Tag: footpatrol

When we met Dean it was impossible not to be taken by his positive energy and excitement behind what he does. Being the Founder of magazine Gauchoworld – a years young publication that covers stories and topics for like minded individuals, – has not only created a facet of which covers topics not necessarily spoken about within certain industries. But it allows creatives, artists and athletes to talk about topics of interest outside of what they are ‘supposed’ to like. 

Taking a trip over to the Gauchoworld HQ we wanted to find out the story behind this piece of well structured print and the man that makes it all happen. After we finished this interview it was safe to say that Dean sees the world through his lens and isnt letting anything change that, if anything, it’s made him prouder to be who he is. 

Have a peep at the feature below and find out more about our encounter with Dean George. 

Footpatrol: Dean I like to kick off every interview with a simple, how are you?

Dean George: I am well, I am very well. I am tired, but I am well! 

FP: For the people who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you as of yet, could you give us a breakdown of who you are and what you do?

DG: I’m Dean George, Creative Director (CD) and Film Director. I am also the founder, CD and Editor-In-Chief of Gauchoworld magazine.

FP: Let’s talk a bit more about Gauchoworld. How did it all begin?

DG: The idea just used to sit in the notes of my phone as ‘Gauchoworld’, it stayed there for ages because I was so scared to let anyone into my thoughts. I remember one day I spoke to Matt Dent from The Soho Warriors about the ideas and he told me just go for it. One thing I’ve learned is to not be afraid to make mistakes. Mess up and it will only make you better at what you do. Bit by bit, step by step things will start to make sense! 

 

FP: What about the name itself, where did the idea come from?

DG: The name Gauchoworld is a 2 part stem. The word Gaucho comes from the name of my favourite footballer, Ronaldinho. He represented creative freedom, expression and just playing the game he loves exactly how he wants to play it. He played from the heart. By having Gaucho and World together it represents the same ethos that Ronaldinho had in terms of being creatively free and doing what you want to do. I hate it when people do Gaucho (space) World, it’s meant to be together, it’s like that for a reason. No matter who you are and what you do, you can do it as freely as you want with no constraints or limitations, this is your world. 

A perfect example is the Dominic Calvert-Lewin cover we did for Issue 1. This is a Premier League footballer, topless, in a 2 piece suit, on the cover of a magazine. He has other interests other than football, at the end of the day he is a human being he can do what he wants and that is what Gauchoworld is. 

FP: By the sounds of things you are creating a platform to not only showcase these topics in a different light, but you are also allowing artists and athletes to showcase interests that to the outside world are getting knocked for. Allowing them to be more free through self expression. 

DG: With us, we care about the person first and foremost. In 2 issues we have had 19 features, to this day not a week goes by where we don’t have at least 1 interaction a week with those that have been featured. And that’s down to the relationships that we have built organically. When we worked with DCL we didn’t think about it being the year of the Euros, or if he makes a big move to another club. We thought about nothing, the only reason we did it is because we love him and everything he stands for.

FP: I don’t want to ask what your end game is with the magazine as I feel it’s one of those things that is going to stand the test of time. So to better put it, what would you say is the brand’s ethos at Gauchoworld?

DG: I think the main thing for Gauchoworld is to make sure we have generational impact. 

In the next 4 years we will be on our 10th issue. I want to get to that issue and line up everything from issue 1 to 10 and feel that we have stayed true to our beliefs and solidified our narrative. 

I want my kids to be involved in this one day, be able to look at this body of work and say we understand what needs to be done. I don’t want or care about short term accolades. 

Being a black owned business I feel as though it’s so important that we allow people within our black communities to understand that you can genuinely achieve anything you want. 

FP: It’s really nice to hear that feel good element behind what you do. What about your following then, did you see it have such a big following so quickly or has it all come to you as a surprise?

DG: One thing I never look at is our following, I look at where the magazine is going. We have a map and everytime the magazine goes somewhere new in the world, we colour it in. 

Taking over the world, bit by bit, brick by brick. I’m not concerned about how many people follow us, I am more concerned about how we’re gonna get someone in Turkmenistan to know about Gauchoworld. That means more to me than the follower count.  

FP: So you have done between online and print over 150+ articles now. Would you say you have a  top 3 Favorite projects?

DG: That’s a good question. 

My favourite article of all time from Gauchoworld, is a piece on a young model called Abolaji Oshun. The article is a first person piece on his experience of walking for Balenciaga in Paris. You really need to read the article, it is sooo good! 

Second is Nia Archives. She is lit! Being able to put her in her first ever print was mad. A lot of people we work with are doing this for the first time, and end up going on to do other things after. It is always nice to see some of the people we feature progress and always good to touch in with them to see how they are getting on. There was a moment after the feature, at a party where Nia was DJing, that we were all standing there thinking like wow our feature is headlining, doing their thing! 

My third would be the DCL cover. I don’t normally rave about projects that I am heavily involved in but I got to tell you the story. People tell me it’s their favourite cover we did, I can’t stand looking at it though because I shot it haha and to this day I have people asking if we have any more copies of it! 

