Author: Bradley Martinez
The Air Jordan 1 changed footwear forever—and the original ‘Black Toe’ colourway played an essential role in establishing the silhouette as a cultural icon.
A women’s-only release from 2019 revived the famous make-up but with a reversed look. This new release showcases parallel styling, but incorporates a mix of both satin and faux snakeskin. Predominantly a make up of leather upper, faux snake skin takes up the heel portion in black. Further black hits on the Swoosh, outsole laces and tongue tab. Like the 2019 release, satin occupies the tongue and lining to keep the timeless classic modernised.
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In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win and pick up dates. Due to current government laws surrounding Covid-19, the store is working on an appointment only basis. You will need to contact the store to make an appointment for a time during the stated pick up dates.
Designing, building and manufacturing footwear has never been an easy task and unlike fashion isn’t a process we tend to get to see or hear a lot about. This never stopped owner and founder of BespokeIND, Damian if anything he was encouraged to create a bespoke atelier service specifically for sneaker lovers giving them the foundations to learn, understand and put together their very own pairs of some of the the industries most popular models.
We sat down with Damian to go over his journey and what led him to create what has become one of the works leading bespoke sneaker ateliers.
Footpatrol: First of all, welcome Damian, thank you for spending time with us, we know you’re a busy guy! Before we hop straight into it could you introduce yourself for the readers?
Damian: Hi FootPatrol, Damian Sim here, Founder, Design Lead & Artisanal Architect of BespokeIND. Manually Made In Melbourne Australia.
FP: Let’s start from the beginning. You are a passionate sneaker lover who has been able to produce some of the highest quality bespokes on the market, could you share with us a bit about your journey and how you ended up starting BespokeIND?
Damian: Being born & raised in Melbourne Australia in the early 1980s, I embraced what my city had to offer as a young kid growing up in such an emerging multi cultural city, with so many influences & sub-cultures from across the globe. I embraced my asian heritage however I was pretty much influenced by US & Japanese subculture from the onset. Travelling to Tokyo & New York copious times over the decades to embrace the sneaker culture & learn from the best in the game.
Alike cities like Berlin, Paris, London, Tokyo & New York, Melbourne had an underground subculture growing in all facets of what we now know as Hype Culture. Graffiti, skateboarding, hip hop was the underground society of the ERA for these cities.
My early days stemmed prior to the evolution of the quote on quote word “sneakerhead”. The industry now is more like an all you can eat buffet, saturated with monthly drops & collaborations, less niche, with the big guys like Nike, retro’ing everything hot from that ERA. My ERA lol. Live your own ERA I say.
A niche almost geek like hobby & market, that has evolved into a mainstream industry, where the mums & dads are now embracing the industry like their offspring. Matching sneakers & fit with their kids, copping that extra pair to resell on the side. Whatever floats your boat I guess.
I came from the geek ERA of sneakers, before dial up internet, pre Nike Forum Talk days, where it was all about the actual sneaker itself, the shape, the form, the materials, the rake, the cushioning & technology, or who endorsed it or wore it, not so much what the sneaker itself will be worth in time like the stock market. A toxic culture now albeit, but whichever the ERA, it is good to know its thriving more than ever. Embracing it is all us old heads can do haha.
I submersed myself in the early stages of sneaker culture (late nineties) via basketball card collecting, NBA Jersey archiving, skateboarding, street art, & adopted a passion for collecting sneakers & all things rare around it. This was pre-internet ERA, so it was all about magazine subscriptions, mail orders & getting to know my local OG sneaker & skate stores to attain what I like & could afford.
I’ve always been that collector who collects rare & hard to find grails, whether that be sneakers, street art, vinyl toys, skate decks you name it, if it’s rare & fits into my DNA, I’ll likely collect it. I have been a consumer of hype product for years…. so this BespokeIND Atelier I have created is a means of expressing that DNA. I know what the kids want so to speak. Thats as bluntly as I can put things.
All the above most definitely paved the way & became the catalyst to how I ended up starting BespokeIND. This all leads to your question…….
“Since young, I have always been creative. Painting, drawing, sketching, sculpting, hand-sewing, taking things apart and putting them back together. Was a blessing in disguise I guess. My high school years I excelled in Media Arts & Graphic Design & won many awards for design & innovation. I completed my degrees in Business & Marketing/Media. I worked corporately for many years in my early work life, & have run my own businesses since for the last 12 years in a few industries.
This path gave me the opportunity to go full circle in 2013 when I was tired of the ground hog day vibe of doing what you don’t love. Life is about fulfilment isn’t it? Waking up everyday knowing you are doing what you love. Life with a purpose. Creating something that is unique & yours. That was, & still is my goal with BespokeINDs concept.
FP: BespokeIND has now got this huge worldwide following, did you ever see it taking off as much as it has?
I am only really just getting started to be honest. This “Conceptual Bespoke Sneaker Atelier” I have created is just a stepping stone for myself to unleash my own brand atelier in the near future. Due to Covid I have been unable to travel to get my next stage of my startup activated. I have been a consumer of this industry for so many decades… It is now my time to show my archive to the world. I’ve been archiving & sketching for years now. Everything thought is part of the process I guess. “My whole life has been retroed in some way or another”. I have always had attention to detail with everything I am interested in or have a passion for. The creative DNA, the decades of being that hype consumer & collector that has lived & breathed it before Sneakers became a personal gain, more than a passion, has been & will always be, the true catalyst as to why BespokeIND has taken off like it has.
