Point of View

There’s no question about it: Bape has been on their shit recently.

When it comes to collabs, there’s not really many streetwear brands that can rattle off a list of footwear projects like Bape can … and some of their recent/upcoming releases might just be their best work yet. Let’s start with the NMD’s, the hottest shoe of the moment.

When you take a shoe that’s got as much juice as an NMD and slap a classic Bape camo print on it, you really can’t go wrong. It’s a perfect storm of hype, and we’ve got a feeling that  both pairs will be blowing off shelves before you can say “hypebeast”. Bape linked up with another brand that’s got all the juice at the moment .. and the result is looking excellent. read more

Everyone loves a good game of chance. Something that’s low-risk and high reward. Something that involves some skill … but mostly just a lot of luck. That something in the sneaker game is the Keymaster arcade machine.

First popularized by Las Vegas’s Urban Necessities, the Keymaster is a game in which you attempt to fit a key through a slot to drop a prize down. It was usually stocked with things like iPads and expensive headphones, but rare sneakers make great prizes too, so the Keymaster has popped up in forwards-thinking sneaker boutiques across the country. read more

Pharrell Williams has the magic touch. Anything he does, from music to clothes to cologne to shoes is tasteful, artistic, and unique. He’s got a knack for creating dope product with a meaning … and he’s hit the nail on the head yet again with his latest collaborative effort with Adidas, the “Human Race” NMD’s dropping today.

Each of the five pairs that are releasing are adorned with a split slogan, from “Human Being” to “Hu Race”, and Pharrell himself has said that he sees the shoes (and the accompanying collaborative apparel) as a project to explore humanity and celebrate cultural diversity. Here’s his direct thoughts on the project: read more

Ever seen someone with a pair of Yeezys on and gotten jealous?

They walk by, looking all fly, and all you can think is “Damn, I wish I had a pair of those”. Maybe you don’t because Lady Luck is never on your side during drops. Maybe you don’t because you don’t want to pay resell. Maybe you don’t because you’re not really about this life. Whatever the reason is that you don’t have them … you’re likely sore about it and wish you did. We understand. Hype can be a powerful thing. read more

Jordan Brand has always done a great job telling stories with colorways of their shoes. They manage to find different ways to honor Michael Jordan’s accomplishments with almost every product they put out … and the “Shattered Backboard” shoes are no exception.

You probably heard the story when the first colorway dropped last year, but in the event you haven’t, we’ll run it by you again. During a Nike exhibition game in 1985 (can you imagine something like that happening today? Times have definitely changed), Michael Jordan broke a backboard with a furious dunk on a fast break. His team happened to be wearing orange jerseys … so that provided the initial inspiration for the shoe. Here’s the video below if you haven’t seen it. read more

It’s been quite a while.

We’re back, with the 12th edition of Sunday Sneaker Ramblings, where I share my brief thoughts on everything that went on in the sneaker world this past week. There’s a lot to discuss, so let’s cut the intro short and jump right into it.

We’ve got to start off with the Yeezys. We talked about them yesterday, but as release day is finally over, we can look back. Not much has changed from the first season: instant online sellouts, lots of whining and complaining about raffle fuckery (yeah, it sucks but it’s part of the game. Don’t get mad, get a better plug). I personally didn’t cop a pair, but they’re amazing in person and significantly more comfortable than the V1’s. For the vast minority who don’t plan to resell, these are a great fall sneaker and you should rock them heavy. read more

Photography: a hobby/passion/profession that’s very fun and very challenging. No matter how much you may know, there’s always something new to learn. A new angle to shoot from. A new exposure you can use. A cool new way to work a shadow into your picture you may not have thought of before. It’s always evolving and changing, and there’s always something dope you can think of.

However, shooting with a high-end DSLR camera isn’t for everyone. Some can’t afford it (it is expensive). Some don’t have the time to learn how to properly use it. Some are intimidated by everything you can do with one. And some people who do love shooting with DSLR’s want a change of pace every so often to keep things fresh. read more