So I was at Dom’s house, and he showed me this suit. My thoughts were ‘oo damn, this is a sick suit’, the quality was amazing, super weighty, it just banged! He went to put it on with a shirt, which looked okay, but I told him to lose the shirt. If you didn’t already know this, Dom is wham! The outfit looked serious. We went to walk downstairs and I just got this idea and told Dom to lay down on the carpet. He was just so chill about it. I needed to get some height for the shot I wanted, there was no ladder in sight haha so I decided the best thing to do was to stand on his banister on the stairs. So here I am balancing on this banister, trying to take this shot with Dom laying on the floor, a £2k camera that I’ve loaned from Fatllama attached to me by a tiny wrist strap and my head squashed up against the ceiling! I managed to get the shot but thought it was gonna be dark so I had to jump down, run downstairs to grab a couple lights and do the whole thing again, all whilst Dom just layed there! I sprinted back upstairs and retook the image. The moment I took the shot I knew we had the cover. The interview as well was sick, he said this really good anecdote during it – He is who he is, he has interests elsewhere and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. The instagram comments don’t get to him, people’s opinions don’t matter to him. 

This shoot would not have been possible without the trust Ten Toes placed in me to work with DCL, one of their clients. As a result of this shoot and other independent projects, months later I was offered a role at the agency as their Creative Director. It just goes to show, when you do the work, the barriers to entry can easily vanish, this is my first full-time role, and to be in such a senior position speaks to the late nights I put in as an inquisitive 18-year-old. I am beyond proud of the opportunities that this journey has provided me with and it feels truly special to be a part of the Ten Toes family. Large up Adam Parker for that instagram dm (he knows which one) and Ben Weisfeld for having faith in my abilities.

FP: Dean, I have thoroughly enjoyed hearing some of the behind the scene stories of Gauchoworld. Before we let you go we wanna use this opportunity to give a chance to sign everything off?

DG: I say the same thing all the time but I mean it. Just be ignorant man, do what you want. Who can tell YOU what to do, absolutely nobody. Make the mistakes, embrace them, use them as lessons. There is no better university than the university of life. Take everything day by day, step by step – everything happens for a reason. There are so many things that have happened to me where it’s been tough, but I look at the next day, month, year and do I remember any of those things anymore, no. It’s only helped to build character. Everyone’s journey is unique, never look at anyone and think that you want to be them. No one is telling you not to be inspired but champion your own greatness first, be your number 1 fan.

The shoe that started it all. Honouring over  three decades of revolutionary design and court history, The Air Jordan 1 has achieved grail-like status by sneakerheads over the years. Originally designed by Peter Moore in 1985-back in all its glory- the fit has been lauded for its signature sidewall Swooshes, perforated shoe boxes and a collared wing emblem. Not to mention one of  its most coveted colourways of all time – the Chicago-inspired colourway. The celebratory colour up of red, black and white is a true accolade to the iconic b-ball franchise, the Chicago Bulls.    

Over the years the Air Jordan 1 lineage has also boasted a catalogue of collaborations with brands like namely Off-White, A Ma Maniere and Comme Des Garçons being an audacious handful of favourites. In addition, the AJ1 is a canvas for community collectives and creatives such as the Fearless project. The ‘Patent Bred’ rendition remasters the intrinsic ‘OG’ design that has changed the basketball and trainer game throughout the years. 

Glossy black patent leather replaces the traditional tumbled leather design, while hints of ‘Varsity Red’ coat the toe cap, medial quarter and the sidewall Swooshes. What’s more, the legendary design features the Wing emblem on the collar, a perforated shoe box and labelling on the tongue and insoles, maintaining the OG aesthetic. Underfoot, the full-length Air midsole provides unrivalled comfort and undeniable sporting performance, delivering on-court functionality like no other. 

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. 

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.

The Air Jordan 1 is one of those shoes that whether you’ve been into sneakers since day one or just coming into the world of sneakers, you’ll know what the AJ1 is all about. With three decades of revolutionary design and history both on and off the court, the Air Jordan 1 has become a grail for many. Throughout those three decades, the Air Jordan 1 has also been a body for many in-line and collaborative efforts from some of the biggest names in fashion and has even found its way to becoming a canvas for community projects like the well known ‘Fearless’ project.

For its latest women’s exclusive, the upper is Inspired by light pink hues resembling bubble gum on a mixture of matte nubuck and patent leather. Adding a playful nature of this iteration and playfully teasing sneaker heads with the nightmare of standing on bubblegum, a printed detail sits on the outsole that resembles just that, a bubble gum splat.

Take a closer look at this latest Air Jordan 1 below and make sure to get your entries in via the links below!

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!

The 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. 

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.

Celebrating 4 decades of innovative technology,  the New Balance 990 is one of the best running shoes to ever exist in the sneaker market. First introduced in 1982, the 990 silhouette was lauded for its practicality, comfort and unique craftsmanship-withstanding core values of the brand that continues to solidify its’ legendary status. Even Though, the fit was billed with a hefty price tag, becoming some of the most expensive running shoes at the time, their commitment to quality was simply unrivalled- selling over 10 times more pairs than the 5,000 expected in the shoe’s debut year.

After many years of innovation, it was 2016 that  marked the release of the 4th generation of the 990’s- introducing the 990v4- as it is most commonly known as today. Idiosyncratic in its seams, the 990v4 model swapped its three part EVA midsole, leather upper and urethane collar for a newly updated ENCAP Midsole, a breathathable upper and a foam collar. This year’s highly anticipated refresh of the 990v4 ‘Grey’ model opts for Jim Davis’ iconic intrinsic design, following a ‘OG’ greyscale colour up. 