FP: When you started how difficult was it to reproduce the lasts of the shoes? It doesn’t sound like a straightforward process when you hear some of the big brands having their fair share of issues with them.
Damian: Australia almost had zero industry with footwear when I first started researching shoe lasts manufacturing back in 2013, when I initially had this BespokeIND Atelier concept idea. I tried out my hand in Solidworks 3D software to develop the CAD drawing for 3D printing, but we soon found out that shoe lasts cannot be 3D printed for the purposes we required them for. RMIT Footwear was then my next point of contact.
Fast forward to 2015 I contacted various industry people locally to help me develop the correct shape shoe lasts from using my personal collection of my favourite classic silhouettes in OG format. An expensive exercise yet a necessary one, as you’d know even the likes of Nike get it wrong at times when they try to retro their own classic silhouette. For example, the Nike Air Max 1. For decades toes, mudguards, swooshes & heel heights were all over the place.
To create you have to destroy, so this is what I had to do to be able to get the right form for my lasts. The amount of hand wrap shaping I had to do over a course of say 2 years on & off to get my shoe last shape as perfect to mimic the OG shapes of these silhouettes was a huge task in itself. Although well worth it, as I have a master set that can pretty much make any shape sneaker we want now. A great step forward when we start developing my own archive line of sneakers.
Pressure points on how panels sat, toe box rake, mudguard heights, how the shoe is put together, or the miniscule little details on how the overall form & shape was from day one when it released, were all mandatory design details on how I perfected my set of shoe lasts across many classic silhouettes. Call it geeky, but this is what it takes.
As all experienced shoe makers say… “shape & form comes from the shoe last first & foremost”.
FP: How does the process go between yourself and the customer, is it very hands on from start to finish on everyone’s part or do people tend to come with a concept and let you take full creative control over it?
Damian: We are a full bespoke conceptual atelier & offer our clients an organic design to fruition service, which can be scaled from a simple custom edit on a factory sneaker, to a full blown build from a design sketch.
We offer partitions of this BespokeIND service with our 1of1 Classic Silhouette Program, Build Slot run of samples (for example the Air Diors or FL.OW pack), or full package “sketch to physical form sampling”. We can deal directly with the likes of Vibram, to develop the clients midsole design, where most would have to subcontract that type of development out.
Our client’s limitation is governed by their imagination & their budget. I would say 90% of our clientele are overseas, so interaction with clients from start to finish is crucial. It’s all handmade hours here, so we take it very seriously to ensure our clients are well informed about the whole process, & can visually see digital renders, materials in-hand by video conference or messaging apps prior to us commencing the actual build process.
We are transparent with our quotations & ensure all our clientele achieve their ultimate grail piece.
FP: Looking at your work the attention to detail is insane, do you have a Top 3 you’ve made since you started that have become your favourites?
Damian: Thank you. Perfectionist mentality is how I have conveyed BespokeIND from day dot. I never let anything slip from the process.
Top 3 is hard, I have done a lot of samples. But if forced to make one, it’ll have to be the samples I crafted that made the most impact for my creative reach. In no particular order :
Nike Dunk SB “FL.OW” – sold out in minutes & Leonard Futura Dosmil McGurr & Virgil Abloh reached out for their personal pairs, which was pretty special given it was their tapestry that inspired my idea.
MAKER : @DAMIANJENHOWESIM of @BESPOKE_IND
PHOTO : @SNEAKERFREAKERMAG
Nike Mars Air Jordan 3 Over Shoe – Probably the most technical build ever done in my studio. World first clout for sure. Using Tom Sachs’ over shoe, I designed & handcrafted a legit fireproof rated/waterproof Nike Air Jordan 3 with reinforced fibreglass textile woven into the upper, with all magnetic working clasps fully functional as Tom Sachs intended.
Part of this pack was a hybrid version of the inside Mars Yard 2.0 using a Footscape midsole (to date no one has had the balls to take apart that Overshoe the way I did, 99.9% just cut the bag off. I created two new shoes out of that Over Shoe, a similar end product like the FootPatrol x Undercover hybrid, however that was more straightforward.
MAKER : @DAMIANJENHOWESIM of @BESPOKE_IND
PHOTO : @PHOTOMONK3Y
Nike Air Max 1 – B Lucky & Sons – arcade gaming theme. Probably the most complex Nike Air Max 1 build BespokeIND/I have ever done. Day time glow panels, Pacman gaming screen toe boxes, working gaming ticket dispenser made out of kangaroo, you name it, I did it on this shoe lol. It’s also on display in my city with a massive ticket price that gamers can win from the arcade games. I think it was 450,000 tickets to win it.
MAKER : @DAMIANJENHOWESIM of @BESPOKE_IND
PHOTO : @LUCASBLACKMAN
FP: Now, we have seen a custom that recently caught our eye from yourself featuring a hybrid of the Undercover x Nike Daybreak sole unit and our Footpatrol x Nike Air Stab upper. Serious stuff!!! Could you tell us a bit about this project?
