adidas Y-3: The Next Generation of the Sneaker Heel
Y-3, is a Yohji Yamamoto adidas off-shoot line that offers sporty yet sleek and stylish apparel, footwear and accessories. Since the Y-3 line debuted in 2003, Yamamoto and his team have rarely misstepped in fusing his over-sized, avant-garde silhouettes with athletic elements and materials. However when the 2010 Fall/Winter footwear line launched, a few of the items in the women's line left me both confused and a little disappointed.
Making a high heel comfortable and fashion forward is the holy grail of the design world. Most women will pick one or the other, as rarely does the style of Christian Louboutin come with the cushioning from performance footwear like the Nike Air Max 95. The sneaker heel, a hybrid shoe we've seen before but they usually end up looking cheap and not modern. Y-3 came out with two models of sneaker heels for the Fall/Winter season for women: the Torsion Heel and the Cushion Wedge.
The first thought I had when I saw the Torsion Heel was how similar it looked compared to the Balenciaga "Lego" heel from 2008. Not necessarily in styling or design but the overall concept and elements. Both used bright colour blocking, mesh and a skinny stiletto heel. A major difference between the two is that the Balenciaga shoe went completely over-board but still looked like it was true to futuristic, chunky aesthetic that Nicolas Ghesquire, Balenciaga's womenswear designer, is known for doing for the house every season. While the Y-3 looks almost looks cheap in comparison. The coloured patent leather looks dated and not futuristic and the mesh seems ill-placed. Perhaps if was on the toe box it would be less jarring. The curves of the different materials also seems odd, stronger shapes may have made the shoe more striking. The red toe box almost looks more Ronald McDonald-esque and not something that a futuristic femme fatale, like Daryl Hannah in Blade Runner, would wear. But, the shape of the heel with the slight wedge near the base of the foot is a welcome trend that we've seen with other designers like Alexander Wang.
As for the technology of the shoe, the adidas Y-3 store explains every element that went into the shoe. The shoe's constructed from a mix of patent leather, full-grain leather, mesh, pig skin and canvas. It utilises adidas "adiPRENE" in the EVA midsole, a "technology for premium cushioning and shock absorption". Lyrca forefoot inserts adapt to help avoid high heels stumbles.The heel itself, a cause for many tough calluses, uses "Torsion". It's a system that can allow the front and back of the foot to move independent, which adds stability. All these elements seem very interesting to a girl who lives in either 4 inch heels or sneakers, but does it all add up? Will I be able to stand for long periods of time without fatigue? Is it actually comfortable like a sneaker? A well made shoe with the right leather and fit for your shape of foot (not all designers will fit you the same), can translate to wearing heels for long periods of time, even after a few after hours beverages. With so much technology, how much is too much and does it really justifies the $450 USD price tag? This shoe must be test strutted in person for the final verdict. But in press photographs, it falls flat as just another shiny shoe that doesn't scream the next wave of fashion and technology.
The Y-3 Cushion Wedge didn't strike me as anything new either. I'm a fan of the black model, but it would lend itself better to sleek, lean silhouette, as they cut quite high above the ankle. The silver model from the 2010 Fall/Winter runway show though looks too shiny and overdone. The different cutouts of red and purple seem almost too abstract, while the adidas lines on the sole are so exact, that it's too odd to work together. Perhaps if the sneaker part was all silver, with touches of the red and purple just on the wedge, laces and lining, it would present a stronger, more futuristic appearance. The Cushion Wedge uses much of the same intelligent design as the Torsion Heel but instead, as the name suggests borrows from adidas cushioning to make a comfortable "fashion forward" model. It retails for $410 USD. The sneaker wedge is something that comes and goes in fashion often, and while this doesn't reinvent the idea, I would be interested to see if can bring a new world of comfort to the game.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD_aNHjr_gE&feature=player_embedded]
I have harsh words for both models, but only because Y-3 is generally so meticulous yet unique in everything that's churned out. For example, check out the new short film for the 2010 Fall/Winter collection. It's dark, brooding and stars a sports star that's known for his style and now, modelling - Zinedine Zidane. It really embodies the Y-3 spirit that is functional, fashionable but also, incredibly mysterious and layered.
I'm hoping for stronger, but even more forward thinking shoe selection for the ladies for the 2011 Spring/Summer season. Perhaps we will a tweaked silhouette, new materials and likely, a new colour scheme that could really re-inspire these current models. What do you think of the Y-3 sneaker heels for women? Would you wear them? Are they worth the sticker price? Let me know what you think here or tweet me.
Li-Ning: Original Expansion
The sneaker game is nothing but competitive. Most companies that seem to have their own brand identities, are really just subdivisions of sportswear empires. Converse became infamous teaming up rivals and friends Magic Johnson and Larry Bird for the still relevant Weapon sneaker. But now, Nike owns Converse, turning it more into a fashion brand with collaborations with American designer John Varvatos. Nike moved Dwyane Wade from Converse to Jordan Brand and taking away his signature shoe but making him the new main pitchman for the yearly Jordan release - this season the Jordan 2010. Adidas owns Puma, among other brands, so needless to say, it's hard to be a new independent brand in the conglomerate market place.
