footwear, running, sneakers, Welcome

Popdiatribe: After Taxes

Leave a comment

By law of averages, someone we interact with today wears footwear manufactured at a Yue Yuen Industrial production facility- most likely in China. Yue Yuen is the world’s biggest branded shoe and sneaker maker- think 3 stripes and the swoosh. For the past week, thousands of workers at a couple Chinese Yue Yuen factories have been in various stages of a strike; the biggest being estimated at 30,000 at a Y.Y. in Guangdong province. The issue seems on its way to being resolved in favor of the workers’ concerns. Meanwhile, Nike and Adidas look towards Vietnam as the place where a majority of their shoes will be made as wages and working conditions (hopefully) improve in China.

The guy who won the Boston Marathon wasn’t wearing Nikes, Adidas, New Balances, Under Armours, Newtons, or Altras while crossing the finish line. Wicked fast runner Meb Keflezighi has been sponsored by Skechers since 2011, and was wearing a pair from the company’s performance line of sneaks when he broke the tape on Boylston Street Monday. Next year I’d love to see him do a repeat while wearing a pair of Skechers’s infamous Shape Ups shoes.

TMZ is reporting that Chicago Bull Joakim Noah sued his former sneaker sponsor Le Coq Sportif last year. Le Coq countersued. The issue was settled last month. Noah now balls with Adidas. Today he was named the 2014 NBA defensive player of the year.

Pop boy act One Direction now have their own sneaker-shoes. Country singer Miranda Lambert debuted her own line of footwear. Brown Shoe Co. (act like you never had some Buster Browns) just celebrated 100 years on the New York Stock Exchange. Brown even had a little celebration at the NYSE building where Black Eyed Pea Fergie (has her own line with Brown) rang the closing bell Wednesday. Former prez George H.W. Bush has his own line of striped, colorful signature socks. What ? Check out GeorgeBushSocks.com

Those Bush socks are a little too loud for my tastes. In efforts to step up my sock game though- I did visit the REI store in SOHO last week and spent an inordinate amount of time in their impressively-stocked sock isles. I walked out with a purchase of Injinji toe socks- my first ever purchase of this type of sock. Look for a quick review in a future Popdiatribe.

Speaking of commanders-in-chief, the U.S. Armed forces are in the process of testing some new boot models. Last month I wrote about the Berry Amendment – that mandates the U.S. Department of Defense must give preference to domestically-produced items. For footwear this means that government-issued soldier boots must be made in America. A push to be Berry-compliant has created a little healthy competition amongst American manufacturers. Who can make the most comfortable, durable, quickest-drying boot that service members will love? Time shall tell. I’m not even sure at this time which brand produced the model below. The results of all these prototypes will certainly lead to civilian consumers getting some fresh boot options down the road.

Image from Army.mil
Image from Army.mil
ha ha
I couldn’t resist posting another still from that Dr. Scholl’s DreamWalk ad campaign. The special effects people did a great job making the womens’ shoes morph into monsters.

 

customize, Feet, footwear, manufacturing, podiatry, pop, Shoes, sneakers

Popdiatribe: Why Suffer?

Leave a comment

Though shiny thong sandals were on Alison Ernst’s feet, it was an orange and black athletic shoe that she chose to pull from her purse and throw at Hillary Rodham Clinton last Thursday during some industry convention speech in Las Vegas. If the flying shoe was an Asics, Adidas, New Balance, NIke or Puma, it could have been made at a Yue Yuen Industrial factory in China, Vietnam or Indonesia. Those wondering how a seemingly infinite stream of new styles from the world’s biggest brands appear on shelves with such rapidity- consider Yue Yuen a manufacturing power pitcher- employing over 400,000 workers to meet brands’ needs, and faraway demands of sneaker super-consumers camped in long lines outside stores on new-release eves.

Image from http://instagram.com/dwxasn619
Image from
http://instagram.com/dwxasn619

Law enforcement meets workers. On the other side of the world they meet buyers.