The fit arrives in a nostalgic fashion, sailing hues of grey suede on the upper, while airy mesh underlays keeps things breathable. Iconic ‘N’ branding coats the medial side walls in true New Balance fashion with tagged branding indulging the tongue and counter heel. The iconic fit further features crisp white laces for a snug fit that matches the cushioning ENCAP midsole. A foam urethane collar adds comfortability, while the underfoot sits on a black  outsole with combined ABZORB cushioning providing grippy traction to every step.     

Following the release of the newest rendition of the New Balance 990v4 range, we continue our narrative with the House of St. Barnabas. The fourth silhouette of the infamous 990 range showcases practicality, ability and groundbreaking technology. The same integrity and skill that can also be found at House of St. Barnabas. Offering some of the most innovative vocational courses, House of St. Barnabas has played an instrumental part in shaping the future careers of many. 

Enrolling in their first baristerie course, was stay at home mum Jane, we follow her cordial journey into her new found passion for baristerie.  

Footpatrol: Morning Jane, lovely to see you today thanks for having us here today, I just wanted to start off the interview by saying, how are you?

Jane: I am good, very good. 

FP: Could you tell us a little about your role within the House of St Barnabas?

Jane: I came here to study baristerie, so it was more to do with making coffee and cocktails as well. 

FP: Amazing, so how did your journey begin? 

Jane: I have been a stay at home mum for like 5 years and I met a group called Paddington Trust and they introduced me to House of St Barnabas for training and that’s how my journey started. 

FP: How have you found it so far?

Jane: It has been amazing! I mean everybody here has been lovely especially with my fellow colleagues and participants, we were more an less like a family here, we had each other’s back. From the first day we met, we clicked instantly so it’s been amazing. 

FP: What was it like being part of the course? And could you give us a little walkthrough of how it’s done.

Jane: Since being a stay at home mum, coming here gave me the motivation to get back to work and I didn’t know anything about baristerie but since I started it is something that I loved and that I really wanted to learn more about. So from now on, that is what I am going to do after we have graduated, that is more and less what I want to do.

FP: How do you feel now having completed the course?

Jane: It has been sad because it came round so quickly but it has been amazing, I mean I am leaving here with lots of things we can do, they gave us the starting point for us to look for work. When talking with all my fellow participants, everybody is going around looking for jobs, so yeah it has been amazing. 

FP: So glad to hear, it is such a good opportunity for people.

Jane: Yes! 

FP:  If there is one thing you would like to say to people that will further encourage their support, what would it be?

Jane: I keep saying, if there were more places like House of St Barnabas, I don’t think people would stay at home because the warmth they give you when you come here is like if you have doubt in your mind, you feel like you can do it. There are some places where you go somewhere that you feel like you instantly fit in or you don’t, here’s one place where every penny counts. If there were more St Barnabas’ around in London, I think people would go far. 

FP: Thank you so much, just a last question, what advice would you give to people that would start the course?

Jane: That they should just be themselves and enjoy, I mean it is a lovely ride, people here are friendly, just be yourself and open with everybody and you’ll fit right in. 

Launching in-store and online on Friday 14th January (Available online from 08:00AM GMT), priced at £230.

A well-renowned loud and proud silhouette of the Air Jordan lineage, the Jordan 4 iteration is certainly one of the most iconic standalone favourites. Admired for its elaborate aesthetic and staple mesh detailing that has attained grail-like status from many Jordan connoisseurs over the years. The Jordan 4 is noted  for its first ample on-court appearance, when Michael Jordan wore the 4’s during the Bulls first victory of making it to their first  Eastern Conference finals. This victory season was one of MJ’s personal bests too – attaining a statistical average of 32.5 points, 8 rebounds 8 assists. Tinker Hatfield’s embossed ‘Air Flight’ design was also- single handedly- the first Jordan model to be released to the global market.

Over the years, the Air Jordan 4 has also arrived in  an audacious handful of colourways too, with concords of  grey, black , red and ‘Military’ blues being the most popular colourway iterations. Not to mention the lengthy catalogue of collaborations from its archival partners namely KAWS, Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack collection alongside LA Union becoming sought-after favourites. The newest rendition to the Air Jordan roster- the Jordan 4 Retro ‘Crimson’ is the hyped silhouette of the season, sporting an ‘OG’ bred celebratory colour up.  

Taking neighbouring influences from the iconic Air Jordan 4 ‘Thunder’ ensemble, the fit arrives in a smooth two-toned black and red leather upper with airy mesh overlays indulging the medial side walls and forefoot. Signature Jumpman ‘Flight’ branding coats the tongue and heel tab, while a vibrant red cushioned Air midsole adds comfort to the retro style. The legendary fit is rounded off with a front lace system for a snug fit, while underfoot,  the durable outsole tread  keeps things sturdy and court ready.  

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THE BELOW!

The London in-store draw is now closed!

The ONLINE draw is live over on the Footpatrol Launches App, CLICK HERE to download!

To enter, you’re required to sign up via the above forms, these WON’T be available in-store to sign up on. 

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 completion of the draw. 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.

New year, new you…? 