Damian: It was more to give back life to one of the best pre-hype sneakers to exist hehe. The Nike Air Stab has always been that devil between the 1 & the Ninety for me. The colour way you guys designed is timeless. Perfect. I would not have changed anything if I was part of this design in the day. I just wish they retroed the shape & OG panels correctly, which they didn’t.
It was only right, since I had acquired 3 pairs over the years, that I did something different to two of the pairs. I just had them laying around in my sneaker graveyard pile waiting for that right peripheral donor to show itself through my studio. The correct colour way midsole & outsole was crucial to these hybrids. I just patterned new mudguards & heels to be able to cover old glue lines & also give both shoes a new aesthetic. I hope I made you guys proud. More of a personal project for me to wear these again more than anything. However I did get many requests to open up build slots for these but I declined. I have to be super selective with projects these days.
FP: Is this the first time you’ve done a Footpatrol project or have you done others in the past?
Damian: First time.
FP: Do you get as many hybrid custom jobs as you do bespokes or was this more of a special one off project?
Damian: I get plenty of client requests however it has to work for me. I am selective when it comes to hybrids. Not anyone can make it work & execute it so it looks meant to be. Hard to explain the process but yes, many enquiries, but I usually just do my own pairs that are needing new soles or life. My vault has plenty of vintage. So I will be doing hybrids when I can, or when the right combination or donor turns up on the market.
FP: Damian it was great to meet you and thanks again for sitting with us! Before we let you go is there anything you want to share surrounding BespokeIND that you would like to get the Footpatrol family excited about?
Damian: Sorry for the rambling. Typing all this on the fly whilst making & playing catch up in my studio. We are like 6-12 month lead time now for our orders. It’s a crazy time, but a blessed time. Can’t wait to show the world my next step in this start up I created. Thank you FootPatrol. I’m a day one fan from Only in Sohos. I had friends in London at that time of drop. What a time to be alive! Would love to collaborate one day… Just saying 🙂
A brand that is built upon tradition and innovation, Mizuno are always keeping an eye out for fellow people that are going to play a big part in the future of the culture we know and love.
With this in mind, for summer 2020, Mizuno have teamed up with London based brand, Carefree. Founded by Damian Malontie, CareFree first started out as a blog where Malontie would document the books he was reading and written pieces from himself but since the launch of the new site, CareFree has managed to build an almost cult like following all after his made to order T-shirts, keeping the blog at the heart of it all.
This latest collaboration captures Malonties inspirations and styling with a mixture of 90’s colour hits featuring across the upper. Alongside the Jasper Green mesh sits the iconic Runbird logo in iridescent form bring a futuristic, yet old school approach to this retro runner. Finishing off the kangaroo leather body and primed leather toe box sits the CareFree logo perfectly on the heel.
To coincide with this release, Damian also sat down to create our next Frequent Players guest mix!
Footpatrol: It’s a pleasure to have you Damian! How are you?
Damian: Yes Sam! I’m a good man. Still standing, just about anyway.
FP: You are no stranger to the sneaker and streetwear scene having worked in and been a consumer for a number of years. For the Footpatrol readers who may not know you, could you share with us a bit about your story and how you got to where you are now?
D: Where do I start, hah! Will try to keep this short. First introduction into streetwear was Stussy really, when I was younger really got into that brand and trainers in general which led to me starting my working life in Size? and then FootPatrol before going onto Stussy/Gimme5 and fast forward from that to Patta and today Converse. I’d say mainly got here just by ceasing opportunities and just being really proactive. I remember working 6/7 days a week whilst at uni. I’d work at FP, intern at A Number of Names (S/O Craig Ford, been a while), go Uni and then do agency work via a blog I was part of Second To None (along with Bakar, Sam Blenkinsopp (Trippin) & Shola Branson), before all you other people had one (laughs). That was a really big plus actually and how I ended up getting a job at Stussy/Gimme5. I showed them shoots I produced for JD, Size?, we actually had our work on billboards and tubes all whilst I was studying. I’ve always had my hands in many pies. Now I’m finally learning to say no- sometimes.
FP: We are here of course to talk about your upcoming collaboration with your brand CareFree and Mizuno. Before we talk about the project, we want to talk a bit about CareFree. It originally started out as a blog if we’re right in saying, what brought you to create it in the first place?
D: I studied Journalism and had dreams of being a Journalist, then realised they got paid peanuts unless they’re famous. So always been into writing and reading. I had a blog before the one we see today, but it looked so dead, I often say it looked like a conspiracy theorist website. I was talking about a lot of trending topics we’ve seen recently; racism, inequality, black history/philosophy. I had to make the website accessible and fly. I had to use my sense of style and marketing I’d learnt from being around cool products/people and use that to direct people to the blog. CareFree was born.
FP: So what made you want to create a brand from that?
D: Well, in order to get awareness to the website and make it a thing, I needed something people could rep. So I done a t-shirt. I initially only wanted to do 1 t-shirt as my passion really lies with the blog and what that stands for. As soon as I done the logo t-shirt people demanded a restock and then more clothing. So I went ahead and started doing sweats and one/two colour options. Now we producing our own cuts of clothing and trainers!
FP: The brand name & logo are both very unique, can you tell us where the concept for both came from?
