29: These aren't the droids you're looking for...

11.14.2010 - I often wonder, when it comes to sneaker nicknames, which comes first - the sneaker or the nickname? Obviously the shoe has to be produced before it's actually owns a specific name, but do the designers at Nike purposefully create sneakers with the intent that they will be given certain monikers? Do they draw their inspiration from the pop culture, art, music, etc. references and then design the shoe? Or do sneaker fans give the shoes particular names after they connect the colorways to the things they have seen before?

Here's another example...

Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.

You see the earth tones and you see the bright neon accent -Obi Wan Kenobi may not be the first thing that comes to mind (or Qui Gon Jinn, based on the color of this "lightsaber" ...did I just nerd myself? ...ya I think so. eh, who cares. Star Wars is awesome.) But was that, in fact, the designers intent? These things are much more obvious when they come in "packs" that are intended to be presented with a certain theme (Three Bears Pack) or when a pattern is straight forward (Quagmire).

This nickname thing may not seem like a big deal to the average passerby, but they are actually pretty important in shoe culture. Lets take Jordans for example. If I'm trying to tell another collector which ones I have for sale, I would start by number (as there are 23+ different models of the "Air Jordan"). Say I have a pair of XI's for sale. Which ones? Now, I could say 1) I have "the black and white ones", 2) I have the ones that say "Black/ Royal Blue/ White" on the box, or 3) I have "the Space Jams". Choice 1 is descriptive, but not 100% accurate as there are in fact two different pairs of Jordan XI's that are black and white. Choice 2, while extremely accurate, would be a hassle to say if I had to do that every time. Choice 3 gets exactly to the point. Every collector knows what the "Space Jams" are and even non-collectors can learn the nicknames much easier than they can learn the specific colorways (just ask Kara!) Oh ya, and just in case you were wondering, my Space Jams AREN'T for sale. Sorry.

Some nicknames may be obvious and some may be long shots, but in the end, I'd like to think that sneakerheads come up with the nicknames and that it's not the other way around. I definitely like that designs are inspired, but when sneakerheads connect the dots to come up with shortcut names, it gives us a shoe game within the shoe game.

Nike Dunk Low Pro SB - Khaki/ Baroque Brown -Safari

+ Old Navy Button Up + Levi's 501 Selvedge STF

Figured out how to use the timer on my camera (hella years later). And no, I didn't cheat and just walk outside to take the picture. I actually went to church and to lunch, but just didn't take any pictures there. Plus the Jedi's in the sunset really add to the Star Wars theme, no?

Trying to catch up on posts, but laziness is getting the best of me. More should be coming next week though. We're coming closer and closer to the big NY trip! Stay tuned!

{Currently in the Speakers: Lakeside - Fantastic Voyage}