Maybe that new you is to hit the streets racking up the miles, we’re talking about running by the way! At Footpatrol, we pride ourselves on delivering the latest footwear in any category and we love to see the latest and greatest in running technology come to light. 

With the boundaries of what’s possible in running being pushed each year it seems, we take a look at the latest colour ways on offer from Nike’s Running department. For their latest offering of the Air Zoom Alphafly & Tempo NEXT%, each is coated in an eye-catching ‘Barely Volt’ that brings a vintage runner feel to these futuristic looking silhouettes. 

When you think of the Alphafly NEXT%, you can almost think of it as the brother to the already well known Vaporfly NEXT%. Both being Nikes premium racers, the Alphafly took things up another gear with the addition of two Zoom Air pods sitting underneath the forefoot whilst still incorporating the Carbon plate. It was also a prototype edition of the Alphafly NEXT% that helped Eliud Kipchoge beat the 2 hour time barrier for a marathon… 

Whereas you can save the above two for race day, the Tempo NEXT% on the other hand is the perfect training shoe. Built for those who want to experience a faster shoe and build up to a race, the Tempo NEXT% is a great shoe to grab for your daily runs. To cause less stress on the legs, both of the fits utilise a Carbon Plate and two Zoom Air Pods however the Tempo NEXT% opts for a less rigid plate allowing for the foot to build strength whilst training. If this combination of propulsion wasn’t enough though, both are packed with ZoomX foam for ultimate cushioning.

Both styles are now available to shop online at Footpatrol here!

Renowned for its motion styled design that inspires cushioning and innovative performance, the New Balance 1700 has been lauded for its intrinsic design that boasts a versatile track to street fit. First launched in 1999, the 1700’s had taken many affirmations from the infamous 1300 model that inspired its OG greyscale colour up. Billed the “very best running shoes ever made”, the model also had burgeoning influence on the 1700’s catalogue of  innovative features namely, the EVA foam core, the polyurethane core, ABZORB and ENCAP technologies for performance that is uncompromised. 

Achieving cult status in Japan , the model has also  been acclaimed for its cross-cultural appreciation of American street style, with Japan’s appreciation of  fine American  craftsmanship and marketing. Thus, creating a community that celebrates hybrid track design. Japan had also released its own iteration the ‘1700 Made in Japan’ rocking a staple ‘Steel Blue’ colour up.  After 20 years of international influence, the boston-based design returns with a newly revised spin on the ‘OG’ bred colourway.   

The newest iteration of the New Balance 1700 ‘Made in the USA’ arrives in a nubuck leather and suede upper in grey hue, while mesh overlays indulge the toe cap and counter heel. Iconic ‘N’ branding coats the medial side walls with ‘1700’ and ‘New Balance’ embroidered detailing  on the quarterback and the tongue. What’s more, a front lace system provides a snug fit and a comfy ENCAP insole unit for advanced support. The retro-inspired fit is rounded off with a rubber outsole infused AZORB technology for durability and high energy return. 

Shop the New Balance 1700 here!

With the 40th Anniversary of the Nike Air Force 1 just around the corner, we wanted to take you back to where it all started.

Culturally accepted worldwide amongst athletes and everyday society, the Nike Air Force 1 is undoubtedly one of the Beaverton brand’s greatest sneaker silhouettes of all time. The shoe first took flight in 1982 as a court shoe, boasting Nike Air technology. Named after the President of America’s private plane, this shoe offered both protection and flight. Designed by Bruce Kilgore, the Nike Air Force 1 continues to be popular amongst sneaker purists and everyday wearers to this day. Besides Air technology the sneakers boasted new and innovative features such as a cup sole, exceeding durability within an athlete’s gameplay. A threaded outsole also helped basketballers movements so they could fulfil their sporting potential.

Similar to drop culture today, the Air Force 1 was initially released in a ‘run,’ meaning a limited time of which the shoe was available on store shelves. Once they were gone, they were gone. This meant as an owner, acquiring a pair gave you top tier status and bragging rights within an emerging sneaker culture.

The relationship between music and sport, specifically hip-hop and basketball within New York, in the 80s and 90s, had an ever-lasting effect on the connection between sneakers and consumers. Nicknamed the “Uptowns” amongst inner-city youth, especially in Harlem, New York, the AF1 continues to release head-turning colourways, with eye-catching colour blocking schemes. The sneaker is especially important to the city of Baltimore; when Nike was planning to stop producing the shoe in ’84, the residents helped it live on. The community was later rewarded in 2017 with a “For Baltimore” release that pays homage to their efforts which essentially helped it live on to become a classic. Walking down any street, in any city, you are bound to spot a pair of white on white AF1 Lows within a matter of seconds. A timeless silhouette with a cult like status. A sneaker which is essential to any footwear rotation.

Thanks to collaborations the value behind sneakers still continues to drive an ever-growing market. The Scarr’s Pizza x Nike Air Force 1 collaboration, designed in 2019 by DJ Clark Kent was another coveted pair of sneakers rumoured to have only around 48 pairs made. If you were lucky enough to make it on “the list” amongst Scarr’s Pizza friends & family, you could now own a pair of sneakers worth over $100,000. From collaborations with the likes of Supreme, atmos and Playstation, there are plenty of rare releases for serious sneaker collectors. In a recent Sotheby’s auction we saw a pair of 2009, Nike Air Force 1 ‘Entourage x Undefeated x Fukijama Gold’ sell for a staggering $88,200, proving the model’s 40 year tenure is still very much in demand amongst sneaker enthusiasts and pop-culture enthusiasts. 

