Sunday, September 22, 2013

NIKE RT1 HIGH McFly 2009 Barney's Exclusive

Back to the Future themed-post, take II, rolling...

To err is human, to forgive is divine.  I have erred.  You see, as previously chronicled here, I explained that prior to recreating the iconic Air Mag from Back to the Future II, Nike created just four McFly-themed sneakers: the Hypedunk Supremes 2008/2010, the Nike Hypermax McFlys, and the Nike Zoom Tre AD.  But they were all of them deceived, for another ring was made, in the land of Mordor...err, wait, wrong movie.  There was however, another sneaker produced in the McFly colorway, also exclusively sold through one store, and also produced in extremely low numbers.  

Behold, the Nike RT1 High in the McFly colorway.   Produced as a Barney's New York exclusive, these kicks dropped in early 2009 and were only made available in limited quantities.  Nike included the option of a pair of sea-foam/mint laces to match the soles as well, though, the gray laces give them a more stealth appearance.  Although the alternating light and dark grey leather, white sole-trim and  pebbled rear panel give these shoes their own unique stand-alone look, it's clear this pair fell from the BTTF II tree. 

Some rather unique details that propel them forward through time:  my favorite classic/futuristic sneaker detail: horizontal repeating motorcycle jacket-esque ribbing.  The mint paisley on the back of the tongue is a classy hidden touch.  Additionally, a detail that I would venture to be lost on most individuals who are not aware from whence the "Nike" name is derived, is a blink-and-you-missed-it set of stitching on the tongue, an outline in sea foam of the Athena Nike Winged Victory, found at the top of a set of steps in the Louvre. 

Up, up and away....









Friday, September 13, 2013

NIKE Air Revolution VNTG QS 2012

Loving the future does not equate to a dismissal, disregard, or a weariness for things past.  Au-contraire: many times that which is past, can be made new again.  That which is past may in fact have appeared in its day to have been ahead of its time.  More interestingly still, that which is past may still appear to be futuristic-looking. Some things have designs that remain current, relevant, and timeless: these are classic pieces.  However, what really stand out for me, are those pieces that look retro and futuristic at the same time.  

What do I mean?

First, what don't I mean? I don't mean things that were meant to specifically look futuristic in the past.  Consider such things as "futuristic" cars of the 1950s....these vehicles look futuristic, only from the perspective of someone in the 1950's imagining what the future would have looked like.  What happens is that these vehicles look overly 1950s, vice appearing to look futuristic.  

But to achieve both a retro and futuristic look is genius: essentially to look "classic" in any era.  To me, those things that most effectively look and feel futuristic are those, for which, appearing to look pioneering or visionary was incidental.  How does this happen? Through timeless design.  I tend to also favor certain colors that to me appear futuristic.  Think the DeLorean: stainless steel. Obviously the shape is very 80s but the boxy look is making a resurgence in automotive design. Upgrade the technology and the DeLorean still looks au courant today, or, tomorrow.  But the stainless steel was a key in the timeless design. Imagine if the DeLorean had been green or blue? Just not the same.  To me, whether stereotypical or not, greys, silvers, blacks and whites look futuristic because we all envision the future to be sleek, uncluttered: ie, objects will look almost simple because we would have evolved them to their most efficient forms, free of adornments.  Not everyone subscribes to this idea, see: Jean Paul Gaultier's costume designs for the hyper-futuristic The Fifth Element. 

The NIKE Air Revolution re-issue (yes these are a design from the past, but with a brand-new color way), accomplish the difficult task of look retro and futuristic at the same time.  Let's examine: we wore high-tops in the 1980s (original NIKE's), in the 1990s (LA Gear, DK Knights) and through the 2010s (Air Yeezys)...and today.  The Air Revolutions are sleek, uncomplicated and look as though a guy from the year 2025 could wear them, existence of powerlaces or not.  Also, a very small detail make these shoes: the repeating vertical lines on the rubber ankle strap. 

Imagine these being worn with distressed light-wash Diesel jeans, a fitted graphic tee and a clean short haircut.....while listening to Obsession by Animation driving a White Range Rover Evoque.  













Monday, September 2, 2013

NIKE Dunk SE DeLorean 6.0 2010

I dream about the future a lot.  

So apparently did Philip K. Dick, H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, Sirs Isaac Asimov and Arthur Conon Doyle. What is it that draws Man to look to what might be?  Why are wormholes, parallel universes, space-time continuums, and time-machines so mind-blowing and maddeningly alluring?  Is it that we yearn to know the extent of our own mortality... Or do we all just really REALLY want a Mattel hoverboard already.  

Whatever the reasons, the ideas, thoughts, hypothesis, books, movies and...objects that appear futuristic, to those of us futurists, hold particular appeal.  It's one thing to think about the future, but another to hold it in your hand, or, wear it on your feet.  If you're a casual reader of this blog, you'll know that I am fascinated by combinations of things from the past with things from the future, such as a perfectly-tailored suit with a hypermodern pair of kicks.  Chronicled first here, and then also here, I've introduced two visually stunning pairs of sneakers that give me a sense of what we might be bounding about in in the near and distant future.  They're sleek, well thought-out, devoid of trend, and would look at home on a space-ship in the year 2050.  

Fans of the film Back to the Future II, including myself, had been clamoring for years for the Air Mags, which, in 2011, Nike finally released.  Considered to be the holy-grail for sneakerfiles, these shoes sold out immediately at jaw-dropping prices via a special auction on eBay for all 1,500 pairs, with all proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.  A posting on that pair is forthcoming...

In the meantime, Nike sated its hungry fans with several BTTF2-themed kicks.  The Nike Hyperdunk Supremes in 2008 and 2010, the Nike Hypermax McFlys, and the Nike Zoom Tre AD, all served as precursors to the eventual unveiling of the Air Mag.  However, Nike also produced something very special, not necessarily BTTF2-themed, but still a member of the club: the Nike Dunk SE DeLorean 6.0.  

Inspired by the ill-fated automobile styled for more form vice function, the DeLorean, which gained cult status with its inclusion in the BTTF trilogy, Nike designers truly outdid themselves.  On sale the night of November 26th, 2010, aka Black Friday, at nine PacSun locations in the U.S., all 1,500 pairs sold out instantly.  I was able to track down a pair in my size from a DeLorean enthusiast in southern California, and here they are.  Of note, the silvery material of the shoe closely resembles the look of stainless steel, of which the DeLorean was made, and the rear of the shoes feature designs reminiscent of the rear window covering.  However, the surprise comes on the soles: exact renderings of the taillights.  While these sneakers are not necessarily futuristic themselves, they represent and pay homage to something that was.

Trad, meet the back to the future.