Author: Bradley Martinez
‘For the chasers, the racers and the elevated pacers’… That’s one of the many ways in which Nike are describing their latest ground breaking runner.
Over the last few years, the NEXT% family of runners has become some of the most eye-catching, advanced and controversial that the running world has seen. What was started as an effort to break the 2 hour marathon barrier, the Vaporfly 3 is a continuation of Nike to deliver a PB breaking shoe. From the elite where every second matters, to the everyday person who is looking for that extra umph, thanks to the new technology implemented within the 3, anything is possible.
Much like those before it and the even more extreme Alphafly 2, the Vaporfly continues the current trend of Carbon plated runners. Slotted half way within the ZoomX midsole, this latest runner seeks to offer the best in both comfort and propulsion.
In the thrill of the pursuit, we caught up with Footpatrol Run Club’s very own Jake Archer and London based runner Lydia Oldman to see just what this latest iteration is all about.
Make sure to check out our Nike Running offering online at Footpatrol here…
Last week, some of the team headed over to the Italian city of Milan for a special event with the Nike skunk works team, ISPA. Dubbed ‘ISPAnificio’, the exhibit was an exploration of circularity and connectivity from the Nike team who’s philosophy is to never be blocked by a problem.
IMPROVISE to see if it can be improved, SCAVENGE to find the best processes and materials by seeking innovation, the solution must PROTECT against the problem; and ADAPT all solutions to fit their broadest potential.
With a new range of ISPA products now hitting the shelves, ISPAnigicio offers an insight into these design processes and allows users to explore and experiment techniques to build ideas that will question some of our basic assumptions about the footwear we wear everyday.
Take a closer look below and make sure to check out the latest from ISPA online here and in-store.
Showing no signs of slowing, Mizuno are back with their latest Kizuna launch. Dubbed the ‘Future Gardens’ pack, this set features a familiar trio of silhouettes including the Wave Rider 10, Wave Mujin TL and finally, the futuristic Wave Prophecy LS.
With its title giving the game away, this pack is a homage to human beings and nature and the peaceful connection between the two. A subtle base of warm off-white tones are met with a punchy purple accent that celebrates the Ayame Iris Flower. Blooming across rural Japan this time of the year, the flower is feature across the trio, from the toe to the top of each pairs tongue.
To celebrate this launch, we worked with Brazilian based artist Arthur Ortega, someone you may be familiar with from the launch of Hart Copy’s first book. Painting traditional Japanese scenes, we tasked Arthur with creating futuristic worlds that celebrate Mizuno’s heritage, the Ayame Iris flower and of course, the Future Gardens pack.
Your collaborative journey with Footpatrol and Nike starts here! Putting the creativity into the hands of you – our community, this season we introduce yet another bespoke offering to our Launches App, a chance to Create-Your-Own shoe box! This all-new venture allows you to get your artistic juices flowing, with the opportunity to have your one-of-a-kind Nike custom box design come to life.
The instructions are pretty simple, to create your own box you must be entered into one of our draws in the Launches App. Once you have submitted your entry you will be given access to the Create-Your-Own platform and from here, it’s time to get creative!
Select your box style of choice (Nike or Jordan), colour, match, and contrast with your lid pattern and choose from a selection of side designs for your wooden box. Once you have perfected your design, review it and submit it to our gallery. You can vote for your favourite box designs featured in our gallery, and the custom box with the most votes will be our winner. Alongside the shoe box creation, our lucky winner will also receive bespoke shoe tags, receipt, box tissue, and a dust bag featuring Footpatrol branding.
To take part in this exciting opportunity, head over to our Launches App!
We’re back…
Yes, you guessed it, Travis Scott and Jordan Brand are back once again. Probably one of the most sought after collaborations over recent years, the duo have teamed up once again. Taking on the simply iconic Air Jordan 1 Low silhouette for what is now the fifth time, the upper is a blend of browns, off whites and olive tones that has become a signature colour palette that has an almost military inspired approach.
With signature details throughout, the most eye-catching and prominent within the Air Jordan series is the Swoosh. Continuing the trend, the oversized Swoosh is reversed and is a standout feature in an olive green.
Make sure to get your entries in quickly for the in-store draw and good luck!
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!
The London in-store draw is now closed!
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
All online draws will be hosted over on the Footpatrol Launches App, click here to download!
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win. Within this email, winners will be given a set of dates in which they must collect their win from our London store. To collect, you will need to provide the winning email and a valid photographic government ID matching the winners name. NO ONE can collect on the winners behalf. Failure to provide this, or failure to collect within the given dates will mean failure to purchase your win.
To sign up to the Online draw, you will need to download the Footpatrol Launches app and complete a pre-authorisation payment of the retail price of the product plus shipping costs. This will be held until draw completion. Those successful will have their win posted out to the address entered during sign up. Those unsuccessful will see a return of their funds, this can take up to 5 working days from when the winners have been drawn. The draw is limited to one entry per household! Multiple entries will be cancelled!
A grail to the trails and a credit to the Alpine landscape. It would be an understatement to say that the XT-4 OG is somewhat iconic. Annecy Born label Salomon introduced the XT-4 to our rotations in 2012, and since then has been lauded for its technical flair. Offering a unique synergy between the lifestyle and running market. Stepping onto our outdoor terrains in 2023, the quick-lace runner now offers yet another batch of head-turning colourways. Whether you’re warning off the elements or looking for a comfy stride, the XT-4 does both.
Engineered mesh is presented in its OG tooling, offering a lightweight feel to its synthetic overlays. Foot-hugging Ortholite sock liners back you up with some plush comfort and ACS cushioning transitions from the QuickLace system to the midsole for a bouncy stride with each step. Hardwearing lugs put in the graft underfoot, helping you tackle those tougher surfaces one step at a time.
