Rich Medina Does New Balance!
Posted in FashionAugust 8, 2011No comments
e-mail: musicandpower@gmail.com
kicks,icons, and inspirations.
Posted in FashionJuly 29, 20113 comments
I live for my Skeletoes which are Fila’s Version of the Vibram shoe, but I’m about to upgrade I feel so grounded on the Dancefloor when I’m getting it in!
By Justin on Apr 17, 2009 | In general
Five Fingers were the brainchild of Italian designer Robert Fliri. Fliri first had the concept of a foot glove with articulated toes — a "barefoot shoe" or "toe shoes" in 1999. Fliri had been spending a good deal of time outdoors in the mountains of Italy, periodically taking off his shoes. It was from these experiences that he conceptualized toe shoes, remarking that, "We have five toes: when they can move and grasp the ground independently, and when you can really sense the surface under your feet, your body is able to do what it is designed for by nature. That is a powerful feeling."
Fliri was making a simple case: if feet evolved to experience the world "naked," why are we strapping heavily cushioned, "high-heeled" marshmallow shoes like Nikes onto our feet in order to walk around "safely" or without hurting ourselves? Did [Mother Nature | God | Evolution | insert your higher power here] churn out a foot that was broken by design? Surely not!
Despite the almost obvious power of toe shoes — foot gloves that let feet function and feel similarly to how they would barefoot, Robert Fliri's toe shoe concept languished until a fortuitous meeting with Marco Bramani, the grandson of Vitale Bramani. Vitale Bramani is the founder of the Italian company Vibram (pronounced "Vee-brum"). As the legend goes, Bramani believed that "Five Fingers" (So named because the Italian word for "fingers" is the same as that for "toes") might make a novel choice of footwear for use on sailboats or in other activities that required greater ground-feel. Sometime in the early 2000s (perhaps 2004?), Bramani brought Fliri into his grandfather's company to develop the world's first toe shoes.
Just how did Vibram, a company that had only ever made rubber soles for over 70 years for other shoe manufacturers, blow up the traditional paradigm of footwear design? A little bit of help and just a little five-toed rubber sole . . .
In 2006, when Vibram FiveFingers were just starting to make waves as a novel, but incredibly strange ("Cool! But who would wear those? Not me!") approach to footwear, "Barefoot" Ted McDonald contacted Vibram USA requesting to try out the Classic Five Fingers for running. Tony Post, the ex-Rockport Boston Marathon runner turned Vibram USA CEO, spoke to McDonald and agreed to have him run the Boston Marathon in Vibram FiveFingers (source).
Vibram FiveFingers began piquing the curiosity of anyone who saw them, slowly growing in popularity among fitness enthusiasts wanting a more "barefoot feel" (Arnold Schwarzenegger famously lifted weights barefoot) and also with runners, of which a niche group of barefoot running enthusiasts such as "Barefoot" Ken Bob Saxton already existed.
Runners began taking serious note in 2009 thanks to Christopher McDougall's riveting Born to Run (Go here for a full review). In a nutshell, Born to Run takes a serious look at ultra long-distance runners and races; an indigenous long-distance running tribe, the Tarahumara Indians, living in the Copper Canyons of Mexico; and the high-incidence of running-related injuries — all cast against the past few decades of high-tech, ever-more engineered running shoes. McDougall weaves these stories together in an artful, can't-put-the-book down story with simple question at it's core: why are running shoes that are designed to prevent or reduce injuries not working?
Back to Barefoot Ted: he's one of the main characters of Born to Run, seen running barefoot but also racing along the Tarahumara Indians in the Copper Canyons of Mexico in Vibram FiveFingers. If the wily Barefoot Ted ("El Mono" or the "monkey") could run an ultramarathon close to barefoot in some of the harshest terrain on the planet, what was stopping any of us from doing the same? Readers of Born to Run were left inspired to ditch their Nikes and try barefoot running — or pick up some toe shoes! Not too surprisingly, it wasn't long before Vibram FiveFingers as a barefoot running shoe really started going mainstream.
How could a shoe with no arch support and no cushioning be good for running? Wouldn't that hurt? You barefoot running people must be crazy!
These are common questions for Five Fingers-shod or barefoot runners. It's a given in our modern culture that you must wear running shoes, trainers, or sneakers to safely move around outside. It's assumed that asphalt is hard and dangerous to run on without lots of cushioning. It's even assumed that heel-striking is natural.
Like so many mainstream ideas, these preconceived notions about running are very likely false. For example, it seems that there is an inverse relationship between the amount of cushioning in your shoes and just how hard you're willing to strike the ground. This really isn't surprising when you think about it: imagine runnning barefoot on a hard surface. You would land as gingerly and gently as you possibly could.
