, social media trends, and historical fashion data. This data-driven approach enables designers to create collections that resonate with the public, resulting in more sustainable and customer-centric fashion. Additionally, AI-driven virtual try-on solutions and personalised styling recommendations enhance the shopping experience, reducing returns and waste. As a result, AI is not only transforming how fashion is created and marketed but also contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive fashion industry that caters to individual tastes and needs. Here we are, to talk to NEW FACET on how he has this world in the palm of his hand and what he plans to do with it.
Also, make sure to look out for the Saucony OMNI 9 ProGrid ‘Crystal Cave’ launching online on Friday 20th October (Available online from 08:00AM BST).
Footpatrol: Hi Luca, We hope you’re well, and thank you for letting us come and learn first hand about the world of NEW.FACET, can you tell us a bit more about yourself and what you do?
NF: Hey, thanks for having me! I’m Luca, a multidisciplinary designer based in Germany. I primarily work in the fields of Graphic Design, Digital Experiences, and 3D design. Last year, I started the research project NEW FACET, exploring the intersection of CGI, Digital Art, and AI with Fashion.
FP: Can you tell us about your adventure into the world of ai and fashion, what was the inspiration for this?
NF: As a creative I always like exploring new emerging technologies, workflows, and mediums. My first touchpoints with AI were two years ago with some of the rudimentary diffusion tools and GAN models that existed back then. Last year, there was significant development in the field of diffusion-based ai systems, and I saw the potential for how these systems could be better controlled compared to previous ones. I tried various workflows, such as combining them with 3D or sketches, for example.
Taking the fashion route seemed quite natural during this process. I’ve always been interested in fashion, but it seemed somewhat challenging to approach. However, with the workflows involving AI and 3D, it has become much more approachable to create your own world and visualize your ideas without requiring extensive resources.
FP: Can you explain the advantages/disadvantages if any, of using AI in the fashion industry, both for designers and consumers
NF: For designers, it can be a great addition in various workflow methods, such as visualising concept sketches, generatively iterating on designs, rapid prototyping, or gathering inspirations. For consumers, it all comes down to a more personalized experience, such as virtual try-ons, customized products tailored to consumers’ measurements, or personalized styling recommendations.
FP: How do you believe AI-generated fashion addresses the issue of sustainability in an increasingly eco-conscious world?
NF: Digital tools for designing clothes, like Clo3D, assist in visualizing clothing concepts one-to-one for the real world, reducing misalignment in the production of clothes and minimizing the number of samples and prototypes that need to be created. AI will help make this direct visualization process more accessible to other designers. In addition to image diffusion algorithms that help in visualizing concepts, there are AI algorithms specifically tailored to clothing production, such as those that generate the optimal cutting pattern from a mesh of the designed garment to minimize fabric waste.
While it will still take some time, I also believe AI will enable more and more people to create their own products in the future. We’ve seen the first developments in fields like footwear design and 3D printing over the past few years. In the future, AI will assist in creating customized and personalized products for the end consumer, coupled with technologies like 3D printing or 3D weaving techniques this could pave the way for new, localized, and eco-friendlier production methods. Projects like unspun from Vega are looking really promising for example.
FP: How have you noticed consumers perceive AI-generated fashion items, and do they have any reservations about wearing them?
NF: Like with any new technology, there are two sides to how developments in the field of AI are perceived, either positively or negatively. It’s important to acknowledge that this new technology can be used for both good and bad purposes. For outsiders, it’s often challenging to understand the various ways it can be used. However, I believe many people see AI as an additional tool for creativity and recognize that it doesn’t replace human creativity but rather enhances it. These tools are still operated by creative individuals.
FP: Are there any ethical concerns regarding AI in fashion, such as issues related to intellectual property?
NF: You can create highly transformative work with these systems, if you use them right. But there are also people who train systems to copy a certain style of an artist or use prompts in systems which are artist included and specifically try to imitate them. This is definitely a downside – with technological progress it’s also becoming increasingly easier to copy other people’s art. But I think every tool can be used in a good way or in an unethical way. It’s important to direct the blame in the right place.
FP: Can you tell us about stable diffusion? and some of the other tools you use?
