ASICS and IAB Studio are teaming up once again, officially introducing their second collaboration project on the GEL-1090™ silhouette. The ‘GEL-1090 AI-2’ draws inspiration from the ASICS’s best selling shoes of the SportStyle category.
The new collaboration draws unique sensibility of IAB Studio with a colour composition, emphasizing dramatic conflicts with the concept of competitive composition, fighting with oneself, and sport spirit. Much like the duo’s first collaboration that released in Spring/Summer 2020, the design crew sincerely captures the weight of the project by not only developing a concept of the product, but also creating the key object for the key visual.
The four-legged sculpture wears two different shoes from ‘AI-2 collection’. The awkwardness itself clearly represents the point what IAB Studio aim through the collection, while it seems to be a bit awkward to see the sculpture wearing shoes and clothes, not a human being. Imagining the future time of when AI-2 approaches evenly to all, we created an abstract sculpture, given a role of a model, not to feature ‘anybody’.
The feet created for a global image are only ghostly and smooth, while creating a rough atmosphere, as if those are the parts of a sculpture from the future. This helps observers imagine the different time zone of the sculpture while assigning a future time to the shoe at the same time.
Seoul-based IAB Studio is the art crew founded by Korean hip-hop artist Beenzino. From cover art for famous K-pop musicians to remarkable collaborations with brands and cooperation, IAB Studio came across as a smash hit among young and consumers.
The ASICS x IAB Studio GEL-1090™ will be available in Black/Lime and Lime/Black colourways and are made in limited quantities, the second collaboration of ASICS and IAB Studio is slated to drop on selected retailers around the world on the 15th of January. Now available at Up There and Sneakerboy.
The Curry Brand has officially launched under the banner of Under Armour. And boy, they’re already making a splash (pun intended) pushing forward the boundaries of performance basketball kicks.
We spent a full week test driving the Curry 8 in the ‘Golden Flow’ colorway in indoor and outdoor court environments.
Check out how the Curry 8 stacks up!
FIT: 4/5
Majority of the uppers is made-up of a one-piece breathable engineered knit. It’s further reinforced by a synthetic piece of leather found on both the lateral and medial side of the kicks. Initially the fit felt long and narrow, specially around the toe box. But after a few minutes of wear, the fabric seems to have stretched over and conformed to the shape of our foot. A TPU heel counter, speed laces and a collar foam seems to be the main lockdown component. Knit uppers though, tend to stretch with overtime usage. At this point we’re not quite sure how long they will hold. During the test though, we felt no foot slippages or immediate concerns for ankle rolls. We strongly suggest going true to your size or going half to a full size-up if you have wide feet.
CUSHIONING: 5/5
One of the two shining elements of the Curry 8 is the UA FLOW Cushioning system. Much like the uppers, the sole set-up of the kicks is a single unisole foam. There are no mid or outsoles to be found here. The FLOW foam has been biometrically designed with the athlete’s foot in mind. And despite the new biometric design approach, we found it to be very stable with an immense court feel at the forefoot. The cushioning and bounce back is next level. Very responsive during landings and heel strikes. We felt little to no foot fatigues or joint pains during our two hour run with the Curry 8.
TRACTION: 5/5
The traction is amazing. The bite and grip of the UA FLOW Cushioning is next level. Since the traction runs all the way up to the mid part of the sole, push-offs and hesitation moves are a dream to pull-off. For all types of surfaces, we never once experienced slipping during stop and go situations. The ‘soft’ but durable traction seems to adapt to any kind of court surfaces. The only caveat we can think of since the traction is foam based, is how long they will last outdoors. We did notice some minor heel drags when we tried them on blacktop surfaces. Only time will tell how durable they really are.