Comparatively, add a bunch of foam underneath your foot and everything changes. It suddenly doesn't matter so much how you land when running on hard surfaces because the foam helps absorb the impact on your foot and mutes the sensations of a varied, non-uniform ground. Consequently, people running in cushioned shoes tend to take longer strides, strike the ground hard, and strike the ground at their heel. The shockwave spawned by this striking then shoots up your ankle and leg. Further complicating the matter is that adding thick heels to your shoes changes your natural running gait from midfoot/forefoot to a heel-strike.
It's not that you can't run gently in modern running shoes, it's that you both don't have to and many find they simply can't (due to the forced heel-strike and the resulting shockwave).
Running barefoot or without much protection/cushioning as with minimalist footwear works so well at encouraging gentle, natural running because the lack of cushioning and support forces you to run lightly, with less impact. and, in turn, with less or no injury (More on How to Run here). That's how the theory goes, anyway, and the science is finally starting to bear that theory out.
Vibram FiveFingers are so great less because of what they are and more because what they are not. They are just a thin bit of rubber strapped to your foot, complete with individual toe slots. They're just toe shoes. No arch support. No cushioning. This minimalist design puts your foot very close to being in it's natural, barefoot state mostly because it draws it's structure and function from the foot. What a concept! As a result, FiveFingers allow your foot to express itself dynamically — meaning toes can move independently and the foot can flex, bend, and twist, engaging all the muscles and tendons of the foot similarly to how the foot would function barefoot. The thin layer of rubber in Five Fingers also allows a good deal (though not all) of ground feedback through to the foot while still affording some rubbery protection.
Vibram FiveFingers are not perfect — both muting ground feedback and being a "one-size-fits-most," mass-produced foot glove make them imperfect (barefoot and "shod" will never be equivalents!). FiveFingers specifically, and toe shoes generally, simply protect the foot a bit while getting out of the way of natural foot functionality.
In just five years, FiveFingers have grown from a simple "Classic" toe shoe, to a line of "minimalist footwear" with over 15 models — like the running-oriented FiveFingers Bikila, the trail running/hiking KSO Trek or TrekSport, the sporty/casual/fashionable Speeds, the indominatable, do-anything KSO, or the just-released sprinting/high-intensity fitness-focused KomodoSports. And there are other manufacturers are getting in on the game: you've got Vivo Barefoots, New Balance with their NB Minimus line, the Merrell Barefoots, Soft Star Shoes, or the latest entrant to the "toe shoes" market, the Fila Skele-toes. Or go super old school with some huaraches sandals A shoe revolution really is "a foot."
Vibram Five Fingers have exploded the traditional footwear paradigm and are at the forefront of the minimalist footwear movement. As minimalist running has taken off, other shoe manufacturers have taken note and alternative "barefoot running shoes" or just close-to-barefoot casual shoes are starting to show up everywhere.
In short, a return to a more natural state of movement through "freeing your feet" is here to stay. As more and more people discover the "barefoot alternative" of Vibram Five Fingers, or simply the kid-like freedom of being barefoot outdoors, the traditional footwear that has dominated the sports shoe industry over the past few decades just may go away — or at least reduce in scope. Who needs over-engineered, over-hyped, over-marketed, over-cushioned foot casts on their feet anyway?
Wouldn't you rather let your feet be free?
If you want to pick up a pair of Vibram Five Fingers, do not go to Google! Unfortunately, over 400 websites (and counting) have popped up hocking fake FiveFingers on what appear to be legit websites (sites like vibram-five-fingers.com -- sounds legit, but it's just a counterfeit site!). You're better off hopping over to our directory of online retailers of Vibram FiveFingers — many of these guys ship for free and you can read or write store reviews right on this site. Here are just a few online retailers of FiveFingers we like:
If you just want to learn more about FiveFingers models, here's a good place to start. Or check out the BirthdayShoes.com forums, download the Beginner's Guide to FiveFingers, or just surf around this site.
BirthdayShoes is dedicated to minimalist footwear of all varieties — especically Vibrams — and has a very fun-loving, almost barefoot community of supporters! Stick around!
!
Posted in FashionJuly 21, 2011No comments
The Toki has always been easy to like, but the militaristic look of the latest release has it looking even more irresistible. Iguana canvas is used for the entire upper, save for the white leather Swoosh that matches the vulcanized sole below. A mesh-like liner and leather quarter panel border also help add character. You can pick up this one now at Nice Kicks for $73.