Luca: Stable Diffusion is an open-source image diffusion model that can be further extended and developed on your own. It’s the primary system I use because it offers more possibilities compared to other systems. While with other AI tools, you can only use them to visualize text prompts, stable diffusion allows you to train your own models for various needs or utilize it as a tool for visualizing sketches or 3D objects.
FP: Can you tell us a bit more about the process of generating the Saucony Crystal Cave, were there any problems involved in the creation?
NF: To bring the Saucony Crystal Cave into the digital realm, we initially created a photogrammetry scan of the shoe. So we basically took around 300 pictures of all possible angles of the shoe to create a 3D mesh that we could utilize later on. Following this, we designed a custom outfit using a 3D CAD tool specifically tailored for clothing design. A 3D persona now wears both the shoe and the custom outfit, allowing us to stage various scenes within a 3d program called Cinema 4D. To achieve a higher level of realism in rendering these scenes compared to traditional rendering methods, we integrated AI into the process. So, for the most part, it involves a blend of 3D sceneries with AI rendering methods and backgrounds.
FP: Can you tell us about some of the projects you’ve worked on with brands? and also are there any you would still love to work with in the future?
NF: It was an incredible honor earlier this year to be part of the ‘Selected Memories and Visions of Functionality’ series by GORE-TEX, alongside ‘Advanced Research,’ to have our work exhibited during Paris Fashion Week. For the showroom, we created multiple concept designs inspired by GORE-TEX Past and envisioned how Products for the future could look like. For the history part, we designed several looks and shoe models inspired by a photo from a 1980s GORE-TEX catalog. For the second part, we developed several looks and shoe models for a more distant future.
Currently me and my good friend Tomek, work alongside other designers and brands, collaborating with them in the fields of Branding, 3D, and AI to develop real products. Outside of Fashion we’re working with Architectures, Photographers etc. to create exciting projects and to experiment on new workflows.
There are numerous people and brands I’d love to connect and collaborate with in the future. If I had to choose one, it would be Golwin’s 0.
FP: One thing we must ask, as we always do, if YOU were a sneaker, what would you be?
NF: One of my favourite sneakers is the Nike React Undercover. I think I wouldn’t mind being one.
FP: For anyone that’s curious about diving into the world of AI whether it’s fashion or any other creative output, are there any words of wisdom, things you would encourage or avoid in someone on their journey that you wish you had been told when you started?
NF: I recommend trying out different tools and integrating them into the workflows and methods you already personally use. I believe this is the best way to discover things that you find useful and that you can expand upon. For more controlled outputs, I can suggest exploring stable diffusion. There are many resources available online on how to get started.
FP: Thank you Luca, its been a pleasure!
NF: Thank you for having me. It was a great pleasure to meet you all and explore together on the visuals.
Covering the globe with our Footpatrol Discussions platform, our latest sees us on Canadian waters with artist/painter Kathy Ager. Capturing our attention with her unique blend of Baroque-style artworks with modern streetwear touches, Kathy’s artwork enters a new world of darkness that captures the imagination.
Now with her artwork grabbing the attention of NOCTA, Polo Ralph Lauren and Nike, we had the chance to catch up with Kathy to understand more about this unique style and where these ideas originated from.
Imagery by @Samfidlin
Footpatrol: Kathy! It’s great to finally have the chance to catch up and talk about your work. We’ve long been wanting to feature so it’s good to finally have that chance. First things first though, how’s things?
Kathy Ager: Things are ok! I just returned to Vancouver after spending the summer in Amsterdam, so I’m still getting things sorted and up and running in my studio. It’s nice to be back though!
FP: I’m sure a lot of our audience would’ve come across your platform given the content you predominantly feature however, for those who may be new to your work, could you give us a bit of background into you and your artwork?
KA: Well, simply put, I’m an oil painter from Vancouver, Canada. I make still lifes that combine historically Baroque-style themes with modern elements. Sorry if that sounds too simple or dry! It’s just hard to sum up what you do when it’s only in hindsight that you can try to explain it and put it into a box. I originally went to school for graphic design and illustration and worked in ad agencies and design studios, doing mostly branding and packaging design. I moved from Vancouver to Barcelona to Amsterdam about 15 years ago, mainly because I loved European design (and I wanted an adventure!). I’m sure I was influenced by the art I saw around me, but it wasn’t until about 8 or 9 years ago that I picked up painting in my spare time. After a couple years of painting, I was picked up by Thinkspace, a gallery in Los Angeles, and from there I began painting full time. That was about 6 years ago! I returned to Vancouver to work on a couple solo shows for Thinkspace, and now I’m mainly working on my own pieces as well as collaborations with larger brands like Nike and Real Skateboards.