Monday, at a Yue Yuen production facility in China’s Guangdong province, a number of thousand workers organized a strike. Issues pertaining to pay, social security, and other workplace concerns landed on the negotiating table. Read what U.S. based not-for-profit organization China Labor Watch announced about the situation. One wonders what a Yue Yuen worker might think if they’d seen coverage of a Supreme Nike Air Foamposite release in New York City a couple weeks ago that was shut down due to safety concerns (crazy line).  Whether supplying in Guangdong or demanding on Lafayette Street, I’m confident things will proceed in a peaceful, fair direction. There’s never been a better time to be cognizant of the true purpose of footwear- the truth of what you’re buying and making. What does it mean to you? Does your relationship to a certain brand come from deep within? More likely, it’s a certain style you like. Let your sensibilities guide you.

Less more much?  LIke what you like. Explore best versions of styles you gravitate toward.

A liar is someone who claims they never searched for the perfect shoe. Why pay attention to the craft of your footwear the way you pay attention to your health? They are you. That nicely boxed product could be an investment, not disposable socks with tread stuck on them to be Ebayed or Craigslisted- rather like property or hairstyles that flux with you. Popdiatry imagines footwear as an almost extra skin. Like horse’s hooves, they become your exo-layer on this giant treadstone Earth, providing shelter for two vessels requiring air, water and sun. Think of our ancestors walking long before the days of branding. What would they think of Old Navy two dollar flip-flop sales ? Would they think we’re brilliant eagles for selling a pair of foam-molded vessels on an electronic-bidding site?

It may help dodging flying shoes if you avoided wearing high-heels like the ones pictured in the coming-soon image for “Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled Shoe “- an exhibit exploring chopines, stilettos and life showing this September at Brooklyn Museum (curated by Lisa Small). Killer like killer app, not killer like the Texas woman who was convicted last week of killing her boyfriend using a high-heeled shoe for a tomahawk. Apparently, certain types of high-heels contain a mysterious power that raises wearers’ superego- if not center of gravity- while increasing the risks of injuring the ankle and/or developing knee osteoarthritis. The taste for danger explains a little. From what I hear these babies are often uncomfortable, and unsupportive to the point you’ll see gals barefooting through public parks carrying rather than sporting. Even Dr. Scholl’s compares them to evil monsters in their new Dreamwalk insoles for women advertisements.

DrSchollsDreamwalkAd

Dear Dr. Scholl, I would like a prescription for one Dreamwalk promotional USB stick to give to my aunt for Christmas.

Image from http://instagram.com/evcurlgurl
Image from http://instagram.com/evcurlgurl

 What do I like? What you like. There is no right shoe.

In a continuing effort to foster understanding about why humans wear mega-heels for prolonged periods, I look forward to watching some of the short films that will be presented along side the objects at the Brooklyn exhibit. Hopefully no one will be buzzed by a flying platform shoe, or threatened by that Louboutin Printz; wearing some protective gear couldn’t hurt- maybe some boots with wings would emit mercurial yin for the high-heeled yang, and enable flights to neverland- a world where everyone has a few really great pairs of shoes and the people who made them are happy.

Spotted at Brandhunters "Night of Fashion" - Curtis and his tricked out boots
Spotted at Brandhunters “Night of Fashion” – Curtis and his tricked out boots

Hopefully you are happy with your footwear. Why suffer for or of it?

footwear, manufacturing, sneakers

Pics From American Converse All Star Factory in the 90s

2 Comments

“How Are Sneakers Made?” by Henry Horenstein (1993, Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers), is a picture book that takes readers through the creation of sneakers- specifically the Converse All Star– at a former Converse factory in Lumberton, North Carolina!

HowAreSneakersMadeCOverI remember around the turn of the century when I heard that Converse would no longer be producing their All Star shoes in the USA. The company had been rescued from a brush with bankruptcy and would soon be purchased by Nike. I picked up a couple pairs of the all black high tops and kept them in my bullpen.