An ultimate canvas. The Nike Air Force 1 is crisper than ever. 2022 is going to be a big year for the Air Force 1, with plenty of new models set to hit the shelves. With the re-emergence of the AF1 Mid, this can only be seen as the beginning of a big year for the style. The recent Air Force 1 Sculpt pays homage to the AF1s first release on the courts back in 1982, we recently visited father and daughter duo Chris Bramble and Freya Bramble-Carter, read here. 

Shop the latest styles here.

Nigel Sylvester x Nike Air Force 1 Low iD – 2018

Back in 2018, Nygel Sylvester, professional BMX rider, teamed up with Nike to create two iconic pairs of NIKEiD Air Force 1s. The recently signed Nike athlete took inspiration from his home city of New York to create two draw-dropping models, perfect for any collectors sneaker rotation. 

Nike Air Force 1 Low NYC Procell Wildcard – 2019

2019 brought the Nike Air Force 1 Procell, a sneaker which resembled New York City as a blank canvas to which you can create almost anything and fulfill true creative potential. Nike’s NYC Editions collaboration series featured this shoe which was a standout in the collection. 

Nike Air Force 1 Low ’07 Craft Dark Beetroot – 2021

A no doubt slept on Air Force 1 model for sure. The Dark Beetroot colourway was straight forward in design but expressed jaw-dropping premium materials and qualities, right down to the metallic silver finished lace dubraes.

Nike Air Force 1 Low G-Dragon Peaceminusone Para-Noise – 2019

A stand-out collaboration which will stand the test of time amongst sneaker enthusiasts. The G-Dragon x Nike Air Force 1 Para-Noise from 2019 is unique in almost every element. Over time the peel away upper reveals G-Dragon’s artwork whilst boasting the PEACEMINUSONE daisy logo embroidered on the tongue taking you back to the artist’s South Korean heritage. 

Nike Lunar Force 1 Low Acronym – 2017

In 2017, Errolson Hugh’s took his iteration on the Air Force 1 to new levels. The fashion forward design came in a triple white colourway with a lunar midsole. Features also included a zippered closure along the sides.

Nike Air Force 1 Low ’07 White Obsidian – 2019

One of the cleanest Air Force 1 colourways around. 2019 brought the Air Force 1 White Obsidian. A sneaker which can be worn with almost any outfit, the gum out-soles fitted with a crisp white upper and a eye-popping black swoosh help this shoe really stand out. 

Nike Air Force 1 Low 3M Snake – 2021

Initially released in 2001, the Nike Air Force 1 Low 3M Snake (2021) pays homage to its previous predecessor. Silver 3M fabric laces the sneaker to hint reflective features. Not one to be missed.  

Nike Air Force 1 Low CLOT Blue Silk – 2019

When it comes to Nike collaborations Edison Chen’s CLOT never seems to miss the mark. The Air Force 1 CLOT is drowned in luxurious silk embossed with a traditional chinese pattern. Inspired by the concept of Yin and Yang this sneaker was rumoured to be immensely limited. 

Nike Air Force 1 Mid QS Jewel NYC White Midnight Navy – 2021

A re-introduction to the Air Force 1 Mid, the recent Jewel Quickstrike model inspired by the streets of NYC is a favoured shoe amongst sneaker enthusiasts. The clean colourway makes it very wearable within any fashion setting. We still have some sizes remaining in this style here.

Nike Air Force 1 High Sculpt White Silver – 2021

The Air Force 1 Sculpt takes things back to its most minimal stages. With strapless ankles and an aged mid-sole this sneaker takes you back to the AF1s early beginnings. Shop the style here.

Nike Air Force 1 Low Taiwan – 2018

A retro of all retro’s. 2018 saw one of the Air Force 1s greatest color schemes of all time re-release. Finished in patent leather this sneaker was a must have amongst AF1 collectors and sneaker loyalists.

Nike Air Force 1 Low Retro Cocoa Snake – 2018

Like the 3M snake, the ‘Cocoa Snake’ was also originally released in 2001 as a Japanese exclusive. Legendary ATMOS creative director Hirofumi Kojima confirmed the sneakers re-introduction to sneaker shelves in 2018. Head-turning snakeskin panelling makes this shoe unique in every possibility. A must have when it comes to AF1s and their historical status. 

Underpinning 195 years of shoe innovation and remarkable history, Clarks Originals are simply an unrivalled shoe classic that has become a keepsake item to everyone’s footwear rotation. Reintroducing Clarks originals to the brand line up at Footpatrol, we are taking a closer look at the infamous backstory behind the brand.

Infusing innovation with unique craftsmanship, the Somerset born shoe company was founded by brothers Cyrus and James Clark in 1825 who used offcuts from rugs to manufacture slippers, which became the first Clarks prototype named the ‘Brown Petersburg’. Hand-made and family orientated, Clarks relied on outsourcing staff to meet growing demand for their innovative slipper silhouette, gathering leather from a tannery and taking them home to manufacture to sell for a profit. Their sheepskin slippers reigned over a time of economic and industrial growth in the mid 19th century in the UK, which allowed the Clarks business to boom- with the classic slipper silhouette adorned on the feet of many, it had become a firm fan favourite with sales averaging 1000 pairs a month by 1842. 