D: My whole aesthetic is inspired by the 90s. I like baggy denim and XL tees. The colours used are very 90s, typical sports/tennis colours from this period. My design skills are nowhere near great, but I like to think I know what a brand needs. I have very strict colour combo’s I use to maximise the basic designs. The logo is a reference of Seinfeld, although can I say I like mine better!? (laughs)
FP: Let’s talk about your Mizuno collaboration! What was it like working with the brand and having your own shoe collaboration?
D: Working with Mizuno was cool, pretty straight forward to be honest, I knew what I wanted to do. It helped having a familiar face in Wes too. Having someone who I’ve known from a lil distance there in my corner and looks like me was important. His CV is second to none in this industry, his name always popped up whilst I was working for Stussy/Gimme5. As a young guy I was like who is this guy!? Hah! Really made things smoother and I learnt so much, some things he gave me advice on which he didn’t have too. I respect him for that. Having the shoe, still hasn’t sunk in yet actually. I think it will when I see it on the shelf. Having my own shoe- man! It’s what kids growing up round my way dream about.
FP: The RunBird logo has an almost holographic effect to it changing between red and green, what made you want to add this detail to the shoe?
D: We originally wanted to put a hologram of the CareFree logo in there, but couldn’t make it happen for one reason or another. Yes you can have that idea for free. I wanted to add that iridescent detail to pay homage to the OG pair, which also has that, but with my colours. My take on this was, if CareFree did an OG Mizuno shoe, what would it look like? This is how I go about collabs putting my touch of something already successful, cause I only work with brands I actually wear, so I never need to change too much. Less is more. I could never make a loud shoe cause that ain’t me, I love simple kicks. That detail gave it a lil something different. It really pops out.
FP: You’ve mentioned in a past interview how in the future you would like the clothing to be influenced by the blog later down the line, was this the case with this collaboration or did you draw your inspiration from elsewhere?
D: It’s important to me I ain’t preaching or drumming stuff down people’s throats. Last drop I did a graphic that was influenced by the blog and next drop will have another one. I don’t want to do too much too soon. The main influence for this shoe was the 90s as a whole, which also influences my website.
FP: For the young creatives who are trying to make their mark in the industry now, what advice would you pass on to help them find their balance and get themselves started?
D: I definitely wouldn’t have experience without being in stores, seeing what sells and what doesn’t. Meeting people from brands. Working retail is a very good way to get foot through the door because you can express your personality, when these brands come into your store and build connects. Also just start! But only when you know what you want to tell the people. Always, people would say to me, you should start a clothing brand, for years. I only did 3 years ago- why? I had to live life, see some stuff and know what I am trying to say. Also I am very assured in my style and taste, maybe if I had done a brand 5 years ago I wouldn’t find it still cool today. But please- just start and don’t over think, you’ll figure it out as you go. Don’t do too much, stock up on ideas so you don’t put pressure on yourself to keep producing designs. I’ve only released 1 item so far that isn’t a logo based product in 3 years. Let people get familiar.
FP: Touching a bit on music, we know it is a big part of your life. Not only that your website also features a music segment too.
Could you give us a bit of insight into your music taste and the influences it has had on your career and the brand?
D: I come from a very musical family. I was literally the only one in the house who didn’t stick to playing an instrument. I was a fan but loved football too much and yes rumours are true, I’m quite good (laughs). Dad was a big influence on music for me, George Benson in particular as my dad plays guitar and then the likes of Steele Pulse. Music had a big influence on my career. It’s actually musicians that first saw what I could offer. Styling, connection with brands and just generally working with them. Musicians definitely saw my passion for creative work before any 9-5 did. Guys like Kamaal Williams saw my value back then. The music is a big part of the brand. It helps paint the picture.
FP: Damian thank you again for sitting with us to discuss your upcoming collaboration, before we let you go. What does the rest of this year have in store for you and CareFree?
D: Well- Hopefully I can do the party we had scheduled for March with Black Focus Records (Kamaal Williams) and Apron Records (Steven Julien), definitely was due to shut down London. Usually I only do one drop a year in terms of product, but this year there will be two but only this one time. Oh and yes it’s another footwear collab. That’s all you’re getting from me.
A familiar face around the streets of Soho, for our next Footpatrol Meets we pop round the corner to Jason Markk London and enlist Geoffrey to take us through his top 5.
Normally taking care of our sneakers, it’s now his turn to have the camera on him and show us what he has within his collection. Collecting ever since his parents told him not too, Geoffrey has amassed a wide array of sneakers. Below he takes us through his sentimental top five!
Footpatrol: Always great to have you with us Geoff! Before we start, could you share a brief introduction about yourself?
Geoffrey: Likewise! But for anyone who doesn’t know me I’m Geoffrey, I’m 29 and work for Jason Markk looking after the UK store operations and the marketing coordination for the brand also in the UK.
FP: So, what created this love for trainers that you now have today?
G: I got into sneakers because my parents didn’t let me buy trainers when I was a kid! So when i started making my own money, i really started getting myself into the groove for getting some form of a rotation or some form of a collection going just because i was always such a fan of loads of colours and loads of materials. At the time when I got into trainers, a lot of different brands were using a lot of materials and colours towards it, I used to match up my outfits with my trainers but it then all spiralled off into a massive collection now!
FP: Now you have got a crazy amount of shoes here! How was it trying to pick a Top 5 out of all this heat?