ConverseFactorySoleAttaching
A worker machine presses soles ro uppers at the old Converse factory in North Carolina. Scanned from the book “How Are Sneakers Made?” by Henry Horenstein (1993 Simon and Schuster)

I thought All Stars were good for BMX freestyle bicycling. Their lack of girth around the foot and archless flat rubber soles made dancing on the pedals, tires and stunt-pegs more natural, as opposed to bulkier basketball-type sneaks.

GluingToecapsOntoAllStars
A worker dips an All Star toe in adhesive for toe-cap attachment.at the old Converse factory in North Carolina. Scanned from the book “How Are Sneakers Made?” by Henry Horenstein (1993 Simon and Schuster)

When I became more of a mountain-biker in the 00s,  All Stars remained on the roster. Whenever I tried to walk far wearing them, the tongues would always slide to the outer side of my foot- even when wearing proper socks. I started to get into footwear with more developed leather uppers and advanced footbeds.

AttachingEyeletsToAllStars
A worker pokes metal eyelet washers into an All Star at the old Converse factory in North Carolina. Scanned from the book “How Are Sneakers Made?” by Henry Horenstein (1993 Simon and Schuster)

My last pair of Made-in-the-USA All Stars “died” a couple years ago. I cut them apart in reverse to see how they were constructed (before Michael from Allston Massachusetts gifted Popdiatry with this excellent book).

Converse_Allstar_toecaps
All that remains of my last All Stars

If I desire the All Star body again, I would probably go with some Etiko clones. Etiko, not to be confused with Ekito, is a post-millennial shoe and clothing company that pays  special attention to fairtrade issues, and goes for eco-friendly manufacturing practices. Since I walk a lot these days, the flat arch design of this type of shoe is not optimal; but for certain activities like bike riding, weight training, or just lamping, the classic no-frill design of a “Chuck” may be just what the podiatrist ordered.

footwear, manufacturing, sneakers

Popdiatribe: Mad Marchness

Leave a comment

No sooner did I press “publish” on my post about fraying-pant-leg-condition a few weeks ago, then I discovered these Atlas boots from shoe company Artola:

Frayed pant legs no more
Frayed pant legs no more

Their design incorporates a molded leather heel piece that keeps sagging pant legs from scraping the ground. Thumbtack guy take note.

Not long after Tony Wroten’s Nike Jordan sneaker fell apart during an NBA game last week, rumours hit the net that the Jordan brand itself may discontinue in 2015. “There is absolutely no truth to this rumor…” according to Michael Jordan’s Business Manager Estee Portnoy (via smokingsection.net). What’s unclear is if MJ personally called Wroten’s agent to apologize for the sneaker blowout. NBC Sports says that didn’t happen.

Pharrell Williams hooked up with Adidas, New Balance dropped some Golf shneakers, Terra Nova was awarded a contract from the Canadian government to manufacture boots for Canadian armed forces at the company’s factory in Harbour Grace. Here in the US, American footwear manufacturing is lobbying congress over the Berry amendment, which roughly states that the Department Of Defense is required to give preference to domestically produced, manufactured or homegrown products, especially foods, clothing, fabrics and certain metals. An exemption to that amendment includes athletic shoes, which aren’t considered military-issued uniform pieces. Soldiers are wearing their own Nikes, Adidas, and other kicks not made in the U.S.A. while training. Wolverine, New Balance, Danner and Lacrosse have all come forth with compliant products that are 100% made in the U.S.A. and are relying on a growing expectation that U.S. service members should be equipped in U.S.-made gear. Read details in the International Business Times.

pop, retro

Off The Path: Millennium Club Y2K Cap

1 Comment

     Though footwear and shoes will be the main focus of Popdiatry, I’ll occasionally write about other wearable gear in a feature called “Off The Path”.

For this first journey off the path, we’ll rewind about 14 years to when Y2K was a thing. The year 2000 problem had people stockpiling water and canned goods in preparation for societal collapse because the world’s computers didn’t have a four-digit data field to reflect post “2000”.

The unofficial cap of the Y2K computer bug
The unofficial cap of the Y2K computer bug

Out of that non-event came the opportunistic Club Millennium, who released a line of adjustable baseball hats sporting the Club Millenium “MM” logo, or simply “Y2K”.

