UFC fighter Nate “The Rock” Quarry (in the black trunks in the above image) has signed a sponsorship contract with hoops brand AND1. While this may seem odd at first, it becomes even more unexpected when you remember that UFC rules prevent the use of any kind of footwear in matches. So while Quarry may not be able to sport a pair of ME8s for his upcoming match with Demian Maia at UFC 91 on November 15th, the middleweight will be wearing the AND1 logo on his shorts, as well as displaying it on is signage.

According to reports, the deal came about as a result of Quarry’s friendship with AND1 athlete and Portland Trailblazer Steve Blake. Extending a helping hand to his sponsorless friend, Blake reached out to director of brand and sports marketing at AND1, Rod Keller. According to Keller, while AND1 remains a basketball brand, they “have to be willing to throw traditional logic out the door and capitalize on opportunities.” He also notes that “more and more athletes like Steve Blake train with MMA training methods.” So while it may not be immediately obvious, there are still correlations to basketball. Keller also indicated that they would likely sponsor additional fighters in the future. 

Strangely enough, this isn’t even the first such relationship between a sneaker company and an MMA fighter. Caol Uno has seen his 10AC (”Caol” backwords) line from Nike not only include in-ring, training, and casual gear, but sneakers as well for the past few years. Could this be the beginning of a trend? Are sneaker companies beginning to see the MMA market, which has grown wildly over the past few years, as a viable outlet to reach new fans? With the increasing popularity and visibility of the sport, it would not be surprising to see more and more companies start showing up on the shorts of these fighters.

The biggest question remains though: Will MMA fighters carry on the time honored tradition of tattooing the famed AND1 logo on their bodies, like their basketball-playing counterparts? Only time will tell.

With Halloween on the horizons, skate brand Vans recently dropped their Japan-only collection aimed at celebrating the spooky holiday.  With black acting as a base, the orange patent leather accents add a delightful contrast to the two-pair package that consists of the company’s venerable SK8 Hi and V2041 models. Jack-o-lantern logos appear on the former’s middle panel, while the pumpkin head is stitched onto the 2041’s tongue. Part of my “job” is attempting to approach my write-ups and news blurbs with journalistic objectivity.  More often than not, I cover products that I disregard with snobbish disdain. And while the Japan Vans ’08 Halloween Package certainly isn’t for me, I’ll say it’s a shame the “Land of the Rising Sun” was blessed while America was left contrived versions of the Authentic and Slip-On.

Source:  http://www.abc-mart.net/shop/category_list.aspx?CD=F1000318

With a Dunkman-like color scheme that’s typically the province of Nike’s beleaguered LeBron line; casual brand Supra has extended their product division to include skating with their latest release, the Diablo Mid. The shoe’s upper is comprised of a distinguished mixture of abrasion-resistant suede and perforated black leather. Down below, the shoe offers up a vulcanized midsole and sticky outsole, common fare in the skating world. The Diablo is the signature ride of professional skater Erik Ellington, and look forward to seeing them on his feet and in stores later this fall.

Source: http://www.suprafootwear.com/

Professional skateboarder Geoff Rowley worked extensively in the offseason with Vans to draft his latest concept sneaker, the Rowley Shambles Hi. Featuring an abrasion-resistant upper, vulcanized toe, and sticky outsole, the Shambles is distinguished by an adjustable ankle strap and Rowley’s heel-panel oriented logo. The model will be offered in black, red, and white and will released on October 1^st at selected Vans accounts.

Source: http://www.complex.com/

If I was ever planning a trip to Vegas or Atlantic City and had one brand as a gambling partner, I’d definitely partner up with PUMA. Never afraid to take a risk, the brand generally comes with bizarre butters, with the Solebox Clyde and “Poison Frog” Pack being prime examples. The First Round, the brand’s hightop go-to in the lifestyle department has been a desirable canvas for fur, buttons, and deer–just in the past few months! The silhouette is now the recipient of a “Sketch” theme, with the iconic stripe, stitching, and ankle accents are presented in a redrawn format. Wicked, huh? The sneaker is set to release in three colorways as of now: white/black/red, black/white/silver, and white/sky blue/black. When we recieve word regaring pricing information and availablility, we’ll be sure to update you here!