FP: You recently just returned back to your studio in Vancouver after being in Amsterdam for the group show, LAX / AMS’ THINKSPACE X STRAAT, how did it go?
KA: It was a great experience. I used to live in Amsterdam for almost a decade, but only started painting in the last couple years I was there and never felt like I made any inroads into the art scene. This group show happened to coincide with my plans to return to the city for the first time since I left back in 2018. I was so glad I made it to the opening as I got to reconnect with some old friends that are doing some big things in town and to make some new friends and connections in the Amsterdam art scene. It was also great to see the STRAAT Museum because it was still under construction when I left the city years ago. It’s a really impressive space.
FP: So, let’s get back to your work… ‘Golden Age’ is a term I see people use to describe your work quite often. It’s something we think has multiple meanings whilst referencing the inspiration to your style but we’d love to know what it means to you.
KA: My painting style is heavily influenced by the still life paintings of the Dutch Golden Age which spanned much of the 17th century. It was a time of crazy wealth in the Netherlands, mainly achieve through the exploitation of other places and people, and there was a boom in artists capturing this wealth and excess in still lifes. But within these paintings were also moral and religious messages, as well as an ever looming vibe of imminent decay and impermanence. Similarly, my paintings might appear materially focussed on the surface, but I’m using objects and references that are both personal to me and familiar to the viewer to convey my own feelings and experiences of love, loss and the pain of modern life as an underlying message.
FP: That contrast between modern day objects and vintage still life aesthetic is what really captured our eyes, especially given the footwear choices. Does that feature object decide the rest of the piece or is the rest of the still life the main decision point?
KA: My paintings are usually about my own personal experiences and relationships. Sometimes I’ll reference sneakers that are owned by a specific person, and sometimes there’s something about that specific style or colour way that has an association to something I’m feeling. It’s funny — when you look at still lifes painted back in the 1600s, you see what looks like a lot of antiques and old things, but at the time they were painted, these objects were modern. I think it’s the same with sneakers. They’ve become quite valuable and symbolic to many people, and I’m curious what people will think of that in 400 years. I’m just capturing what’s symbolic to me and my/our times.
FP: You’ve worked with some big names within the industry including NOCTA, Nike and Polo Ralph Lauren. How do you find working on these larger projects, is there still a sense of freedom to bring the pieces to life?
KA: I love working on these larger, commercial projects. It lets me bring in my graphic design background and create things for someone else instead of just for myself. Usually a client comes to me with a specific idea in mind. They usually want to feature one of their more timeless items – Polo shirts for Ralph Lauren, white AF1s for Nike, for example — so that the piece has longevity. I prefer having quite a lot of direction from clients when working on these commissions so that I don’t have to mine my own emotional world like I would for my own works. I don’t always want to be rooting around in my basement. It’s taxing!
FP: Would you have any words of wisdom for any of our audience out there who are hoping to pursue a career within the world of art? Any tips that have helped you perfect your craft?
KA: I’m really glad I went to design school and have that as a solid background. It’s given me the freedom to choose when I paint as opposed to the pressure of NEEDING to paint. I would say don’t feel like you need to jump right into being an artist or going to art school. I was scared of the “starving artist” cliche so I didn’t pursue fine art right out of high school, and to be honest, I didn’t have anything I wanted to say until later in life anyway. Also, my advice is that you have to put in the time and effort. There’s no short cut. It’s not glamours being an artist. It’s a lot of time spent alone, just chipping away at your craft, even if you don’t feel like it. I’m not always happy to be painting, but I’m always happy I painted.
FP: In regards to your medium, it seems like oil and canvas is the main feature. Has there been any other mediums you’d love to explore for future pieces to further enhance that contrast of styles?