Entering the late 19th century, we saw severe economic footfall in the UK due to a recession and James Clarks’ youngest son William took over the reins of the shoe business. In which he innovated the whole manufacturing process, creating a silhouette that was designed to fit the shape of the foot-one that is still a mainstay design today.

The beginning of the 20th century discovered a new realm for possibilities for modern advertising, such as the Clarks press ad released in 1936. Signifying physical and metaphoric change for the brand, the advertisement named the iconic silhouette as ‘The Hygiene Boots and Shoes’ taking it’s cordial place as the innovative work shoe. By 1950, the iconic Desert Boot was first previewed, indulging in an unlined suede boot profile designed by Nathan Clark (son of William Clark). The durable boots were worn by British officers in the Second World War. Clarks had also opened its first flagship store on London’s Regent Street shortly after in 1957. 

The 1960’s marked the release of the signature Wallabee’s design – introducing the moccasin boot structure that became an unrivalled  influence on the burgeoning New York Hip-Hop scene. Cementing it’s subcultural presence in the 80’s with rappers namely Raekwon and Ghostface inverted spits about Clarks as self-proclaimed ‘King-pins’ of the  brand. With later iconographies rocking the modern day moccasin fit such as Jamaican artist Vybz Kartel’s love for the brand signified through his infamous bashment song ‘Clarks’.

Modern day and the new millennial period saw Clarks inaugural fit within the modern sneaker world. Adopting new traits of marketing and subcultural influence that has accoladed a new span of collaborators. The sneaker world has been shaped thanks to some rapper and subcultural influences of streetwear gravitating towards it. With a host of collaborations with their archives from partners such as Supreme, wutang and even Footpatrol on the Tawyer FP range. Combining the classic Clarks design with an innovative and youthful spin. The Clarks x Footpatrol Tawyer FP boot woven Wallabee design upgrade indulged in a tonal palette of blue and black 3M reflective material, meticulously crafted with a leather finish. 

Clarks has also played a vigorous role in cultural influence and heritage. One of their most profound collaborations is with high profile premium football player Raheem Sterling on a limited edition Wallabee collection that pays homage to his hometown the Mavereley district of Kingston, Jamaican. 

At Footpatrol we stock a range of different Clarks Original styles that cater to everyones’ sneaker closet. If you are looking for something archival and moccasin inspired, why not have a look at the Clarks x Caravan collection. If  you’re a lover of innovation, the Wallabee Gore Tex collection may be the durable fit that you have been looking for. Or perhaps you could check out the Clarks Torrun for a heritage running-inspired silhouette.

Shop the latest from Clarks Originals here!

Here at Footpatrol, we’ve always had a fascination with all things design. Whether that’s from sneakers and paintings through to architecture and furniture design we’re always looking for new and compelling stories to share with you, the community. 

Combining the dimensions of modern art and function, Duffy London is an East London design studio that produces bespoke and authentic pieces of furniture that plays on invigorating concepts of gravity, geography and optical illusion.  

The studio was first founded in 2002, led by designer Christopher Duffy, and since then has been synonymous for its outstanding quality and unique craftsmanship that is perfectly suited to residential, commercial and public spaces. A few weeks back, we paid Duffy London a visit to sit down with Chris and the team whilst they set about creating their latest project, the ‘Stalagmite Table’.

Working with highly skilled artisans and craftspeople in the UK using sustainable wood and other eco-friendly materials and mediums. Duffy London has also featured in some of their most proclaimed pieces such as ‘The Abyss table’ in the Musée des Décoratifs exhibition in Paris, further solidifying its international and authentic presence. 

Take a look below at some of their collection whilst also seeing the design process of the ‘Stalagmite Table’.

Footpatrol: Chris first of all, thank you for having us. It has been a pleasure to meet you guys and see what you do. But before we get into anything, we like to ask everybody that we interview just to set the tone, how are you? 

Chris: I am very, very good, I’m excellent, this is very good, very busy. I had a little baby during lockdown, so he kept me busy, so that’s all good. Now you caught me in a very happy place and time in my life.

FP: So, to give us a bit of an overview, could you give an insight into Footpatrol consumer as to what you do? How would you describe Duffy London?

Chris: Duffy London is an ideas-based company, we come up with ideas and concepts same as you would for art pieces, but instead of making them into completely impractical art pieces, we focus them onto practical pieces of furniture. So yeah, we just come up with ideas, concepts and once we have perfected that, we turn it into furniture and that’s what I love doing. I have an idea and look at it as an art piece, as an art piece is much more valuable, but my brain just goes on, it will make a perfect table, I make it practical. By making it practical I de-value it by 90 percent, but I just can’t help it.

FP: What would you say was the signifying point for you to create such an individualistic brand?

Chris: When I started out, I was almost trying to compete with Ikea and make pieces that are practical for the manufacturer, shipping, and price point. But you simply on this scale can’t compete at all and it is very constraining in the brief. So, if you open that brief and say use any kind of manufacturing technique, use any idea, concept and materials if it fits then you can be far more creative. You then get a far better reaction, that then puts the price point up but the people you can sell it to is far less. When you are running a small studio, you don’t have to have a hundreds and thousands of customers, you only need 50 to 100 customers a year and you can run a successful studio. Then you can fulfil your creative aspirations! 