Source: http://www.kenlu.net/forum/showthread.php?t=31858

Creative Recreation has created a niche for itself in the lifestyle over the past few seasons for placidly refined models in atypical color schemes and material make-ups. The brand’s Fall/Winter line deviates from their tried-and-true approach just a bit, as the wild summery-inspired colorways have been superseded by a mellow, underemphasized theme.  Timeless C.R. models like the DiCoco, Ponti, and Cesario Hi are all making a return, so you can expect the same incomparable quality you’ve come to expect from the independent company. For purchasing information, check out Creative Rec’s official website or Revolve Clothing.com.

Source: http://www.revolveclothing.com/

In a time where clever product placement and brand association are more prevalent than ever, independent footwear and apparel brand Supra recently crafted their Vaider model in a magisterial purple/gold color scheme.   The hightop features rich, purple suede and a checkered middle panel of patent in the same shade.  Gold accents mark the Vaider’s ankle region, while a miniature crown is affixed to the high-riser’s unique overlay.  Expect to see the shoe at retailers later this week.

Source: http://www.complex.com/

After an 11 year relationship Adidas, the Yankees have decided to go with the Swoosh. It has also been reported that Nike is in communication with the Mets about a similar partnership. According to sportsbusinessdaily.com, the Yankees and Nike have “agreed in principle to a five-year sponsorship agreement.” I have a feeling it will take more than the Yanks simply switching their uniform manufacturer to get back to the playoffs.

This deal will begin with the ‘09 season, and the Yankees will also have a new stadium to go with their new licensed apparel. Adidas logos will also not be seen in the new Yankee Stadium, almost a trademark for the last 11 seasons.

This doesn’t mean anything to Yankee players who have worn the Swoosh or Jordan, i.e. Mr. Derek Jeter.

Source: Sportsbusinessdaily.com

Originally introduced as battledress for the British Army, cargo shorts became a popular functional fashion option in the United States in the 1990’s, as the trousers provided an idyllic option for those desiring a rugged, storage friendly clothing option.   The trend’s popularity has extended itself into the new millennium, with rappers like Pharrell insinuating the camoflauge/cargo frenzy that now appears to be here to stay.  The Vans SK8-Hi, also inspired by the Ice Cream/BBC troupe, appears to be here­­—at least for now. To Vans’ credit, the company has worked tirelessly to use the SK8 as a canvas (literally and figuratively) for their creative endeavors.  We’ve seen creative minds and innovative materials utilized on the vulcanized model, but cargo pockets have to be an inaugural attempt. The shoe is available in both camoflauge and khaki versions, with the buttoned pocket fastened by the model’s ankle region. The Sk8-Hi Cargo is available now in stores for $85.

Source: http://ctothejl.com/

The .5 line began roughly five years ago with the 18.5, worn by Melo during his rookie year. Since then, the .5 line has proven to be successful for Jordan Brand, as they’ve expanded it over the years to include the 1.5, 9.5 and 12.5. This December, the Air Jordan 2.5 will be released, designed by Senior Designer Kim Shane and including touches from the Air Jordan II and III. Jordan Brand is sticking to what they know, cement and the classic Bulls colorway, and the sneaker also has some nice details like the II.V Roman numerals along the lateral collar, as well as the variable width lacing.

Steve Jaconetta, aka “airjordanxi,”recently posted about Jordan release dates for October-December, and you can find that here.

A usual suspect: Kerry Kittles at the pump station.

I’ve spent many sleepless nights wishing the bygone hip-hop jersey craze would return. And while I have a feeling that my insatiable thirst for authentic sports apparel might never be quenched like it was in the early part of the millennium, at least there’s Straight Cash Homey.Net. The website is more Champion than Mitchell & Ness, more Starter than Champion. It’s essentially a random collection of photos depicting people wearing obscure, hard-to-find, or just wacky athlete’s garb. And of course, there’s hilarious commentary. Shouts to our very own Nick DePaula for putting me on!

Check it out: http://straightcashhomey.net/

DunkXChange returns to Chicago once again, this time with a two-day event. Whether you’re planning on buying or selling you should prepare for a good time. Dave Jeff of PHLI will be your emcee; that’s pretty much worth the trip right there.