KA: I’m starting to think about creating some 3D pieces. I’ve always loved building things and thinking about things in 3D but haven’t applied that to my art yet. I’ve been talking to a friend in Portland about a collaboration, possibly to make some decorative tableware or ashtrays or something along those lines. While I was in Europe over the summer, I visited Maria Imaginario, a sweet artist friend in Lisbon, who is making some amazing ceramic pieces and I was inspired! So we’ll see what comes of it all.
FP: As we mentioned previously, there is a heavy focus on footwear. Anywhere from Travis Scotts Air Jordan IV to the Patta Air Jordan VII, to GOLF’s Converse to Nikes Uptempo. So, with us being Footpatrol, we must ask, Is this a showing of love towards sneakers that you own personally or do you just admire from a far.
KA: Like I mentioned earlier, usually the sneakers are related to a specific person, or else there’s something about that particular style that has the right vibe I’m going for. I think one of the biggest things that draws me to sneakers is their graphic colour blocking and logo design. Maybe because of my graphic design background? I also love sports team graphics and jerseys for those same reasons, but I’ve never been a team sports player myself!
FP: If yes, what makes a good sneaker to you?
KA: I don’t actually have a sneaker collection myself. I’m so picky, I usually have a hard time even finding one pair I’m into. Lately I’ve loved what New Balance has been doing with skate shoes, as well as some Nike SBs. I like a bit of a preppy look and for the last while I’ve been really attached to my Nike SB Nyjah Free 2s.
FP: I think that’s it from us… Huge thanks for taking the time to sit with us and talk. This last question is an opportunity to share any wise words with our audience or simply let us know what you’ve got coming up that we need to keep an eye out for.
KA: I’m just getting started coming up with a new series of painting ideas. The past couple of years have been really tough for some personal reason, which means they’ve given me a lot of material to work with, LOL! If I’m brave enough to go there.
Available to play for a limited time only in our London store, the latest in-app game Footpatrol Campus Dash! Explore the Nike virtual campus featuring subtle Easter eggs paying homage to Nikes Headquarters in Beaverton, avoiding hazards and collecting Nike boxes to win prizes.
Explore the Nike HQ , collecting shoe boxes, avoiding hazards and earn points along the way whilst being surrounded by some of the iconic feature of the Nike Headquarters . Don’t forget to look out for special FP tokens for a chance to win Foorpatrol merch both in-store and online!
Campus Dash is our latest exclusive offering to our Launches App.
Deep within the Nike HQ, there is a skunkworks like team who’s mission is to ‘Improvise, Scavenge, Protect and Adapt’, otherwise know as ISPA. Often revolutionising Nike’s footwear offering with unique designs like the ISPA Flow or just outright experimental like the Road Warrior. Continuing a recent trend though, the team have once again lent their minds to come up with a new range of apparel items.
Utilising the latest in weather-resistant materials, this latest collection has you winter ready. From multilayered tops, a set of utilitarian trousers to the highlight of the collection, the jacket. Whilst resisting the wet and windy conditions, specially placed laser cut ventilation zones help to keep the body cool without restricting.
Take a closer look at the collection below and shop these styles online at Footpatrol here!
When it comes to subcultural affiliations, few footwear brands can boast a deeper connection than adidas. In fact, the German sportswear behemoth most likely stands alone with the most in that regard, and that’s without even mentioning the sheer variety and longevity of their influence. Now consolidated in the omnipresent ‘Originals’ subsidiary line, it’s easy to forget that the classic styles this collection now includes all initially emerged as high-performance trainers for their respective sports.
The Superstar was introduced in 1969 as a speciality basketball shoe, however quickly became a fashion and lifestyle mainstay by the ‘70s, thanks to its timeless aesthetic and eye-catching rubber ‘shell toe’. The 1980s saw the release of another on-court icon, the adidas Campus, reminiscent of the Superstar with its minimal construction, its large clean panelling allowing for bright colour combinations in either smooth or suede leather.
Fast forward to the eighties, and technical specifications for basketball footwear were developing expeditiously. It was a decade synonymous with iconic court kicks, not least the debut of the Air Jordan series, which adidas would aim to counter Nike’s growing influence by partnering with another outstanding basketball talent, Patrick Ewing.