Nike Toki Canvas
Iguana/White
446336-200
$73
Nice Kicks
2815 Guadalupe
Austin, TX 78705
512.320.8100 (Phone orders welcome)
@NiceKicksShop
Shop.NiceKicks.com
Posted in FashionJuly 21, 2011No comments
Don’t sleep I have had the phone App for some years now. If your a kicks head like me this is a great way to stay in the flow. Check for the iphone app as well. 
http://www.nicekicks.com/
Posted in blog,Fashion,Muse, Vids, InspirationsJune 24, 201013 comments
80's Icon
When fashion was truly art in the 80′s there were a few designers that stood out. Willi Smith was one of them. A large part of the dance community scene was built off of the fashion component. It went hand and hand with self expression and movement. Nowadays a lot stuff looks the same. Here is a bio on one of the guys that was prominent in 80′s. Inspired by the streets and the soundtrack that pulsed in clubs like the Gallery, The Loft, and the Garage. In Chi-town the energy of Willi’s apparel caught fire and was a standard amongst dancers and fashionistas.
If you don’t know about this young black design educate yourself.
Willi Smith 1948–1987
Fashion designer
At a Glance…
“Streetwise” Fashions Caught Public’s Imagination
Sources
Rising quickly in the fashion world to become one of the industry’s most successful young designers, Willi Smith was part of a vanguard of hip young black designers who first made their mark in the late 1960s. The sportswear he created for WilliWear Ltd. in the 1970s and 1980s was noted for its relaxed, street-smart, and often oversized look that made it functional but fun. Youthful and often unfitted, his clothes had a free-flowing look that often featured unusual color combinations. Smith also introduced a design innovation by matching plaids, stripes, and colors in single articles of clothing.
Smith always wanted his clothes to utilize natural fibers, and he strove to keep his clothes affordable to the general public. “I don’t design clothes for the Queen, but for the people who wave at her as she goes by” said Smith, according to the New York Times. In Who’s Who in Fashion, Anne Stegemeyer said that Smith “brought fashion verve to the moderate price range.”
The seeds for Willie Donnell Smith’s later successes were planted during his youth by his parents, both of whom were extremely clothes-conscious. “I came from your typical black middle-class family, where every event called for an outfit,” Smith told Essence. Focusing on clothes also helped distract the family from their impoverished life in the Philadelphia projects. Smith’s mother would dress up frequently, never having any concern about the stares of onlookers when she was “overdressed” for an occasion. His father tended to wear oversized clothes, an influence that may have impacted Smith’s later design choices.
As a boy Smith spent a lot of time drawing with his mother, and he nurtured dreams of becoming an artist. After his parents were divorced, his grandmother, Gladys Bush, became an important figure in motivating Smith to pursue his artistic interests. She defended her grandson when he missed family curfews because of lingering too long at the Philadelphia Museum of Art or when he spent untold hours sitting on the floor sketching. While studying fashion illustration at the Philadelphia Museum College of Art, Smith began developing a greater interest in clothing design.
Smith’s grandmother urged him to pursue scholarships that enabled him to enroll in the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York City in 1965. While at Parsons,
At a Glance…
Bom Willi Donnell Smith, February 29, 1948, in Philadelphia, PA; died of pneumonia, April 17, 1987, in New York, NY; son of Willie Lee (an ironworker) and June Eileen (a homemaker; maiden name, Bush) Smith. Education: Attended Philadelphia College of Art, 1962-65, and Parsons School of Design, 1965-69.
Worked for Arnold Scassi, New York City, 1965; sketches Bobbie Brooks, 1969; designer, Digits, Inc., 1969-75; formed own design studio and worked as freelance designer, 1974-76; designer and vice-president, WiliiWear Ltd., 1976-87; introduced WiliiWear Men line of clothes, 1978; sponsored and designed clothes for Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave festival, 1984; designed clothes for film School Daze,
Member: League in Aid for Crippled Children, Bedford Stuyvesant Children’s Association.
Awards: Designer of the Year, International Mannequins, 1978; Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award for Women’s Fashion, 1983; Cutty Sark Award, 1986, for mens-wear design.
Smith freelanced as a sketcher after school and on weekends. He got his first design-related job one summer with designer Arnold Scassi, a position he landed due to one of his grandmother’s contacts—Bush had been a maid to one of Scassi’s clients and had mentioned that her grandson was a fashion designer.