Millennium Club - One Size Fits All
Millennium Club – One Size Fits All

As the world and its tech peacefully transferred from 99 to 00, many of these hats began their journey to oddball discount stores like Building #19 in New England, where my bro picked up a couple circa 2006. Building #19 was incidentally a good place to stumble upon shoes and sneakers from yesteryear. I recall seeing long dead-stock models by Puma and Adidas (including RUN DMC Adidas) on their shelves long after those models were off the market. Building #19 was known as well for their humorous advertising, with weekly circulars illustrated by a comic artist going along with their “good stuff cheap” corporate motto.

Why not have some fun with the pricing?
Why not have some fun with the pricing?
barefoot, Feet, footwear, Shoes, sneakers, Welcome

Popdiatribe: Springing Ahead

Leave a comment

Not a even a hot month after Manu Ginobili’s shoe instantaneously ripped apart during a live NBA game, a similar instance occurred on (Philadelphia 76ers) Tony Wroten’s foot during a game against the Pacers on March 14th. This near-viral malfunction reportedly prompted a phoned apology from Michael Jordan himself. Meanwhile,  the Nike Jordan imprint announced release of their first ever running shoe- the Flight Runner, this week.

On the baseball front,  former MLB hit-master Frank Thomas has taken issue with a Reebok re-release of some sneaks he once endorsed in the 90s- issue being this endorsement ended long ago. Read more here

The trailer for “Foot“, an independent documentary film that explores barefooting, is now online:

Footwear chain Shoe Carnival is blessing Chicago, Lansing, Detroit, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Chattanooga, Charlotte, and Bowling Green with new stores this month. The weekend of March 29th will be “grand-opening” day in these locales with drawings, giveaways, and prizes all weekend.

Adidas Stan Smiths returned to the marketplace looking more like the originals than ever (with Stan’s mug on the tongue), along with some very modern versions of the air-hole-striped standards.

 

customize, ingenuity, Shoes

Thumbtack Pant Leg Savers

1 Comment

You know that thing where your pant leg droops down a little bit below the heal, and the bottoms of your pants begin to fray? Do you hate that? There are any number of straps, clasps, and ways to deal with this. You could roll up the bottoms a bit (meh), revel in the rippy fashion (bleh), move to a warmer climate and switch to all shorts; You could even carefully shop as to buy pants that are exactly the right length- though there is a fine line between “high-waters” and the prefect bunched up look.

Or you could:

Courtesy of a guy I saw walking down 6th ave.
Courtesy of a guy I saw walking down Avenue of the Americas

Late last year I was about to enter the NYC subway station at the corner of 42nd Street and 6th Avenue (Bryant Park). I remembered there was a decent dollar slice (of pizza) place a block south after 41st so instead I continued my stroll. That’s when I saw a guy walking with thumbtacks stuck in the backs of his shoes, keeping the bottoms of his pants bunched so they didn’t touch ground. He happened to go to that dollar slice place as well, where I was able to confirm that the thumbtacks were in fact serving the purpose of pant leg protection. I wasn’t going to further bug this fellow to get a sketchy poorly lit picture of his ingenuity, so I recreated his method in the Popdiatry photo lab.

Thumbtack Pant Leg Saver

I applaud this man’s thrifty, novel way to combat what I call fraying-pant-leg-condition. With all the custom spikes I’ve seen sticking out of footwear lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if this evolved into a hot trend some day.

3D Printing, footwear, Shoes, technology

Popdiatribe: Step Into The Future

Leave a comment
Tweet from Feetz Custom Fit Footwear
Tweet from Feetz Custom Fit Footwear

The above tweet was clipped from the account of Feetz, a company that employs 3D printing technology to perfect custom fitting footwear for folks with orthopedic problems such as different sized or abnormally shaped feet.  Using a proprietary “SizeMe” imaging process, Feetz asks customers to send pictures of each foot so their tech team can create proper fitting shoes you can slide on within seven days. Check out their site for more information, and a chance to be a beta tester.