LOOKS: 4/5
If you are into that whole minimalistic vibe, then these are definitely the kicks for you! Under Armour has pretty much done away with all the unnecessary aesthetic gimmicks found in most of today’s ball kicks and just gave us an absolute performance sneaker. When we first took them out of the box, we felt like they resembled modern day lifestyle runners. The kicks is also adorned with choc full of details about Steph Curry‘s life and journey to the NBA. But most noticeable is the new SC30 logo. We found it pretty dope, as it incorporates the ‘3’ hand sign when he makes a three-point shot, the number ’30’ and his initials ‘SC.’
OVERALL: 4.5/5
Coming in at $220 for men’s size, out of the box we found the UA CURRY 8 to be extremely light, not just for a basketball kicks but for a sneaker overall period. They come in at 12.1 oz in a men’s size 9. There were times during play we completely forgot we were wearing a sneaker. The breathable uppers efficiently wicks away the sweat and kept our feet cool all throughout the day. The addition of a foot plate is very much welcomed, as it provided more support and energy return with each of our stride. The cushioning and traction are the two main elements here that deserves heaps of praise. It took Under Armour 3 years to develop the FLOW FOAM and yes they delivered and more. We’re very excited where the legacy Curry Brand is headed and how Under Armour is going to further utilize and develop its FLOW FOAM.
ASICS Sportstyle joins forces once again with Singapore’s OG sneaker artist, Mark Ong aka SBTG and Limited Edt, the footwear retailer at the forefront of Singapore’s sneaker culture, to roll out the second iteration of the MONSOON PATROL collection that debuted in 2018.
Inspired by themes of discovery, exploration and taking on a sense of adventure, the MONSOON PATROL II once again revisits ASICS’ GEL-LYTETM III, capping off the brand’s year-long celebration of the iconic silhouette’s 30th anniversary with modern and exciting updates. The ASICS’ GEL-LYTETM III designed by Shigeyuki Mitsui and has a history of going against tradition and subverting stereotypes.
Limited Edt x SBTG x ASICS GEL-LYTE™ III ‘Monsoon Patrol’ II featuring Rae
Only 72 pairs of the ultra-limited Singapore exclusive ‘MONSOON PATROL’ II BLACK/BLACK colourway will be available to the public. This highly coveted release, will be made available to random fans who have purchased the ASICS GEL-LYTE™ III ‘MONSOON PATROL’ II in LICHEN GREEN/PIEDMONT GREY colourway and received a numbered dog tag attached to their sneakers. This will give them exclusive access to purchase the BLACK/BLACK colourway via a unique access code.
Specially when you catch the ‘W‘ on the raffles. In my opinion this pair was a cracker release (pun intended) even with all the negativity surrounding it. The make and quality is top-notch. But hey kicks are meant to be worn, so wear them and don’t waste them. This pair easily made my top 10 picks ups of 2020.
Fam 2020 was stressful for most of us but just remember:
“Count your blessings not your problems.”
Just keep it moving onwards and upwards coming into 2021.
American headwear company New Era are joining forces with G-SHOCK to unveil a commemorative New Era x G-SHOCK GM-110NE-1A timepiece. In celebration of the iconic headwear brand’s 100th anniversary, the limited edition watch features black and gold accents reminiscent of the 59FIFTY® visor sticker.
The elements of New Era are captured in the form of a gold flag at the 3 o’clock position, an engraved gold IP case back and a special package featuring a visor sticker motif with the words, ‘Originators of the True Fitted™’ that pays homage to the brand’s storied history.
Upholding the distinctive design of the G-SHOCK GM-110, the custom timepiece boasts a dark grey metal-forged and polished IP bezel with gold lettering that matches its gold and black analog-digital dial.
The GM-110NE-1A comes with two interchangeable bands – one, a black cloth band with an embroidered New Era flag and green undersides, a gold buckle and band keepers, while the other a sleek gold-speckled black urethane band with a branded stainless-steel keeper in gold.
Nike has yet again lost another one of its great collaborators in Jerry Lorenzo and his brand Fear of God. This has made shock waves in the fashion industry. But Adidas has just announced its new partnership with the style connoisseur and they’re expecting it to be long term.