Smith worked across the full gamut of the sportswear industry in the late 1960s: for companies ranging from the mass-marketed Bobbie Brooks to chic little houses such as Digits, where he was employed for six years. Extremely hard working, he began to build a solid reputation but had trouble breaking through to the top tier of designers. Socalled “black design” was very trendy at the time, but Smith resented pressure to be “more black.” For a brief period he made himself over, wearing long braids that went against his preferred clean-cut image, but this new identity didn’t last long.
Determined to make his own mark, he started his own business in 1973 with his sister Toukie—who often modeled her brother’s clothes—and a friend. Smith’s lack of knowledge of the business side of fashion put his fledgling company out of operation in no time, and he was forced to enter into a partnership with a Seventh Avenue firm that gained the rights to his name in return for financial support. The result was a very unhappy period for Smith. “I was doing all of these designer clothes out of expensive fabrics, very young couture,” he told Esquire reporter Lynn Darling. “They were clothes that people didn’t need.” Smith sued to regain the rights to his name, then worked freelance and pursued career options with other large sportswear companies.
“Streetwise” Fashions Caught Public’s Imagination
In 1976 Smith met up with Laurie Mallet, an old friend who at the time was selling shirts imported from India. At Mallet’s suggestion, Smith accompanied her to India to design a collection at a factory near Bombay. A company called WiliiWear Limited was set up, with Mallet as president and Smith as vice-president and designer. The following winter Smith’s collection generated only about $30,000 of business, but one of Smith’s pants designs became extremely popular. Characteristic of what would become the Willi Smith look, the pants were a baggy fatigue with a high, wrapped waist and became known as the “WiliiWear pant.”
Before long the streetwise and sassy WiliiWear designs caught the public’s attention in a big way, and other designers soon copied the style. Smith’s next collection sold $200,000; by 1982 WiliiWear had an annual gross topping $5 million. In 1978 Smith introduced WiliiWear Men, a line of clothes that incorporated both formality and casualness. Smith struck fashion gold again with this new line, winning the 1986 Cutty Sark Award, the most prestigious honor for menswear design.
Smith concentrated primarily on separates, and his consistency from season to season allowed pieces from previous years to be mixed with his new designs. Pieces ranged from oversized blazers and long dirndls to dhoti pants and poufskirted dresses. Everything he designed showed a sense of humor and spirit, as if inviting the wearer to get up and move. He paid acute attention to all aspects of design and manufacture, designing his own textiles and taking several trips each year to India to overlook production of his collection.
Many influences were cited by Smith as affecting his work, from art to watching people. His apartment in the Tribeca section of Manhattan was filled with African, Oriental, and contemporary art, and many of his clothes featured unusual color blends that he had seen in artworks. Smith also had many friends who were artists, and he worked with some of them. In 1985 he designed 600 uniforms for workers who helped the artist Christo wrap the Pont Neuf, a bridge in Paris, with pink material.
Smith would often stroll down New York City streets, his designer’s eye picking up strange color mixes or “attitudes” that people conveyed through what they wore and how they moved. As he told Essence, “What is happening on the streets of New York is happening to me, so I put it right in the collection.” Smith himself was known for talking as much with his hands as his voice, and he often gesticulated dramatically. He almost never wore his own designs, thinking that he needed some distance from his work to remain objective. Although Smith was generally soft-spoken, his design shows on Seventh Avenue were far from it and were known for their outrageousness.
By the mid-1980s Smith’s designs were hanging in 1,100 stores in the United States, as well as stores in London. WilliWear grossed $25 million in 1986, and by that time the company’s designs were taking on a more traditional, tailored appearance as Smith decided to “mature.” However, he created a bit of a furor with the uncharacteristic look he designed for Edwin A. Schlossberg for his wedding with Caroline Kennedy in 1987. The groom’s outfit featured a navy blue linen suit with a silver tie.
After one of his usual trips to India to supervise production in 1986, Smith became infected with shigella, a parasitic disease. The parasite led to serious complications that proved fatal. Suffering from pneumonia, he was later admitted to a New York City hospital and died in 1987. At the time of his death at age 39, Smith had just been requested to design the wedding gown for the comic-book bride of Marvel’s Spider Man.
Sources
Books
Stegemeyer, Anne, Who’s Who in Fashion, second edition, Fairchild, 1988, pp. 192-93.
Milbank, Caroline Rennolds, New York Fashion: The Evolution of American Style, Abrams, 1989, pp. 291-92.
Periodicals
Daily News Record, April 30, 1987, p. 12.
Esquire, December 1984, pp. 407-15.
Essence, July 1987, p. 49.
Jet, May 4, 1987, p. 9.
New York Times, April 19, 1987, p. 34.
People, November 14, 1983, pp. 76-8.
—Ed Decker