G: Picking my top 5 is probably the hardest thing I have had to do in a long time. It’s simply down to the fact I have so many trainers that I love and there’s always some form of a story to the majority of the trainers I do have. The reason I have decided to choose the 5 that I have today, is all of them in their own right have their own story behind them and how they I obtained them was special and sentimental to me. So that’s why I chose them, I believe trainers mean something very different to every person depending on what you went through to get it. This is more of a sentimental top 5 than a ‘hype’ top 5.
FP: Okay well let’s jump into it see what you picked! Where would you like to start?
G: Starting from 5, the Comme Des Garcon x Nike Mowabb. The reason I picked this shoe is because I’m a big fan of the Mowabb, so when Comme des Garcon reconstructed this shoe with the materials they chose and left the off-cut edges and different panelling, I was a really big fan of that. The material is also very interesting, it’s almost like suede which means it’s actually a lot more cleanable. I like the detailing also where the CDG replaces the ACG in the same font – nice and subtle. It’s a really good cream white shoe, perfect for summer.
Coming at 4th, my Nike Dunk Shima Shima took me a long while to get a hold of it and I got them for a good price. Originally it was thanks to @Archive.DNA for posting the shoe up and connecting the social media community together. So ‘Shima Shima’ means ‘Stripes Stripes’ in Japanese, so that’s shown by the Pinstripe detailing on the inside of the shoe and it also says ‘Shima Shima’ on the tongue. I actually got these for what was supposed to be £45 but the gent I got them off found out it was my birthday and knocked off a tenner, so I got these for £35 practically DS! This is a really strong 4th because I really like the light colour way, hits of the yellows, the leather is also quite interesting as well because it’s not a solid blue it has a sort of crackled finish to it which gives the shoe a really nice character.
3rd is the Nike Air Force 1 CVS from 1997. So this shoe was actually gifted to me by an old friend. He actually was trying to find a pair of Air Forces from the year I was born, he actually gifted these to me because I did him a favour – which I’m not gonna talk about haha! The detailing on them is insane, the swoosh is really fat, these are from the times Air Forces were still made in Korea and being from ‘97 they are holding up quite well. Still very wearable, the shape is just amazing and the detailing is all still there.
Coming in at 2nd! The Nike Footscape Woven ‘Pink Pack’, I actually really love this shoe and how I got it was quite a story in itself. I actually started trying to clean the shoe for one of my friends called Jimmy and he said a mad story behind it where someone stepped on his shoe and tried to clean and made it worse! He then dropped them to me to clean for him and I did the best I could. The part of the shoe that I love the most is the star perforation and during the cleaning process because the stain that he bought to me was to long, it didn’t completely lighten up as much as he would have liked it to but after I cleaned them and repelled them and he came to collect them he just said to me ‘You can just have them’. I lost my mind! But yeah, the perforations, the pinks hits on the lace, the heel and the iced pink outsole on the original Footscape sole made them really special for me and the fact they were free was a definite bonus. One of my all time favourites for sure!
Number 1! The 2001 Nike Air Force 1 Co.JP this is my all time favourite Air Force ever, in fact I love it so much that I have…. 2 pairs! A lot of OGs have been after this shoe for a long time like myself, luckily both pairs came to less than £100. I’m really lucky and really happy to have them. I like the Atmosphere Pink on the Swoosh, the linen leather and overall the shape of the Air Force from 2001 was really nice which isn’t so much shown on current day Air Forces.
FP: Geoffrey thank you again for giving us some insight into your Top 5 and the stories that came with them!
G: I hope you guys enjoyed it! Thank you guys for having me. It was a pleasure! For anyone that is looking for me, you can find me in Jason Markks on Carnaby Street when you guys have the time to pop by. Peace!
Next up in our Frequent Players series is London and underground bass resident, Barely Legal aka Chloe Robinson. Having been a part of this scene for over a decade now and with her own label beneath her, Barely Legal has amassed a core following bringing her dark sounds to all of us around the globe.
During this time, Barely Legal has become known for merging together a number of genres from jungle, grime, drum & bass and hip hop creating a unique sound and most importantly, creating unforgettable sets.
We managed to catch up with her before she took to the decks to create our next Frequent Players guest mix!
Barely Legal, welcome! It’s so good to have you here and joining us as our latest guest for our Frequent Players channel. Could you start by sharing a bit about yourself and your journey to where you are today?
Hey Sure thing- I moved to London back in 09 for Uni and being the enthusiastic loner that I am, I was hitting up certain club nights on my ones, consequently falling in love with certain sounds and DJs quite heavily. This ended up shaping me into the misfit I’d consider myself to be. I became heavily influenced by Rinse FM back then, still to this day tbf, and indulged heavily into the Dubstep, Grime and Garage scene which was thriving. The raver turned DJ element was off the back of a good friend encouraging me to buy decks during my second year of Uni- best decision I ever made. I practiced and it was solely a hobby, the prospect of making it a career hadn’t even crossed my mind, then everything all came at once. I started getting booked and then gained a residency on Mistajam’s BBC 1xtra show a year later. That was my big break which got the ball rolling.
What was the inspiration to want to DJ in the first place?
