For the last episode of Sole Stories, I want to thank all who have kept up with the reading. It has been a pleasure to be able to write about a subject that I love. For this week’s column, I want to talk about a new and exciting sneaker that is slated to come out as well as share the conversation that I had with a freshman on campus who reached out to me.
The sneaker community is buzzing about the upcoming release of the polarizing Travis Scott Air Force 1 Low Cactus Jack. This shoe is the latest installment of the collaborative work of sports company Nike and musical artist Travis Scott. The shoe features some key design differences from your typical Air Force 1 Low silhouette. Most notably, the sneaker has a brass zipper lace cover over the laces. This is a feature that I have never seen implemented into a sneaker before, and I think it’s bold and fresh. The fusion of color palettes on the shoe are evident in the paneling from purple to orange and black to navy – somehow, these colors work well together stylistically. The retail price of this sneaker will be $160, and it will be dropping Saturday, Nov. 16. If you are itching to get a pair early, you can head over to StockX where the most recent pair (size 11) just sold for $715. I will definitely do my best to get my hands on a pair; I really dig the design language of the shoe and think the shoe is worth adding to my collection.
DU freshman Edgar Gonzalez reached out to me about Sole Stories after stumbling upon an image of Kanye West surrounded by shoes in one of my previous Clarion articles. He read the article, Sole Stories Episode 1, and said he was pleasantly surprised to hear about “something like this” being on campus. Gonzalez grew up in Española, N.M., and he has always had an affinity for sneakers and sneaker culture. Our conversation was refreshing for both of us. We are two guys from different regions of the U.S. sharing something in common – we both love sneakers, sneaker culture and fashion. I asked Gonzalez about whether or not there should be a sneaker club on campus — basically, an organization in which sneakerheads (or anyone) can come talk about upcoming releases, share stories and build up the community that is scattered across the DU campus. If only I had three more years, like he does, to start something like this. I suggested that he should be the one to start a club for DU’s sneakerheads in 2020.
Gonzalez told me his three best sneaker releases of 2019, before the conversation was over. I, for one, love hearing about the top sneakers in someone else’s opinion, because it shows that different people enjoy different silhouettes. Gonzalez is a Jordan brand fan, and he told me the Jordan 1 Retro High Satin Black Toe is one of his top picks for shoes released in 2019. This shoe is a re-release of the iconic Jordan 1 Retro High Black Toe but with satin hits on the shoe. The next shoe he liked are the FOG 1’s. These shoes were created by Jerry Lorenzo, who is one of the most recognizable creators in fashion right now. The final shoe he mentioned, which is also a Nike shoe, is the Nike Mid Sacai Blazer’s. Each of these shoes sold out instantly upon release and can only be acquired in the second-hand market. Talking with Gonzalez was another amazing conversation, and I appreciated that he reached out to me.
Sadly, this is the last episode of Sole Stories for the quarter. I hope that those of you who have read this far or have read any of these columns enjoyed my perspective on sneakers and sneaker culture at DU.