Science fiction is indeed becoming reality. Footwear giant Nike, who used some 3D tech in the design of their Superbowl cleats (and at the time of this post, is looking to employ 3D modeling specialists), made news this month via a hint from designer Tinker Hatfield about a self-lacing system that resembles what Marty McFly sported in Back to the Future 2.

Video game company Konami co-branded with Puma to release some Metal Gear Solid high-tops. Eastman Footwear recalled 12,000+ pairs of Coleman branded children’s shoes due to a laceration hazard from poorly designed metal shoestring rivets. Writer Taryn Luna penned a great rundown of the latest batch of maximalist running sneaks. I purchased my first can of Obenauf’s Leather Preservative for boots to combat the snow, slush, and salt of New York and Boston this month; so far so good!

footwear, pop, Shoes

The First Popdiatribe

Leave a comment

I hope you are having a happy shoe year so far.  This will be the first of many Popdiatribes, where I will run through monthly observations about footwear and the feet that fit them. In my home of New York City, it has been wet, cold and salty (in that order). That means boots, and proper boot care. Don’t be that guy who never takes off his All-Stars trying to navigate slushy northeast sidewalk ends, unless you have bread bags over your socks. Or maybe you are a running enthusiast who wears Icebugs.

Swedish Icebug trainers - icebug.se
Swedish cold weather trainers – icebug.se

Late last year, I couldn’t ignore the stories about how NBA star LeBron James wasn’t loving the design of his signature Nike high tops. Then on January 2nd (Heat vs. Golden State Warriors) he fell during the game and sneakerheads wondered out loud about the tread marks left on the court- presumably from the soles of the improved version of those Nikes. Maybe he just went to an unclean movie theater before the game? The NBA also saw New York Knickerbocker J.R. Smith being suspended for repeatedly pulling opponent’s shoelaces untied during free-throw formations. Remember to double-knot your laces whenever you visit Madison Square Garden. NBA All-Star week is coming up and all the big companies are rolling out more kicks than you can blow a whistle at- remember to save for retirement!

I’m thinking of doing a periodic piece called “shoes I was curious about, but never bought”. Clogs would be on the top of that list. I have always heard they were an excellent choice for people  who worked on their feet all day. “But what if there is an emergency where you have to run?” I would say. No matter, I really enjoyed Rebecca Adams’ HuffPo piece Why Dansko Clogs Are Pretty Much The Best Shoes In Existence .

New Balance did something with Disney, Adidas got 2 Chainz, Converse did Black Sabbath, Vans did The Beatles, and have also dipped their toe into high-school art class with their Vans custom culture contest. Actress Sarah Jessica Parker stepped into the market with her own line of shoes. The term maximalist shoes is now coined, and I have to walk away from this computer right now.

 

 

Welcome

The First Step

1 Comment

I was a BMX freestyle bike-riding kid in the 90s who loved Vans, Adidas, Converse and Airwalks. Now I’m a self-employed grown man who wears New Balance, Finn Comfort, Naot, and Chippewas. Along the way I collected bits of cultural, structural, and historical information about shoes- footwear- kicks- sneaks. Popdiatry is the platform on which I will expand on these observations with imagination, curiosity and humor.

I believe that the first step toward world peace and global harmony is everyone wearing properly-fitting footwear.  We love the feeling of waking up and taking on the day with a fresh pair of shoes or boots to step into. On days when cheer and positivity seem hard to find- there are those same shoes or boots we wore when things were great. Time for a reminder. Is your pinkie toe suffering due to years of tight fitting? Time to expand.

Shoes have stories, brands have history. Folks have loyalty to certain shoe brands that can be fanatic in nature.  From steel-toe to flip-flop, Popdiatry will be an open-minded observation tower where I look forward to learning as much as I teach. From lace deck to welted sole, I will present and share information about footwear and feet in such a way that no other blog or magazine will. My sources will be cited, and pictures credited. Thanks for reading and be sure to check back often.

-Chris from Brockton