What’s good, family! The Kicks You Wear is back! Thanks so much for rocking with your boy today. Appreciate you!
Housekeeping: Newsletter is out this Friday after Thanksgiving! Hope y’all have a great Turkey Day and eat some good food with people you rock with.
Let’s jump in.
Stick out with a story
Nothing has mattered more in 2021 than good storytelling in the sneaker industry. It has been key.
You’re probably saying “duh.” The storytelling element has always been at the root of it all. So, naturally, it’s very important. But I feel like, for a while there, we stopped telling stories of substance. We were just piecing things together.
Think about it:
All of the hottest joints of the last five years have been collabs. And while they’ve been quality, that’s pretty much all they’ve been.
Think about the Travis joints and the Off-White joints we love so much. Or the Sacai Waffles of 2019. Sean Wotherspoon’s Air Max 97/1.
Those were all great sneakers but what they didn’t have were great stories attached. If they were, they were more personal anecdotes than grand themes.
The script has flipped: It’s been completely different in 2021. The best sneaker projects of the year have come with stories; with history. The A Ma Maniere Jordan 3. The “What The” P Rod Dunks. The Social Status Dunks. The Patta Air Maxes.
I mean, A Ma Maniere just gave us this short film for the Jordan 1, man.
Stories like this are beautiful. But they’re also equally necessary.
Here’s the deal: We live in a world where we get dozens of sneakers that drop every single weekend. Some quality, some not. But, regardless, it’s hard to stand out because of pure volume.
Even for something like the AMA Jordan 1 this matters. There’s a new AJ1 colorway coming every single weekend. What makes this one better than last week’s?
The answer is the theme. What it stands for. Why it exists. The theme of blackness in sneakers. The creativity. The history. That’s the difference.
The consumer is savvy enough to read through what is, quite frankly, brand bullshit. For example, folks clowned the Jordan 5 “Moonlight” story because it was bad. And truthfully not accurate to the sneaker’s history. And when that happens, people will reject a shoe.
Don’t get it twisted: Sure, folks will buy it. And, because of shortened stock, it’ll sell out. But did it leave an impact? Will people remember it? The answer is no.
And in 2021, that’s what matters most.
The door is still cracked for the return of the Kobes
About a month ago, around the start of the NBA season, I wrote about how there were still plenty of Nike brand athletes who were wearing Kobes. They just weren’t letting him go. And that’s why his Nike legacy wouldn’t go anywhere.
What’s happening: The powers that be know that, too. That’s why they reportedly have not completely shut the door on a potential reunion with the Kobe Bryant estate.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported last week that NBA players were still hunting down rare Kobe pairs to wear in-game.
Windhorst also mentioned the two sides “are still talking with the hope they can eventually come to terms.”
That’s a big deal. Not only are the sides talking but they’re hoping they can come to terms. There sounds like a willingness to get things done, according to the reporting.
Remember: That didn’t seem likely with how heated things got after the ‘Mambacita’ Kobe 6 leak earlier this year.
This explains why things have been a bit quiet on the estate side and why we haven’t seen more Mamba or Mambacita merch coming down the pipeline after the initial drop earlier this year.
Chill for a second: Sure, this is all exciting. But there’s no guarantee anything will get done here. And if it does, it’ll still be a while before things are up and running with production times and supply chain issues.
But the big thing here is there’s hope. And that’s good.
SPECIAL DELIVERY: Patta really did that, man
Patta’s Air Max 1 is a vibe, man. I thought it was good already without actually having it. But when you get it in hand and really see that wavey mudguard up close? It’s incredible.
Here’s my spiel: The Air Max 1 is already a great shoe. But Patta takes great and makes it nearly perfect. So how’d they do it? I talk about that on this episode of Special Delivery.
Can’t wait to get y’all the fit pics.
I’m getting myself together, y’all
As y’all know, yerboi is getting married. It’ll be in about 7 months now. And, well, I still don’t have my suit yet.
I know, I know! I’m lacking. But there’s a reason! I’m trying to cop the A Ma Maniere 3’s to complete the fit I have in mind. I created this thread to make sure I get it done in a timely fashion (also my fiancé has had about enough of me so I have to show her I’m doing something or it’s curtains, y’all. Curtains.)
This was me browsing all my favorite secondary market sites for the kicks. Sigh.
Ah, yes. And this is the moment where I stopped myself from dropping an ungodly figure on shoes I wouldn’t wear until July. My favorite part.
Listen. I’m finna get this done. SOON. Y’all just wait. The fit is gonna be magical.
What’s droppin, bruh?
Nike Dunk Low “Bronze Eclipse” — Tuesday, November 23
Patta x Nike Air Max 1 “Rush Maroon” — Wednesday, November 24
A Ma Maniere x Jordan 1 “Airness” — Wednesday, November 24
Air Jordan 11 “Animal Instinct” — Friday, November 26
Yeezy Boost 700 “Faded Azure” — Saturday, November 27
Thank y’all so much for rocking with me, man. Wish me luck on finding these sneakers. I’m going to need it.
Anyway, fam. Let’s chat on Wednesday. Til then, peace and love. Be easy. Be safe. Be kind. And we out.
-Sykes 💯