Li-Ning Company Limited, is a major "sports brand enterprise" from China, that covers development, research, distribution, manufacturing, marketing, and of course, design. The company focusses on apparel, footwear, accessories and sports equipment. They've tapped athletes for sponsorship at home and abroad including the NBA market and are focussing on global expansion and market share.
Their list of athletes includes the effervescent Baron Davis. Not only is Baron a great point guard, but a film director, an actor and a well-known fashion plate in the NBA. When Boom Dizzle where's something new, others take notice. His signature shoe, the BD Doom came out this season too much buzz and apparently a lot of on court questions from fellow players.
The logo for the shoe is without question, Baron himself - the Beardman, sporting his trademark homeless-chic beard. The shoe came in five different colour ways, all available for sale - something that major brands don't always offer. LeBron James plays almost nightly in a different colour and style of his LeBron Air Max VII, but very few are available for sale. Baron's sneaker offered customization with a variety of eyelets and lacing options. It also came with a vinyl figure, picking up on the collectible toy market that is so synonymous with street and sneaker collecting culture. The Beardman is also adorned on apparel like varsity jackets and tees. While it wasn't the prettiest shoe, it certainly makes a statement - something the company needed to do to assert itself amongst the big sportswear dogs.
Li-Ning has taken this success and propelled it into building their first store front in Portland, Oregon, where the brand's headquarters are state side. The flagship opened in January 2010 - not far from Nike's compound in Beaverton, Oregon. With the opening of the store, Champs Sports announced that Li-Ning will be in 80 stores by this summer. Recently, Li-Ning expanded the Portland store and it now spans 2,200 square feet. The company wanted to display more than just their basketball lines and show a full variety of products, especially indoor sports. The showroom and retail store originally opened at 850 square Clearly, the company is doing something right.
To really compete with Nike, they need to continue their interesting shoes with viral campaigns, giving consumers something different. As a sneaker fiend, I'm over seeing every Jordan shoe bastardized into a new fusion model. Seeing something new, and not a company that lives in the past trying to capitalize on old classics shows true innovation and fresh ideas. It's exciting to see what Li-Ning can bring and if they can continue recruit not only talented but interesting athletes, like Baron Davis and also Shaquille O'Neal, they can create a niche in the massive market. Bring on the Beardman.
Not A Good Look: NOLA Mardi Gras Jerseys
The New Orleans Hornets have an identity crisis and unfortunately, NBA fans everywhere are paying the price. I am of course referring to the new abominations that the Hornets have worn on court - the NOLA Mardis Gras jerseys. The Hornets debuted their own personal homage to Fat Tuesday on February, starting a new tradition that will see the Hornets wear the jerseys every Mardi Gras season from now on. The Hornets only wore the jerseys for four games this month, but they definitely left an impression. I suppose the marketing schtick is that the team has now given them up for lent (thank you, Jesus Shuttlesworth). But, you can still buy them online along with other merchandise in the garish colourway.
I understand why the Hornets would want to reach out to the New Orleans community and embrace the Mardi Gras tradition. After all, heritage is important to sports fan and the happier (and hoakier) the fan is with the team's dedication to the city, the more likely they are to support and spend.
There's so much inspiration to take from New Orleans and the great Mardi Gras tradition, but clearly the Adidas designers took it all too literally. The over-use of elements lead to a very busy and cheap look, like what a retro Value Village find you'd only pull out to wear with a joke mullet. Here's a brief run down of a few of the uniform's elements.
- The only element that really works is the use of "NOLA" as the city name. NOLA refers to the colloquial term for New Orleans, Louisiana and is also the nickname of the Hornet mascot - that's cute. But after that, it goes downhill fast.
- The font for NOLA and the numbers similar to what the Hornets are using for their other questionable jerseys. However it's much thicker and looks oversized and almost child-like. The yellow colour and green outline makes the NOLA script stand out even more.
- The colours of Mardi Gras are green, purple and yellow. Green means faith, purple means justice and yellow means power. Naturally, the designers abused their power by using all three colours liberally including making the jersey two-tone: purple in the front, green in the back. The last two-tone jerseys that went into production were last season's All-Star style, also from New Orleans (quel surprise). It received less than favorable reviews at the time, so I'm not sure why Adidas went back to an unpopular style. The result is a jarring sight because you're not sure which colour to focus on - perhaps they thought it would confuse the competition.
- The side panels add to the busyness of the uniform. The piping resembles Mardi Gras beads and goes the length of the jersey and the shorts in a curve. The gold panels within the beads pay homage to all the beautiful grill work in the city and is only visible up close or in sparkling high-definition. It's colour, texture, shine and pattern - all things that make an outfit interesting, but in overload!