I found myself quite often at raves feeling free and enjoying myself but also being a nerd and feeling quite in tune with the reaction between the DJs selection and effect on the crowd. I’d often be there saying to myself mid rave ‘ah if they DJ played that over this that would have worked better’ so I think I instinctively had a selectors mind set before even knowing it was something I wanted to do. I really loved the multi genre DJs who mixed up all the underground sounds sick, where there were curve balls and they could re engage the crowd in a matter of seconds just by their next track. My attention span is quite short and I love variety so too much of the same genre isn’t really for me- it was these DJs that inspired me alongside certain raves and venues.
I was reading an article about yourself recently and they described you as a ‘Genre-blending breath of fresh air’. When I saw that the first thing that obviously comes to mind is how diverse your sound is as a DJ.
Have you always tried to keep mixing things up with the music you play throughout your career?
Yeah for sure, but my taste has expanded and developed over the years. I now play genres I didn’t even know I liked 5 years ago.
What about your musical/DJ influences, do you have any that helped you find your sound that you have today?
Yeah for sure, more so back in the day, but listening to certain tastemakers radio shows and being at certain sets definitely opened my ears to genres, labels and artists I would of otherwise been unfamiliar with.
You also have done your fair share of sets for Rinse FM as well, was that as a residency you did with them?
My first ever exposure as a DJ was recording a guest mix for Scratcha DVA’s Rinse FM Grimey breakfast show back in 2011, and then over the years I did the odd guest mix here and there. It was always my dream to have my own show but it never happened for me. Then three years ago I was approached by the station and offered a short residency consisting of 5 one hour shows over a week which has now become a monthly show
There’s no hiding that you have had an insane career so far, have you got the biggest highlight so far?
This year I did the iconic BBC Radio 1 Essential mix, that’s one of my biggest achievements for sure. Playing nearly 20 festivals a Summer consecutively over the past few years (lets just not discuss this Summer and festivals) is something I’m also proud of as well as my Pretty Weird European tour I put together last year. Another big deal for me was getting booked for Circoloco at DC10 in Ibiza last Summer.
You also launched your own record label ‘Pretty Weird’ in 2017, could you tell us a bit how that came into action?
I’ve always been keen to discover new artists and help push their music however I can, predominantly through radio. The aspect of discovering new music too goes hand in hand so the concept of starting a label as another platform to do this made sense. The bigger picture was to treat the label as a brand and curate parties, festival stages and collaborate with designers for merch- all of which I have achieved which is amazing.
How did you go about finding artists to join the ‘Pretty Weird’ roster and what would you say to any upcoming DJs who want to join the team?
I’ve found some artists through them sending demos to me directly, and others through actively finding their music via another platform of some kind, hearing something special, then reaching out! I’d say ensure you send music out in a format which you can preview off and download, preferably a Soundcloud private link, Dropbox is also decent.
Thank you again for joining us Barely Legal, we look forward to hearing what you have got in store for us in your mix! Before we let you go, is there anything you would like to share to the Footpatrol readers?
Tough times never last, only tough people last.
For 2020, Reebok have enlisted the guys over at Sneeze Magazine for a fresh take on their Club C Revenge silhouette.
Describing themselves as “a poster-size paper trail of intrigue. Since 2008…”, Sneeze and Reebok bring this sense of intrigue into this latest iteration of the Club C. Simple and straight to the point, Sneeze plays on the simplicity of the Club C with Sneeze Mags graffiti inspired logo taking dominance on the lateral side. With the upper dressed in its usual white soft leather, a contrast is brought with a darkened tongue, laces and lining.
Take a closer look at the Sneeze x Reebok Club C Revenge below! Available here, sizes range from UK6 – UK11, priced at £90.
Following on from the 380’s arrival and YEEZY’s toying with monochromatic and subtle browns and tan colour ways, the ‘Blue Oat’ arrives with these foundations very much intact, however the burst of vibrant blue across its upper breaks up those earthier tones adding another dimension that speaks back to that original 380’s name, the ‘Alien’.
Arriving in both a Non-Reflective and an always sought after Reflective Colourway, you can now sign up to both our online and In-store (Paris) raffles below!
To enter the REFLECTIVE ONLINE raffle (UK applicants only), CLICK HERE!
To enter the NON-REFLECTIVE ONLINE raffle (UK applicants only), CLICK HERE!
To enter the PARIS IN-STORE raffle, CLICK HERE!
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above form, this WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
Online raffle winners will be contacted with further information on how to purchase their pairs. The raffle will be sent out to the address used to sign up with, this cannot be changed! The raffle is limited to one entry per person/per household! Multiple entries will be cancelled!
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win and pick up dates. Due to current government laws surrounding Covid-19, the store is working on an appointment only basis. You will need to contact the store to make an appointment for a time during the stated pick up dates.
Originally founded by Hammadoun Sidibe, the Quai 54 tournament has been hosted in Paris every summer since 2002. A tournament that brings the world of basketball together, Jordan Brand continue to celebrate this annual street ball tournament with another array of apparel and footwear.
The annual basketball tournament frequently held at the base of the Eiffel Tower will commemorate yet further editions of Air Jordan Retro releases. At the forefront of this collection is the Air Jordan I Low and Air Jordan VI which both feature complementing Sail and brown hues. Further details include graphic patterns in orange and brown set on the midfoot and toe in a canvas material, all sat on top of a gum bottom outsole which all go hand in hand with the apparel collection.