Shop the Salomon XT-4 OG online at Footpatrol here!
A new year means fresh starts. So for 2023, Mizuno brings their traditional craftsmanship and technology advances to a new silhouette that still houses those distinct Mizuno touches, the Wave Rider Beta.
Looking back at the long Wave Rider Lineage, Mizuno’s newest silhouette is not only a tribute but also a futuristic take on where the Wave Rider is going. Always a lifestyle take on a running option, the Beta utilises the midsole from their best-selling running shoe to date, the Wave Rider 26. This offers a higher stack height to the silhouette bringing a chunky, more playful approach to what is a typical streamlined upper and it’s the upper there you’ll find those traditional, more craftsmanship levels of details. A mixture of suede and mesh overlays work their way across the upper that’s more reminiscent of the Wave Riders before it with elements from the eight, ninth, tenth and eleventh being a feature.
To celebrate this newest silhouette, we worked with East London-based couple Dominika and James to style the two introduction colour ways.
Take a closer look at the options below and how they were styled and make sure to check these out online at Footpatrol here!
Often built on inspiration from their heritage and Japanese roots, at Footpatrol, we’re always intrigued by the Mizuno packs. For their latest offering, Mizuno presents a trio of silhouettes dubbed the ‘Noh Men’ which takes on the Wave Rider 10, Sky Medal, and Contender.
With intricate details placed throughout the three options, all pay tribute to Noh, a form of 14th-century classical dance/drama masks, and the Japanese Noh theatres where these would’ve been housed. These masks are a special piece of theatre history with each one being constructed from a single piece of wood before a stand-out colour is applied to represent facial expressions and it’s this treatment that finds its way onto the silhouettes.
Three shoes, three masks. The Wave Rider 10 looks towards wisdom and the Okina mask. The Sky Medal opts for the Tengu, a take on protection and prosperity whilst the Contender delves down the route of the Kitsune mask which represents both good and evil.
Take a closer look below and why not add these to your collection by shopping these styles online at Footpatrol here!
On a recent Japanese excursion, we met up with the guys from The Apartment Tokyo. A small store located in Kitchijoji not far from the centre of Tokyo. The Apartment offers a taste of New York’s music and street culture. They also have an impressive portfolio of collaborations with the likes of New Balance. We caught up with owner Takayuki Ohashi and the team to learn about all things The Apartment.
Footpatrol: Hi Takayuki, hope you are well, thank you for taking the time to speak to us, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Takayuki: Thank you, I was born and raised on the north side of Tokyo in the late 1970s. It is an area where many working-class people live. I grew up in a public housing complex. I discovered HIP-HOP in the 90s and from there I fell in love with sneakers and street fashion.
FP: Can you tell us a bit about The Apartment?
Takayuki: the Apartment is a select store. It does not just sell clothes but introduces them along with the music and street culture behind them. It is a very small store located far from the center of Tokyo.
FP: What inspired you to open a store?
Takayuki: I love a good old mom-and-pop store. And I think the city folks need community spaces. At first, I wanted to open a public bathhouse called “SENTO” in Tokyo. It is a place like a barbershop in New York City. A place where every people could visit, talk, and socialize. However, I gave up on the public bathhouse because of a small budget and opened a clothing store.
FP: What is unique about the store?
Takayuki: First of all, our store is very small. All of the store interiors are also handmade by myself. I built the shelves, tiled the floor, painted the sign, and even did the electrical work. Everything is handmade. First-time visitors will be surprised. We are located in a local town, a bit far from the center of Tokyo. I think it is very unique that such a small store with only one store can collaborate with a world-class company.
FP: We understand that you have a very big personal collection of The North Face, when did you start collecting?
Takayuki: I started collecting in the ’90s, and it increased greatly in the 2000s.
FP: Where did the concept for starbridge come from?
Takayuki: The concept of STABRIDGE is to connect places that are far apart like a bridge, New York and Tokyo, outdoor and urban, past and future, etc.
FP: How would you describe the sneaker culture in Japan?
Takayuki: In the 1990s, sneaker culture was associated with music and street fashion. In the past few years, they have also become an investment. Recently, resale prices have dropped and the excitement has subsided. Once again, there needs to be a connection to the background culture.
FP: How do you set The Apartment apart from other stores in Japan?
Takayuki: It is not our job to sell the fads and hot-selling products that makers create. We create new trends that emanate from the streets by drawing customers’ attention to overlooked masterpieces, masterpieces that not everyone knows about.
FP: What’s next for The Apartment ??
Takayuki: We want to liven up our neighborhood. We want to carry on the old culture and start a business other than a clothing store. And We will be collaborating with some footwear brands again this year. Please look forward to it.
Last week we saw the ending of what had been a month dedicated to empowering women. Celebrating International Women’s Day this year, we worked closely alongside Spring The Agency, an all-female-owned collective, in which we had the pleasure of showcasing the narrative of four special women: Amy, Lyndsay, Intisar, and Zarina who are just a few of many women that are changing the record, setting the perspective and eliminating stigmas.
Finalising this month packed with female-led festivities we caught up with these individuals, hosting an in-store event with our sneaker community and friends, accompanied by a panel talk led by Women in Sneakers creator Steph, who got down to the nit and gritty when it comes to discussing the opportunities, challenges, and stereotypes surrounding women.
Drinks were flowing, all thanks to Mirchi supplying a batch of their tasteful rum and vibes were unmatched on this unforgettable night dedicated to International Women’s Day – one that will surely go down in Footpatrol’s history books.
Take a closer look at a recap of this special night below!