Ewing was selected as the number one overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft, and adidas subsequently signed him to a lucrative sneaker endorsement deal, releasing the Ewing Athletics line of basketball shoes in 1986. Ewing’s shoes helped adidas capitalise on the widespread appeal of athlete-endorsed sneakers such as the Air Jordan line, garnering a dedicated following. Coupled with the adidas Rivalry which launched the same year, the Ewing went on to emphasise the brand’s stature in the production of high-performance court footwear.
As sneakers started to become integrated into the everyday casual uniform of teenagers and young adults around this time, they inevitably took root in several burgeoning youth subcultures. As hip-hop came of age around the tail end of the 1980s, the three stripes became the essential sneaker brand for movers and shakers within the genre.
One of the key factors that contributed to adidas’ influence within hip-hop culture early on was its connection to the b-boy/girl and breakdancing scene. Breakdancers embraced the brand’s footwear, particularly the adidas Superstar, Gazelle and Campus. These sneakers not only provided the necessary comfort and durability for the dynamic dance moves, but also exuded a distinctive urban style that resonated with the hip-hop community, and their sleek designs with the already-iconic three stripes became a symbol of authenticity and self-expression for aspiring b-boys/girls around the world.
But adidas’ impact within hip hop extended beyond the dance floor. As well as their classic sneakers, the brand’s tracksuits, sweatshirts and accessories would all become staples of hip-hop fashion. Pioneering rap group Run-D.M.C. played a pivotal role in popularising the label within the subgenre. In fact, it could be argued the most enduring image associated with the ‘Old-School’ era of hip hop would be that of the Queens, NY group posing in their uniform of adidas Firebird tracksuits, laceless Superstars or Rivalrys, gold rope chains, and classic fedora or Kangol hats. Their groundbreaking 1986 single ‘My Adidas’ further cemented the brand’s status within hip-hop culture and led to the first-ever endorsement deal between a musical artist and a sportswear company.
Moving into the nineties, it was the turn of another trailblazing hip-hop act, the Beastie Boys, to carry the torch for adidas within the subculture. 1992’s ‘Check Your Head’ turned out to be a change of pace for the group not only musically, but also aesthetically. Its iconic album cover, shot by veteran hip-hop photographer Glen E. Freidman, showed Mike D sporting a pair of Campus, sparking legions of hip-hop fans to go out and grab a pair for themselves. Incidentally, Mike D was one of the figures behind streetwear originators XLARGE at the time, an LA-based label who were known for sourcing vintage deadstock adidas models to resell in their stores.
Hip-hop wasn’t America’s only burgeoning youth scene to adopt the three stripes early on. Over on the West Coast, skateboarding was rapidly gaining popularity amongst a section of thrill-seeking kids and young adults. Largely isolated from any official ties to mainstream sports companies, skaters of time had to make do with reappropriating casual footwear, largely styles designed for basketball and tennis, as skate-centric footwear was in limited offering, and harder to attain in a pre-internet retail landscape.
Skateboarders embraced certain adidas models such as the Campus, Stan Smith and the Superstar for their flat soles and robust construction, which made them suitable for the demands of skateboarding. The ridged rubber shell toes of the Superstar in particular, offered an excellent barrier against grip tape. These models’ blank uppers also provided skaters with a canvas to customise and express individuality, some would draw, paint or dye their shoes, or simply thread through phat laces. The brand became so popular that even the new skater-owned, made for skateboarding shoe brands began to rip off classic adidas designs for their own range. Etnies’ rotated ‘E’ logo is a direct reference to the classic Three Stripes branding, and Tim Gavin’s shoe for DVS took blatant design cues from the Stan Smith.
In the mid-1990s, adidas actively entered the skateboarding market by launching a dedicated skateboarding line under its ‘Equipment’ range. The brand recognised the skate community’s appreciation for Three Stripes’ heritage as well as the ever-evolving needs of skateboarding footwear and began producing skate-specific shoes with enhanced features like extra cushioning, reinforced toe caps, and improved board feel. It also eventually assembled a skate team which included legends Mark Gonzales and Lance Mountain, as well as exciting young pros such as Quim Cardona and Paulo Diaz, adding further credibility to the brand’s official skate venture.