Details:

September 12th- Skate Day

Where- Wilson Skate Park

Time- 4:30pm-6:00pm

DunkxChange tickets will be available for presale for $8.

Prizes for Winners of Skate Competition.

September 13th- DunkXChange

Where- The Wild Hare ( 3530 N Clark St. )

Phone- (773) 327-0868

$10 to get in, open to all ages. If you have questions you can reach them at dunkxchange@hotmail.com

Source: dunkxchange.com

While they brought home the Gold, Spain did give them a good run. The Olympics were full of great sneakers, and below you will find images from the closing of the Men’s Basketball Tournament.

A great shot of the team after receiving their Gold Medals. The team is in the “Medal Stand” Rejuven8’s.

After defeating Spain, they gathered at half in celebation. A great shot of that sneaker line up.

How good do the Zoom Lebron VI’s look?

Kobe in his Mamba Hyperdunks.

With the NBA right around the corner, there are sure to be roster changes and one of the bigger ones would have to be Artest to the Rockets. Are they a contender?

Artest seen here in his K1X.

I posted about Kidd leaving Nike, well here he is shown rocking his new PEAKs.

How nice must it be to be a team member of Jordan Brand? To have the ability to get a pair in pretty much any colorway you would like, ah the possibilities. CP3 certainly is capitalizing on this, instead of using his own signature “CP3″, he broke out some white/navy XX3’s against Germany. I do not know what I would do for a pair of these.

Picture courtesy of Getty Images

If you have been following the Olympics at all, you have seen the print.  It is not there simply to look good, but serves a purpose.  You have probably seen it used on the Basketball team, but other sports such as Track & Field, Archery, Boxing and Canoe/Kayak Teams use it too.

Nike was able to lighten uniforms with the new technology.  Mesh is incorporated into the material without using any extra material.  With this technique up to half of the yarn is removed.  Making the uniforms lighter and cooler. 

The uniform also allows for graphic placement wherever the mesh is located.  Allowing for endless possibilities visually.

Look for this to be used on a regular basis.

source: nikemedia.com

Daniel H. Wilson, a robotics engineer from Tulsa, Oklahoma wants television audiences around the United States to “understand.”  The author of several widely acclaimed humorous science fiction accounts, he is now the host for The History Channel’s new show The Works. (And while I haven’t seen the program yet, I can theorize that it might be a slightly updated version of the network’s How It’s Made with an infusion of humor.) In any event, Wilson explores how sneakers have become so crucially important to modern life, and even how footwear has developed its own subculture. It should be an entertaining 60 minutes.

Schedule:

Thursday, August 7–10:00 PM

Friday, August 8–2:00 AM

Saturday, August 16–1:00 PM 

Thursday, August 21–10:00 AM

Thursday, August 21–4:00 PM

Source: www.history.com

With both classically inspired and wildly interpretive models, the adidas summer 2008 hoops line promises to have something for everyone. More particularly, each release seems to be individually headquartered around unyielding patriotism, “chilling”, or “thrilling”.

Superstar 2G ‘08 World: The latest from the the iconic Shelltoe line, the ‘08 World provides a more streamlined upper which makes it an impeccable choice to wear with denim.

TS Pro Model Olympic: This high-performance piece of kit coincides with the brand’s white/black archetype, and is the latest extension of a shoe that was worn by Dwight Howard, Kevin Garnett, and was the product of a collaborative effort with jewelry designer Gabe Urist.

Chillrahna: With clever branding (notice the three stripes are integrated into the lacing vamp) and an exquisitely placed mesh overlay along the midfoot, this basketball-driven casual shoe should provide ample comfort for the aftermath of a strenuous hoops session.

Thrillrahna Mid: The Thrillrahna is the latest version from a “-rahna”-suffixed line that has gained laurels and recommendation from players in every facet of the game. The Three Stripes have updated the raised sidewalls that have characterized the Pilrahna I, II, and III, as the forefoot walls seem to be independently anchored, while out back, the brand excavated a large chunk of the heel attatchment to strengthen stability and cut down on weight.