From the abyss to the balloons what would you say was the driving influence for these works of art and on top of that, would you say you had these inspirations from college or something that came later after and something you got into more after studying? 

I have always made stuff, ever since I was a kid I was always making stuff. Whilst everyone else was playing football, I was down the dump dragging stuff out of tips and old bikes out of skips. Building three wheeled bikes or go karts or anything, so my drive has always been to build and I’ve always been pretty good at art at school. Then I went to art college around the corner from here in Newham and did an art foundation. Then I went to university of Brighton and did product and furniture design down there, so it’s been constant. It’s not really a concept of starting in my 20s, it started from 7 all the way through till now. I can give you the inspiration for certain pieces like the balloon table: it wasn’t that I wanted a table full of balloons, I was simply trying to make a piece of glass levitate, so if I had just a piece of glass floating in the air that what the design would have been, but you can’t do that, not in this world! How do you make it levitate? If you put balloons underneath it, it looks like they are pushing the glass up and therefore it is levitating. The inspiration for this table was simply trying to make the glass float in the air and how you would go about that. I had lots of different ideas of things holding it up and I won’t give away too much because I might still use it later! The balloons were just one solution to the problem.

The abyss concept had nothing to do with an ocean! We based the typography on a place in the Caribbean, we did sort of use an artistic licence to move it around but that is all about representing depth using layers of glass. I went to my glass manufacturers and there is glass piled up 20 and 30 deep, they all had white labels on them saying what it is, they were all in similar positions, but some are slightly off. When you look at them the labels between the glass showed depth and changed colour, the same piece of glass and the same colour but layered up as less light gets through it shows depth. I was fascinated with that representation of depth and with what they taught me at Brighton, it was all about coming up with original concepts. If you see something, locking it into your brain! I thought yes, that’s a thing, I’ve seen these things, it is an original thing, now lock it into your brain – what do we do it with? So, mix that thought process with what I saw. I was working on another table based on the Antarctic at the time working with typography, so I put those two things together and got that was a perfect representation of depth. The first one we designed was white, with the blue layers which were nice and very crisp and very cold. Then we took away the finish of the white and left the wood underneath it which had a slight yellow tinge. When you mix the blue with the yellow tinge, you get the depth and all these tropical turquoise layers, and it basically came together like that. I just put it those components together and it half designed itself. I got those turquoise mixed tropical colours and at the time we didn’t think much of it really, we just launched it like any other table, we had nothing else to launch, we called it the arctic table at the time, and we thought that looks good. As soon as we sent that one out, that was back in 2014 or something – a time where there weren’t so many blogs doing design things – it was much easier to get featured onto blog pages. The second it was out there, a blog picked it up and posted it, then another blog, then another one and they all took it from each other. Before you knew it was on millions of blogs and we were getting like a million hits! I think it was over day or a week, we were thinking are we really getting that many hits! Things you can’t really dream off now. We got that by just selling out one image, one take that’s all we had to send out. You kind of hand that huge advantage 8 years ago , yeah trying to get that kind of coverage now will but quite impossible but 8 years ago, it was all fresh and open. 

FP: How many collections do you guys see yourselves doing? Do you see it being an unlimited round until you guys run out of ideas? Which I can imagine won’t happen anytime soon.

Chris: Yeah, I think that everyone’s worried, thinking you are going to run out of ideas. I’ve got the last 20 years of sketchbooks to go through, which is a hundred sketches in each sketchbook. I must live several lifetimes before I get through half of the ideas. Also, we are a design studio, we are here to design, we are here to create the most amazing things we can and then we sell some of them in order to fund us creating more in the future and it is basically reciprocal, it goes round in circles. We design more, people will hopefully love it, we sell them and that gives us money to get the studio running to design more!  The bigger we get, the bigger the idea can get, the greater the concept can be.

FP: Would you be able to build on why functionality is so important in your design? 

I know you said initially you wanted to create an art piece but in your head it’s also saying that I want it to do something at the same time. 

That is an exceptionally good question, that was kind of one of the fundamental things when I first started out. All my art teachers or art college they wanted me to go purely the art route, but I found art so subjective, there is literally no right or wrong, so is it good? That’s correct, is it bad? That is also correct, every answer is correct in art, whereas in design that’s not the case. Does it work as a chair? Can you sit on it? That’s not subjective, you can, or you can’t. Even with a table, does it work as a table and on top of that you have the ideas, concepts and the images that can be subjective. Do you like it? Yes, do you not like it? Yes, that’s also correct. So instead of it being 100% subjective, it’s 50% subjective. It is more challenging, especially as a designer or an artist as well but as a designer you’re there for the challenge you’re not there to make it easy for yourself. I find in design, it doubles the challenge, so it is not purely an aesthetic thing, I just always feel like I am just cheating people on something just to make it pretty. Same with trainers you got to make them beautiful, but they got to work, if they don’t work no one’s going to want them, that doubles the challenge and fascinates people.

FP: I wanted to talk a little bit about the latest project that we haven’t yet seen the final product. Could you give us a little insight into what it is and how the idea came about? 