This new contract with Adidas will provide Lorenzo free reign over the creative and business strategy side of Adidas Basketball globally. He will also bring about his new branding Fear of God Athletics which will be honed in on Atheleisure and basketball lifestyle products.
Lorenzo has had many collaboration with many brands other than the Brand Giant Nike and more word is yet to be spilled regarding their shock split.
But one things for certain, if Jerry Lorenzo can prove himself successful, there are Billions of good things coming his way. Just ask Mr Kanye himself.
Titan was founded in 2010, it’s the first and only basketball specialty concept store in the Philippines. To celebrate it’s 10th year anniversary and Michael Jordan‘s global impact on the game, Titan collaborated with Jordan Brand with two landmark silhouettes – the Air Jordan XX3 and the Air Jordan XXXV. Each continues the legacy of an icon and intros Jordan Brand to a new generation seeking a bold aesthetic like never before.
The iconic XX3, along with its innovative use of technology, craftsmanship and materials in its time, perfectly represents what Titan finds most inspiring about the man and the brand: an unmatched ferocity and a sophistication equalled by no other.
The XX3 represents a landmark moment for the Philippines as well. The 2008 drop of the ‘Titanium’ colourway ignited a movement, serving as the catalyst that bridged hoop culture to the mainstream; opening the floodgates that led to what the local sneaker scene is today.
The latest Jordan Brand signature game shoe, the XXXV, represents the ultimate expression of pinnacle basketball performance. Titan is committed to championing Jordan Brand’s innovation agenda, and continues to be an active participant in shaping the future of the game.
Similar to what the XX3 was in 2008 at the start of a movement, the XXXV in 2020 is a symbol of limits being pushed in the boldest, most innovative way possible – a representation of the perfect balance between performance and style.
Jordan Brand and Titan a sanctuary for the game in Manila, both on-court and off. From the Greatest Ever and from the home of the world’s most unique passion for hoops – working together to grow the future of basketball culture.
Jordan Brand and Titan are forever changing the game. Always, For Love of the Game.
Release Dates: 23rd of December 2020 – TITAN (TITAN22.COM & The TITAN App) 29th of December 2020 – Global Release Date 23rd of January 2021 – North America
ASICS Sportstyle joins forces once again with Singapore’s OG sneaker artist, Mark Ong aka SBTG and Limited Edt, the footwear retailer at the forefront of Singapore’s sneaker culture, to roll out the second iteration of the MONSOON PATROL collection that debuted in 2018.
Inspired by themes of discovery, exploration and taking on a sense of adventure, the MONSOON PATROL II once again revisits ASICS’ GEL-LYTETM III, capping off the brand’s year-long celebration of the iconic silhouette’s 30th anniversary with modern and exciting updates. The ASICS’ GEL-LYTETM III designed by Shigeyuki Mitsui and has a history of going against tradition and subverting stereotypes.
Limited Edt x SBTG x ASICS GEL-LYTE™ III ‘Monsoon Patrol’ II featuring Rae
The LICHEN GREEN/PIEDMONT GREY colourway, which launches on the 7th of January, is an update to the 2018 Olive version, taking a monochromatic approach with various shades of Grey in ribbed nylon and hairy suede filling the panels.
The shoe features updates like a reflective ‘spell out’ logo on the shroud and an alternative ‘Rebel Lace System’ with elastic lace and toggle fasteners for optimised convenience and functionality for the wearer. SBTG’s signature parsillia camouflage also lays under the ASICS logo and on the insole.
Inspired by the monsoon season of his home city of Singapore, the MONSOON PATROL collection is the essential weatherproof urban shoe that’s made to conquer any condition and reflect the wearer’s inherent sense of adventure.
The distinctive design showcases SBTG’s artistic interpretation of ASICS Sportstyle’s iconic GEL-LYTETM III silhouette, featuring his signature military motifs through a custom camo print. The model comes equipped with GELTM technology and the classic split tongue design that the GEL-LYTETM model has become known and loved for over the past 30 years.
