Hey y'all..
It seems that I'm a bit of a sneaker snob now, probably a sign of the times (damn you Nike SB!!). This change has come about because of Nike finally breaking into the skateboarding scene after years of buying out and killing smaller companies. Their release of the much coveted Nike SB range, with old skool kicks, has led the resurgence of classic trends. Do I have to say Nike Dunks? With hip-hop firmly rooted in the push for the new old skool, what with throwback jerseys and Air Force Ones, Nike decided to re-release the classic Dunk on their SB range after much 'market research'. This has now become the staple of the Nike SB market, releasing limited edition Dunks on the SB range. Many 'sneakerheads' will snub the fact that the Nike tag now includes the "SB" marking, but they can't deny that the SB Dunks have the best colorways and limited editions, better than custom made Nikes, or IDs, or even the dreaded 'fake' factory versions. This has somehow made the SB a sign of being in the fashion elite and less about skateboarding. The fashion world is divided about SBs, some seeing it as an elite club that only those in the 'know' know about, while skaters hate Nike's newfound foothold in the industry, and sneakerheads hate to wear a Nike SB tag.
That said, Nike SBs are some of the hardest shoes to find on the street, not because of their "elite" fashion labelling, but because they were firmly rooted in skateboarding culture and therefore only available in skate stores. I'll tell you that trying to find P-Rod II's in California was the bane of my holiday, and about 3-4 days of disappointment (that is, until I found them). In Cali. of all places!! The home of skateboarding, and I couldn't find a pair of shoes!! Even Niketown don't stock Nike SBs!! It's with no surprise that the only store in London that "officially" sells Nike SBs (also one of only a few in the country and Europe!!), is
Slam City Skates (well, also Cide sold them before they closed up shop). This has become a somewhat exclusive relationship, with Nike releasing the Slam City shoe, and Slam City being the first retailer in Europe to get the
Nike Dunk Lucky Cats.
With that comes the first time in my knowledge that Nike SB will be at Niketown, for the first ever Slam City @ Niketown.
So for 3 weeks from today, there will be old, new, and limited edition Nike SB kicks and apparel stocked at Niketown DAILY! I guess they're expecting a lot of business. This is also coinciding with the first ever Nike SB skate video, "Nothing But The Truth". Needless to say that the Nike SB team are one of the best around, and this video has been highly anticipated for months. Also, a week today is the official European premiere of "Nothing But The Truth" at The Royal Festival Hall. So be sure to keep that in your diaries, and to visit Niketown in the coming weeks..
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