The stalagmite table is more than it seems, I think we were in Spain not far from Ayamonte, about an hour’s drive there is this little town that’s got these underground caves. I was down there quite a while ago, maybe 5-6 years ago. Just seeing all those and with the abyss table we were working on having layers, it created a new way of using layers with glass. When you go through these kinds of caves, something fundamentally inside you recognises them, something prehistoric as beautiful things. I took in that historic feeling inside and again used it into making it into a practical table. 

FP: It creates a functional art piece; it is an experience itself. It is one thing sitting at a table, but it is another thing visually looking at it and almost getting taken back by it. 

Exactly! With that table, all you need to do is take a piece of glass off and put those pieces into any art gallery and I think they would hold their own in any art gallery around the world. We even have pieces in galleries around the world such as Paris, they are attached to the Louvre and pieces that are a part of the national collection already, so we are in galleries, we are that kind of level. But, yes so again, the stalagmites when they are finished, I am certain they will be amazing within the whole art collection, fill the Tate with them! That’s the thing I do miss with design, it keeps things to a human scale, whereas if it was purely art pieces we could scale up, we could fill the turbine room with these giant layered stalagmites and we can really push these concepts to as far as it can go. 

FP: By the sound of things, your design process and the way you approach your designs is very free-flowing, you don’t sort of sit at a desk and think, I’ve got an idea. How would you describe your design process as a brand? And as an individual.

Chris: The concepts all come from me, obviously I got great guys that I work with, for me it is 1% inspiration and 99% preservation, the old quote. For me it is 10 minutes to design, 5 years to refine. I never come up with the concept sitting at my desk, they always come when I’m cycling, when I have seen something or I’m in a factory, that’s where the concepts come to be, then they will be sketched out on my desk into my diaries. I always keep a few pages per week, those diaries are full of notes on what do, but also any sketch ideas, I find if you have really nice books to sketch you really hold back, because don’t want to ruin the book, so I like having a book I don’t care about that is usually destroyed or if the idea I sketch is a terrible one I don’t mind messing up the book itself. I don’t want a book that you can’t free yourself from. That idea will come from somewhere outside, I’ll sketch in my diary and then develop it for a few months and then I will go and sit in the design studio with Joe, the design team and Will, develop it and develop it, might take it 3-6 month to get the first prototype and it usually takes 1-2 years to get something that we are happy to send off to customers and then it is usually around 5 years when we have the final, perfect one and we have completely mastered it. The thing that ties it together really is that the designs are really varied, what ties them together is that it all really comes from the same place, same brain and that really is the only kind of thread that you can see through. Again, I don’t want to be tied to one type of design, one concept or one manufacturing process. I never compromise on getting the idea as perfect as it can be by saying ok, I am going to stick with this. We outsource a lot like specialised metal work and woodwork. It’s the really completed bits we outsource to specialists to get them perfect. We always bring them back to the studio to do a very final assembly and quality controls, so when it goes to the customer it leaves here perfect and arrives perfect. 

FP: Would you say that you have a brand philosophy as such with what you do? 

Chris: Yeah, the brand philosophy would be, it has to be new and be as original as humanly possible. There are always people doing things from the millennia, it may be other things that may be occasionally similar. But we try and find our own individual space as much as possible we are always trying to cross the boundaries, it is a really great way to work because you kind of have ownership over it, it’s yours, you have real passion for it because it was difficult, nothing comes in this world that’s original without of a lot of kicking and screaming, blood and tears. I think a lot of people respond to it well. That’s when you want to really see your work. It is very easy now to see so many things and if you can show someone something they haven’t seen before, they instantly lock onto it. The brain is constantly looking for something new. It also means we can select the very best people, because it is the very best people that see these things and think I want to work for that company, I want to be part of people doing these new things. It is all an upwards cycle, always a positive cycle. If we were doing something a bit like something else, not that original or sort of been done before, we wouldn’t have quality applicants that work here. People wouldn’t be as interested in what we do. 

FP: To sign everything off like I said at the start, thanks for having us! One because it is a pleasure to hear what you guys do, two it is an experience to witness what you do behind the scenes. Before we let you go, we like to ask our interviewees if they would like to share anything with the Footpatrol community? 

Chris: Well, I suppose if the people are into Footpatrol and obviously you guys are coming in, it is a showing that people are interested in the new, the exciting and the original! You only get one life, so you go to live in a new, exciting and original way, don’t spend your life chasing and doing this for money or doing this for a tick box, to get the wife, get a house or get anything. You’ll just look back and think oh my gosh I only had that tiny bit of time and I spent it ticking boxes. I have been very grateful for the way that I used time, I am very grateful to my younger self for basically saying screw it, I’m going to start my own company, I am going to do what I want to do and that’s the brief. I do what excites me for that short amount of time. Time just passes and that time will just pass no matter what happens, you might be doing something that is yours, something that you own and that your passionate about and the world will respond positively. There is always people on the internet to play devil’s advocate but that’s there issue and if they are talking about you I think it’s great, when I get really negative reviews, I love it I don’t know who they are but they know who I am and they really care, they care so much that they hate it you know. I have roused somebody up that I’ve never met and never going to meet, so by doing your own thing you get to be known to lots of people, you’ll never will know, and this firms you have made the right choices and are going in the right direction.