Reaching out to the community heavily influenced within the Quai 54 tournament, we created an editorial to celebrate this launch with Endrixx also creating a special Frequent Players mix… Check it out below!
The Air Jordan I Low and Air Jordan VI will be launching in-store in both London and Paris on Saturday 18th July via appointments only! Make sure to DM us on Instagram to book an appointment. Please note, appointments WON’T guarantee you a pair.
The Apparel collection from this years Quai 54 collection will be launching online on Saturday 18th July (Available online from 08:00am BST), priced from £23 – £130.
Footpatrol: Hey both Can you introduce yourself ?
Diahara: Hi everyone! I’m Diahara, I’m 22 years old, I live in the Paris region and I’ve been playing basketball for 10 years now.
Endric: Hi ! This is Dj Endrixx, my first name is Endric, I am a DJ, I am 27 years old and I’ve been mixing for a little over 10 years now!
FP: Today we’re going to talk about Basketball and Quai 54. If I say “basketball” to both of you, what does that remind you of?
Diahara: For me basketball is a way of life, it’s my daily life. I can’t help but go play when I have a little time. It’s a way for me to take a break and think about something else. It also reminds me of tournaments, it’s essential for me, going to play, to compete with others.
Endric: Basically, I’m not a big sportsman, but basketball is one of the only sports that I like to play. It’s a sport for which I have a lot of respect!
FP: So you each have your vision of Basketball! Diahara the vision of the passionate sportswoman and Endric the vision of the one who appreciates the game. So, what do you think of the evolution of Quai 54 and the place it occupies today in Paris?
Diahara: For me, Quai 54 is really the event awaited by all basketball players, young and old. When you go there, you really meet everyone, whether players, artists, basketball enthusiasts. Everyone is waiting for this event. It’s beautiful, there is a lot of diversity in this tournament, it brings people from all horizons …
Endric: Basically, it’s a little tournament that was organized on a Playground in Levallois and today it’s a global event, the whole world wants to participate to this event. This is a tournament that has managed to create a place in the Parisian basketball universe, a lot of people are ready to pay for a ticket to participate in the matches and the various events of the tournament. I am very proud as a Parisian to be close to this event.
FP: We feel that for you, Quai 54 is above all an event that brings together a community around a common culture! What do you think of the collections and pairs that Quai 54 and Jordan Brand release every year? And what do you think of this year’s collection?
Diahara: I admit that I really liked the collections from this year and last year. It represents Africa and that necessarily speaks to me. I find it cool to highlight the beauty of Africa and its diversity through collections.
Endric: I find it pretty cool that brands like Jordan Brand play the game and create ranges of pairs and textiles for Paris and Quai 54, for young people and diversity. Every year, thanks to Quai 54, we have the opportunity to have a collection available that puts Paris in the spotlight. This year, the pair reminds me of the African streets of Paris, Chateau-rouge, Strasbourg St-Denis. It reminds me of the textiles of African moms!
FP: What is your favorite Jordan x Quai 54 collab?
Diahara: I loved last year’s Jordan I. I really like the Jordan I, they were super colorful, I loved it.
Endric: I think it’s the 2011 collab if I don’t say something stupid! Air Jordan V white, black with neon green. I love it because at the time it was my favorite color, I was all about neon green.
FP: Finally, can you tell me what is your best memory at Quai 54?
Diahara: For me it was last year when Sylvain Francisco dropped one of the players on the ground by crossing him! He then gave another player a pass for a crazy Alley oop! Those who have already been to Quai 54 know that it’s always an atmosphere of madness, a party atmosphere! So necessarily when there is an action like this, the public respond to it. The atmosphere is one of the big strengths of Quai 54! It’s always on fire.
Endric: Frankly, it’s specific to my profession as a DJ, but I would say one of the After Parties I did for Quai 54. Big sounds, bling-bling, very American atmosphere. It reminds me of the clubs in Miami and New York. It’s an atmosphere that I really like!
A l’occasion de la sortie de la collection Jordan x Quai 54, nous avons choisi de laisser la parole à deux membres de la communauté Quai 54.
FP: Pouvez-vous vous présenter ?
Diahara : Salut tout le monde ! Alors moi c’est Diahara, j’ai 22 ans, j’habite en région parisienne et je joue au basket depuis 10 ans maintenant.
Endric : Salut moi c’est Dj Endrixx, mon prénom c’est Endric, je suis DJ, j’ai 27 ans et ça fait maintenant un peu plus de 10 ans que je mix !
FP: Aujourd’hui on va parler Basket et Quai 54. Si je vous dis « basketball » à tous les deux, qu’est-ce que ça vous évoque ?
Diahara : Pour moi le basketball c’est un mode de vie, c’est mon quotidien. Je ne peux pas m’empêcher d’aller jouer dès que j’ai un peu de temps. C’est un moyen de décompresser et de penser à autre chose. Ça m’évoque aussi les tournois, c’est l’essentiel pour moi, aller jouer, se mesurer aux autres.
Endric : Moi à la base je ne suis pas un grand sportif, mais le basket c’est un des seuls sports que j’aime bien pratiquer. C’est un sport pour lequel j’ai beaucoup de respect !
FP: Vous avez donc chacun votre vision du Basket ! Diahara la vision de la sportive passionnée et Endric la vision de celui qui apprécie le jeu. Du coup, qu’est-ce que vous pensez de l’évolution du Quai 54 et de la place qu’il occupe aujourd’hui à Paris ?