- This uniform features an excessive amount of logos. The fleur-de-lis is on the back of the jersey, the NOLA Hornet on the front of the shorts and the NOLA logo on the bum of the shorts. Finally, there's a "New Orleans Hornets, Mardi Gras" patch above the usual tag on the bottom right of the jersey complete with bead detail. Because, if you didn't already know what the jerseys represented....geeze.
The most tragic thing about this new jersey, is that is simply another awful offering in the Hornets equipment closet. Since the organization's start, from the Charlotte Hornets and even dating back to the New Orleans Jazz, they have not had one respectful, simple uniform. Yes, the city is vibrant and colourful but that doesn't equal over-design.
Take a look at the New Orleans Saints uniforms. A simple fleur-de-lis, clean lines and three colours - gold, black and white. It's an effective and regal look on the field that translates well to merchandise and fans of all sizes.
The Hornets use 4 colours on their home and away jerseys alone: creole blue, purple, white, gold AND stripes. They've changed the shades of the colours so often it looks like someone had an issue with the laundry. Seeing poor NOLA, the teal hornet mascot, in the new jersey is painful. The Mardi Gras colours completely clash with the regular Hornets colours - even the purples are not the same. It leaves that poor hornet looking like a hot mess. The current Hornets jerseys feel dated because the style was big in the early 90's with the Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors, and those jerseys retired for a reason. I'd classify them in the "so bad they're good" category.
What do you think of the Mardi Gras theme jerseys? Too literal or just right for New Orleans? Would you wear them? And where do you think they rank among the worst NBA jerseys of all time? Leave me a comment or tweet me.
High fives & booty taps,
Megan
PS. I'm also contributing to one of the most dedicated and hardcore NBA blogs around, The Score's Nothing Easy. Be sure to check it out for original content.
NBA All-Star: The Kicks List
Tonight on TNT, everyone's favorite Thursday night dysfunctional family (sorry, Community) revealed the NBA All-Star reserve teams. Although it wasn't as animated as last week's edition when Chris Webber almost crawled over the table to kill Barkley, there was definitely some division on the panel. (Mo Williams an All-star...REALLY?). Being the sneaker and style obsessed fan that I am, my thoughts immediately jumped to which athletes would be rocking special limited kicks to the event. Afterall, the game is a glorified shootout (All-Star Saturday>All-Star Sunday). Will CB4 or D-Will pay homage to their hometown in the lone star state? Will LeBron change sneakers every quarter? Only time will tell as the sneakers leak online, but allow me to break down the brand presence per athlete. As usual, perennial sponsorship overlords, Nike have 14 athletes in the main All-Star game on Valentine's Day. If you count their Jordan brand branch, that adds another 5 ballers. Adidas is right behind MJ's kids sending 4 members of their brotherhood (sorry, Gilbert). And Reebok has only one player going to the game, but it's fitting that it is Mr. It's All About Me, Allen Iverson.
Converse has been shutout now that Dwyane has gone to the more notable Nike property. Personally, I would love to see him rock the Weapons. They need to re-do the Bird/Magic ads with new kids....may I suggest Brandon Jennings and Tyreke Evans. But that's an argument for another day.
Here's the breakdown of the roster including the kicks they were last seen wearing. I'm not going to include all of BronBron or Bean's colourways, as that could kill the internets....and this isn't a Nike campaign (well, not completely anyway). But, I gotta include these. Apparently LeBron will be rocking these robin's egg blue VII's at the All-Star game. Will he be having Breakfast at Tiffany's in these?
Eastern Conference Starters:
G - Allen Iverson - Reebok
G - Dwyane Wade - Jordan Brand
F - LeBron James - Nike
F - Kevin Garnett - Adidas
C - Dwight Howard - Adidas
Eastern Conference Reserves:
G - Joe Johnson - Jordan Brand
G - Rajon Rondo - Nike
G - Derrick Rose - Adidas
F - Paul Pierce - Nike
F - Gerald Wallace - Jordan Brand
F/C - Al Horford - Nike
F/C - Chris Bosh - Nike
Western Conference Starters:
G - Steve Nash - Nike
G - Kobe Bryant - Nike
F - Carmelo Anthony - Jordan Brand
F - Tim Duncan - Adidas
C - Amar'e Stoudemire - Nike
Western Conference Reserves:
G - Chris Paul - Jordan Brand
G - Brandon Roy - Nike
G - Deron Williams - Nike
F - Kevin Durant - Nike
F - Dirk Nowitzki - Nike
F - Zach Randolph - Nike
Who are you most looking forward to seeing in the All-Star game? Who was snubbed? Personally, I'd take Josh Smith over Horford and you gotta make some room for David Lee. I don't think KG should start....but the fans have spoken. No matter what, I'm sure Jerry Jones and Mark Cuban will help make it entertaining affair.