ON ID.
So before I officially turn into "The Man Who Hated Nike ID"; I'd like to set the record straight. When I said my comments regarding Nike ID on Weekly Drop, I wasn't really able to properly articulate my true opinions. From a technological and innovation standpoint, Nike ID is amazing. Props should also go out to the digital interface designers of the site. It's the best one out there bar none. In addition, I think Nike ID is great for some people. In a word: it's a novelty. In fact, I made Nike IDs for all our corporate clients this past holiday season and they LOVED them. For people who don't wait on line for kicks, or for people who don't remember which was their first pair of Jordan's back in the 4th grade; Nike ID is a very cool thing. In all honesty, I think people get carried away it though. Bottom line, not everyone is a designer. And with all those colors, fabrics and trims to choose from, 9 out of 10 of these creations are pretty wack. It's natural for people to just go nuts with it.
But for the true sneaker connoisseur (Thanks Bobbito, I like that term); the actual shoes are really only a small part of the "game". The hunt. The experience. The struggle. The need. That's what it's really all about. Every single one of my kicks is a representation of a chapter in my life. That's why when I catalog my kicks on Darrin Hudson, it's important I tell how I acquired them and write a little anecdote as well. That's the actual worth of these kicks. The Mach Runners I got in Argentina are not dope because of the form or design or some limited edition-ness. They cost US$19! They're dope cuz of where I was when I got them and the experience. It's the same phenomenon as DJs who are vinyl lovers vs DJs who swear by Serato/Final Scratch. Yes, of course...it's amazing and mad convenient. But I rarely listen to a DJ that does not abuse that shit by attempting to play all 10,000 MP3s on his laptop. So when I see someone wearing an ill Air Max 90 or something...and they say "I got it on I.D.", I just don't get amped off that. There was no story behind that. No mission. Just you in your drawers and a monitor. Again, nothing wrong with it...I've seen some dope ass ID creations, just not my taste personally.
I was discussing this topic recently with a friend of mine who I deem as incredibly intelligent, especially on this subject matter of consumption. He summed it up perfectly:
"I have a big, big problem with the entire premise of the corporation that "offers" individuality. If I want to be an individual, I can pretty much do it without help from Nike. (Or Adicolor or whatever else.) ... Nike ID in particular is really based on a phony version of individuality and customization. The day they'll let me buy a swoosh-free Nike, I'll at least pay attention.
Of course, while I think Nike ID is pretty stupid, I also think it's brilliant, in terms of giving a certain kind of consumer exactly what they (think they) want. This is the genius of Nike -- they're frequently so wrong that they are right."
Word. Is. Bond.
posted by jeffstaple | 1:31 AM
11 Comments:
i totally agree with the novelty concept on ID's and that often the colours can come out plain wack. The ease of it as well makes it very boring in terms of the sneaker collecting game. If you live in the US of course, if you live in Canada, like i do, then its a bit more of a challange having to get a friend in the states order them with their own credit card, send it to their address and then pick them up or have them brought over the border, while of course not declaring them. I had been planning on doing this for awhile but then, decided instead to grab a pair of opium air 180's. Why? I think its like you said about wanting to be part a a small club of a few, not just a 1 of 1 club.
anyways, theres my rant.
love the blog jeff, keep it up.
Jeff: Don't worry, most ID orders get cancelled because they are having major problems with the production and can't deliver on time.
Here is why I like the ID. Anything you buy is only giving you the illusion of choice and individuality. Someone else made it, you decide you like it and you pick it up. ID lets me get exactly what I want. The style in the colors I want. All too often I see a sneaker I like, but the colors are not what I want, or the style is not my thing. With this I can hit the nail on the head instead of settling.
i listened to the weekly drop podcast and fully appreciate your point of view and opinions, but spare a thought for us cats downunder, and i dont mean mexico, i speak of australia and new zealand. for us, the concept of id is ridiculously far from our grasp yet via the web, tantilisingly close. while even those that have a hookup in the states have to deal with a logistical shitstorm to realise their ids, those that don't are stuck in a virtual purgatory of clicking on different colour swatches.
i appreciate this blog. thanks.
Nike ID is a smart concept in general, but your comments on Weekly Drop and this post may be addressing a larger issue of the new era of sneaker culture. I agree there is no story or memory attached to the ID and that is the problem with sneakerheads today. Most people are not buying items(not just sneaker but clothing)because they couldnt get in the 8th grade, had a pair they killed 7 years ago or the design speaks for itself. They are buying items because it's all about hype(sneaker of the week) or rarity. I like the rare or limited stuff too but the most important thing is the how good a product looks regardless if it is 1 or 50,000.I just cope a pair of Adidas original that were in the showcase in the best sneaker store in my country in 1988 and that holds more weight then any other sneakers I got, regardless of price.So maybe after everybody purchase their ID, we can all get back to buying sneakers because they look damn good or hold a value due to memory.
I like what "elayenwai" had to say. Sometimes, living in downtown NYC and bring in this mix, I get too insulated (as I also mentioned on Weekly Drop). I mean we have ID. We have 255 which is an exclusive appointment only version of ID. Then we have the releases. The lines. The stores. In a word, we are spoiled. Thanks for reminding me that cats are still mad thirsty out there.
I actually like the ID concept, mainly b/c the pair that I made at 255 came out DOPE! But after checking some pics of the id's made by some niketalk users a while ago, it was painfully obvious that a lot of people should stick to buying "pre-made" nikes at the store. The concept, site, and studio are all great. But it does take away from the hunt for kicks, and can just end up with some ugly ass creations. Like Jeff said, us NY heads are totally spoiled, (don't know what i'd do sneakerwise if I lived elsewhere), but that's just the way it goes. Same how NY hip-hop artists feel more loved when they do shows in other states/countries.
mr. staple,
did they cancel your order?
it has happened before.
theres a guy on NT who is selling 255 passes.
your insulated comment is dead on.
p.s.
its all about customs, peep my blog.
sincerely,
duck.
I definitely feel what you are saying man. Some of the colorways that come out of that spot are vomit worthy.
I could get an appointment whenever, but like you said, there is something about the hunt for dope kicks that makes the wait worth it. I remember laughing when my boy went to Nort before the Stash drop, and people were on line, waiting 2-3 days before.
Some of the biggest shoe connects I made were while hunting. I'll never cease.
See y'all at the dunkxchange!
..hehe and now this one gets an AF1 ID-ed by clark kent
; ) tthat is the sweetest, right?
but back to the topic: definitely there are people going crazy with too many colours etc.. so it becomes a challenge to have / design a decent ID one, right? Maybe the new challenge with IDs should be: to make IDs for friends .. or - who did these IDs for me?
because - I agree, it is something missing in the joy for "finding" a perfect pair of sneakers when you just did them with the NIKE interface yourself. But cool to have it - come up with new challenges along with new possibilities! ; )
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