2020, what a year! No one would have expected 2020 to play out like it did. For the sneaker market, many delays in releases yet we were still able to cop our fave pairs. Now, lets take a look at 2021, and how this will cause a major hole in our wallets!
So far, we have seen a number of OG and retro bring-backs already confirmed like the “Cool Grey” 11s & “Carmine” 6s. But here is an in-depth look at what we can expect next year. So start saving the dollars, cause you’re gunna need them!
Below we have a list of whats set so far. This is a small list, obviously more to come, but for the true Air Jordan collectors, there is some serious heat on the way!
Air Jordan 13 “Starfish” Release Date: January 2nd 2021Air Jodan 1 High “Volt Gold” Release Date: Januray 9th 2021Air Jordan 3 “Midnight Navy” Release Date: January 15th 2021Air Jordan 9 “University Gold” Release Date: January 30 2021Air Jordan 4 “Taupe Haze” Release Date: February 6th 2021Air Jordan 1 “Silver Toe” Release Date: February 12th 2021Air Jordan 6 “Carmine” Release Date: February 13th 2021Air Jordan 1 High “University Blue” Release Date: February 20th 2021Air Jordan 5 “Anthracite” Release Date: February 24th 2021Air Jordan 4 “University Blue” Release Date: March 6th 2021Air Jordan 5 “Hyper Royal” Release Date: March 27th 2021Air Jordan 5 “Raging Bull” Release Date: April 10th 2021Air Jordan 13 “Gym Red” Release Date: May 1st 2021Air Jordan 7 “Paris Saint Germain” Release Date: May 22nd 2021Air Jordan 4 “White Oreo” Release Date: May 29th 2021Air Jordan 3 “Racer Blue” Release Date: July 10th 2021Air Jordan 5 “Oreo” Release Date: July 24th 2021Air Jordan 4 “Lightning” Release Date: August 7th 2021Air Jordan 13 “Dark Powder Blue” Release Date: August 14th 2021Air Jordan 6 “Bordeaux” Release Date: September 4th 2021Air Jordan 5 “Total Orange” Release Date: September 25th 2021Air Jordan 13 “Court Purple” Release Date: September 30th 2021Air Jordan 11 “Cool Grey” Release Date: December 11th 2021
While the past year has generally been the worst for most people, to look at the positives, for sneakerheads, 2020 has has been filled with many memorable collaborations to hit the sneaker space, from the StrangeLove Skateboards x Nike SB Dunk Low Pro ‘Valentine’s Day’, Fear of God x Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star ’70 High ‘Natural’ to the G-Dragon PEACEMINUSONE x Nike Air Force 1 ’07 ‘Para-Noise 2.0’.
To end this crazy year with a bang, join Novelship in the festivities of this holiday season and stand a chance to win a pair of highly sought-after sneakers. Participating in Novelship’s Wishlist Giveaway is simple. Just follow the steps below:
Step 1: Go to the Wishlist Giveaway page and log in or sign up to participate Step 2: Select your sneakers by tapping the image Step 3: Choose 6 sneakers and click ‘Save Wishlist’ Step 4: Enter you sneaker size and Instagram Handle Step 5: Click ‘Confirm’. Do note that you can’t change it once it has been Confirmed Step 6: Take a screenshot, share it on Instagram, tag @Novelship and 5 friends
12 Days of Promo Code Drops
Apart from the Wishlist Giveaway, Novelship will be dropping a special promo code each day from 12 – 23 December, 2020. Shop your favourite brands from Air Jordans, Yeezys to Supreme. Check Novelship each day or follow them on Instagram @Novelship to get the exclusive deals.
Exclusive Deals in December
All new users get A$25 off their first purchase when they use code ‘XMAS20’ in December.
Min. spend of A$150
All purchases during this period will earn 2x Novelship Points for every purchase made and 25% off promo code redemption.
As for sellers, enjoy 25% off Seller Fees till the end of the year.