As adidas’ profile within the skate industry expanded, so did its footwear offering. The brand initially made waves with the legendary phat-stripe cupsole styles Adimatic and Norton, but it would be the classics that still resonated strongly with skateboarders. Key ‘90s skate figures like Harold Hunter and Ryan Hickey were still being seen adidas classics like the Campus and Superstar, but this wasn’t going unnoticed at HQ, and the decision was made to revamp some of the icons, make them more skate-friendly, and have them sit alongside the newer, tech shoes the company was also putting out. Superstar became ‘Super Modified’, with rubberised stripes sitting lower down the upper around the ollie area to offer more resistance, whereas the low-key look of the Campus was channelled in the new ‘O’Reardon’ silhouette.
adidas’ skate integrity was cemented as the 2000s rolled around, and by the end of the decade, many riders were favouring a more classic, low-profile sneaker over the chunky silhouettes of the previous decade. This led to a surge in popularity for adidas models such as the Superstar, Stan Smith, Samba and Campus, as well as other indoor sport-referencing styles, which still make up the core skateboarding collection today.
In Europe, however, the adidas Samba was beginning to spin its unique legacy within subculture. Originating as a football trainer in 1950, the Samba’s sleek design and durable construction made it a preferred choice among sports fans and 1980s terrace culture enthusiasts. Terrace culture, particularly in Britain, was centred around the fashion and social scene surrounding football matches. One iteration of the Samba became synonymous with it, being embraced by football fans who sought to showcase their team loyalty and exhibit a distinct sense of casual style. Its iconic Three Stripes and retro aesthetic perfectly aligned with the minimal sensibilities of terrace fashion of the era, which largely incorporated high-end European labels as well as classic casual staples such as denim and military surplus gear.
This terrace association reinforced the Samba’s counter-culture identity, which had been brewing after being spotted on iconic musicians such as Bob Marley throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s. Along with Trimm Trabb and the Gazelle (1966) model, originally released in ‘68 as a multi-purpose training shoe, the Samba helped form the foundation for what’s now regarded as Europe’s first sneakerhead scene, where casual connoisseurs became avid collectors, hunting for rare and coveted adidas shoe models.
Technological advances in the design of athletic footwear would spell the beginning of a dormant period for terrace culture, however, consumer interest in classic adidas models in the UK would eventually overflow into the 1990s thanks to a link with an exciting new music scene: Britpop. The chart battle between flagship bands Oasis and Blur may have signified a north/south divide in the country but if there was one thing both bands and their listenership had in common, it was a penchant for classic adidas trainers.
The Gallagher brothers’ signature look of an anorak, jeans and adidas classics (Gazelle and the Samba) reverberated around the country during the Cool Britannia era, and the band’s connection with the Three Stripes has been strengthened with both frontmen each designing their own shoe for the Spezial line in recent years. Down south, Blur led the charge for terrace-inspired fashion, teaming pairs of adidas with Harrington jackets, straight-cut jeans and old-school tennis track tops. The group’s love for the brand even extended to at least two lyrical references, including a song titled ‘Trimm Trabb’, on their sixth album, 13, in 1999.
A recent spate of 1990s nostalgia within fashion has brought the adidas classics range back to the forefront of youth culture. In an era where subcultures of the past can coexist thanks to widely available documentation and a seamless connection among like-minded individuals by way of social media, styles like the Samba, Superstar, Rivalry, Gazelle and co. are experiencing a profound renaissance. The perpetual athleisure trend, along with the classic range’s expansive heritage has created a renewed appreciation for the timeless designs and cultural significance of adidas classics, once again making them a staple in today’s fashion sneaker realm.
Copy by Angus McLaughlin for Samutaro
A brand that probably doesn’t need an introduction due to its recent rise to fame within the current lifestyle fashion trends, BIRKENSTOCK actually have a far richer history with its roots going all the way back to 1774. Creators of the footbed way back in 1902, its perfected pieces of technology like this that have helped make BIRKENSTOCK known for the highest levels of comfort and it’s this trait which over the last couple of years have become an essential to peoples rotations.
Now available at Footpatrol, we introduce BIRKENSTOCK to our offering with one of their most favoured silhouettes, the Boston. With its simplistic design cues, the ability to slip on and off, the highest quality of materials and that all important footbed, the Boston is a fan favourite to be enjoyed both inside and outside the house.
Take a closer look at the ‘Mocha’ and ‘Mink’ colour ways and shop both these colour ways in-store and online at Footpatrol here.