Qu’est-ce que vous pensez de l’évolution du Quai 54 et de la place qu’il occupe aujourd’hui à Paris ?
Diahara : Pour moi le Quai 54 c’est vraiment l’évènement attendu par tous les basketteurs, jeunes ou moins jeunes. Quand tu vas là-bas, tu retrouves vraiment tout le monde, que ce soit des joueurs, des artistes, des passionnés de basket. Tout le monde attend cet évènement. C’est beau, il y a beaucoup de diversité dans ce tournoi, il ramène des gens de tout horizon…
Endric : À la base c’est un petit tournoi qui avait été organisé sur un Playground à Levallois et aujourd’hui c’est un évènement mondial, le monde entier veut participer à cet évènement. C’est un tournoi qui a su se créer une place dans l’univers basket parisien, énormément de gens sont prêt à payer une place pour participer aux matchs et aux différents évènements du tournoi. Je suis très fier en tant que parisien d’être proche de cet évènement-là.
FP: On sent bien que pour vous, le Quai 54 c’est avant tout un évènement qui rassemble une communauté autour d’une culture commune ! Qu’est-ce que vous pensez des collections et des paires que le Quai 54 et Jordan Brand sortent tous les ans ? Et qu’est-ce que vous pensez de la collection de cette année ?
Diahara : Moi j’avoue que j’ai beaucoup aimé les collections de cette année et de l’année dernière. Elle représente l’Afrique et forcément ça me parle. Je trouve ça cool de mettre la beauté de l’Afrique et sa mixité en avant à travers des collections.
Endric : Moi je trouve ça assez cool que des marques comme Jordan Brand jouent le jeu et créent des gammes de paires et de textiles pour Paris et le Quai 54, pour les jeunes et la diversité. Tous les ans grâce au Quai 54 on a l’occasion d’avoir une collection dispo qui met Paris à l’honneur. Cette année, la paire elle me fait penser aux rues Africaines de Paris, Chateau-rouge, Strasbourg St-Denis. Ça me rappelle les textiles des mamas africaines !
FP: Quelle est votre collab Jordan x Quai 54 préférée ?
Diahara : J’ai adoré la Jordan I de l’année dernière. J’aime beaucoup les Jordan I, elles étaient super colorées, j’ai adoré.
Endric : Je pense que c’est la collab de 2011 si je ne dis pas de bêtise ! L’Air Jordan V blanche, noir avec du vert fluo. Je kiffe parce qu’à l’époque c’était mes coloris préférés, j’étais à fond sur le vert fluo.
FP: Pour finir, pouvez-vous me dire quel est votre meilleur souvenir au Quai 54 ?
Diahara : Moi c’était l’année dernière quand Sylvain Francisco a fait tomber un des joueurs par terre en le crossant ! Il a ensuite fait une passe à un autre joueur pour un Alley oop de folie ! Ceux qui sont déjà allés au Quai 54 savent que c’est toujours une ambiance de folie, une ambiance de fête ! Donc forcement quand il y a une action comme celle-ci, le public répond présent. L’ambiance, c’est un des gros points forts du Quai 54 ! C’est toujours le feu.
Endric : Franchement c’est propre à mon métier de Dj mais je dirais l’une des After Party que j’ai fait pour le Quai 54. Gros sons, bling-bling, ambiance très américaine. Ça me rappelle les clubs à Miami et New York. C’est une ambiance qui me plait beaucoup !
For 2020, New Balance have called upon Jaden Smith to bring his bold and unique vision to the New Balance line up.
Taking design cues from his favourite New Balance models including the X-Racer and 1700, Jaden Smith brings a hands on approach to the Vision Racer by taking these classic design cues from the New Balance design language and combines this with his progressive and forward thinking ideas to create this visually striking concept.
Another one of Smith’s key passions aside from fashion are his environmental concerns. When working on the Vision Racer, this coming together was an opportunity to explore the use of materials and building process, only adding to his hands on approach. With this in mind, each element of the Vision Racer incorporates partially recycled materials and the shoe is vegan-friendly.
What seems like the perfect silhouette for tonal colour ways, Kanye and adidas are back with their latest iteration of the famed 350 V2 silhouette.
Though a fresh new Colourway, its easy to see past models inspiring these latest earthy tones. The uppers re-engineered prime knit has been dressed in a combination of soft off whites with muddy, earth tones whilst the semi translucent midsole seems to follow suit from the ‘Static’ and ‘Cloud White’ with a burst of ice white. A subtle gum outsole finishes off the package complimenting the tones found within the upper.
PLEASE READ THE BELOW CAREFULLY!
To enter the ONLINE raffle (UK applicants only), CLICK HERE!
To enter the LONDON IN-STORE raffle, CLICK HERE!
To enter the PARIS IN-STORE raffle, CLICK HERE!
To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above form, this WON’T be available in-store to sign up on.
Online raffle winners will be contacted with further information on how to purchase their pairs. The raffle is limited to one entry per household! Multiple entries will be cancelled!
In-store winners will be contacted via email informing them of their win and pick up dates. Due to current government laws surrounding Covid-19, the store is working on an appointment only basis. You will need to contact the store to make an appointment for a time during the stated pick up dates.
