Sneaker Freaker “Best of the Best” Issue 2008
Several factors had a large say in the creative direction of the market in 2008. Previous years have seen a free-for-all of colour and materials madness that in 2008, simply failed to sustain the interests of many kids.
The obvious exception was Busy P’s rainbow Nike Air Force 1 Low, which may go down in history as the end of the era of ‘clown colour’. Whether that’s indicative of a sudden maturation of an entire generation or a sober reflection of the bleak situation the world finds itself in is something we’ll get back to you about next year.
The move towards plainer, simpler and dare we say it, mundane shoes is a natural evolution that with a little luck, may spawn a move away from retro-ville. This conservative drift has had a huge bearing on the direction of collabs in particular. Since slapping down the skittles is no longer a guarantee of success, other features have become key including crafting a well constructed story (the Sneaker Freaker shark edition PUMA´s) and using premium materials to elevate product (Asics Gel Lyte III “Solebox”).
Other than that, the high tops got higher, the plimsolls got thinner and 80´s runners finally looked like they might be on the wane, just as adidas peeled off an alphabet’s worth of Adidas ZX collabs. On the bright side, several new models seemed to gain a little traction this year, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Hyperdunk et al can keep the momentum swinging. They say nothing stays the same and that has never been truer than this year!
With the year coming to a close, Sneaker Freaker invited 30+ musicians, shop owners, personalities, bloggers, and more to choose their personal “Best of the Best” sneaker released in 2008. All 30+ selections are available now online at Sneaker Freaker.
The “Best of the Best” feature will also be available in the upcoming Sneaker Freaker magazine that is set to drop in a couple of week.
You can find the whole article here.
Info/Image: SneakerFreaker.com