The TS Pro Model Olympics is available for $100, the Superstar 2G ‘08 World $70, while the Chillrahna and Thrillrahna warrant $75 and $80 pricetags respectively. All models are currently available in full size runs at www.shopadidas.com

Over the past few years, independent brand Creative Recreation has created a niche in an overly competitive casual footwear market with clean, spare silhouettes done up in untamed colorways and materials that few brands are able to replicate. The fall 2008 line does not sway far from Creative’s pioneering path, as anything from faux-croc print to an odd assemblage of mismatched flannel is used on an interesting lineup of models. For more information, please check out www.creativerecreation.com

Source: www.highsnobiety.com

“Running is a Love/Hate thing…and that is the New Balance,” proclaims the latest television and in-print advertisements from the diligent Boston, Massachusetts-based troupe New Balance. And to sway diehard running enthusiasts in the affectionate direction, NB has released the 1306—an explosive, aggressively molded product that proves to be the company’s first foray into implementing their Zip cushioning platform in a full-length format.

First introduced in ’06, Zip garnered high acclaim in the skeptical running world for its buttery smooth transition, sleek profile, and reassuring fit out back (It was initially introduced in the heel only). 

Like many New Balance products, the 1306 is a vigilantly crafted piece of kit throughout, with several layers of durable, yet supple Biocool mesh lining the upper, and Acteva Light, a featherweight foam adding comfort to the midsole.

The revolutionary 1306 is available at most specialty running stores for a retail price of $119. For more information, check out www.newbalance.com. Both men’s and women’s versions are available.

To celebrate Chris Paul’s NBA 2K8 Cover, 2KSports and Jordan Brand have teamed up and created a collaboration pack including the Jordan CP, an Xbox 360 version of NBA 2K8, a t-shirt as well as an exclusive Xbox 360 faceplate. There is no word yet on the release of this pack or if it will remain a Friends & Family bundle, but the shoe features a white synthetic leather upper, black patent heel quarter panel, varsity red accents, the 2KSports logo along the tongue and the swirling graphic applied to the collar that was seen on the home Hornets colorway worn by Paul during the regular season. We’ll be sure to update you once more release info is known!

Source: KicksOnFire

Inspired by the bustling streets and nightlife of Tokyo, DC has created a two shoe 80’s Pack from their Life Collection that will be launching this Fall. The Stricker (top photo) is a low top skate model while the Billmore offers a more technical skate look, both of which rely on bold shades of blue, pink and gold to stand out. Both also feature heel gel cushioning and DGT Plus should you actually use them for their intended purpose.

Source: HighSnob

When planning the Road Trip for this summer, it was mostly done on a whim, but there was definitely one day on the calendar that we had to make happen — June 21st. It was our good friend and fellow writer Brandon Mattox’s wedding, and we simply couldn’t miss it. The wedding reception took place in southern Wisconsin near Lake Geneva, and it was great to see our buddy Brandon officially become a married man. You’d probably recognize Brandon’s name from the past year, as he helped out a ton on the XX3 Issue and has also written Focus:Shop and Focus:Artist articles in print. His wife Anna has put up with his shoe-buying habits for quite some time now, so it’s no surprise she not only allowed him to wear Jordans, but she also threw on some Valentine’s Day Air Force 1’s herself.

Anna and Brandon Mattox:

And because he’s awesome — he bought twenty pairs of black/metallic silver Jordan V’s for those in his wedding. With the groomsmen:

And last but not least….it was Steve’s brilliant idea to go Dumb & Dumber style with awful suits. Zac and I of course chickened out last minute and went in boring polos and button-ups, but Steve and Jordan from Eastbay wouldn’t back down one bit. Full faux-Burberry and a mis-matched deep red combo. Wow.

Just after last week’s successful launch of the ‘MVP’ Zoom Kobe III, Nike has already launched the latest Kobe-related shoe throughout parts of the Asia region — the Zoom 81. Made to commemorate Bryant’s ridiculous manhandling of the Toronto Raptors over two years ago on January 22, 2006, when he scored 81 points, the Zoom 81 also features the breathable webbed molding that defined the Zoom Kobe III’s upper, but this time along the toe. At the heel is a visible Zoom Air unit, and I’m also extremely intrigued by the altered outsole traction pattern — which looks to provide more wavebone coverage and improved grip as compared to the slippery Kobe III. As a size 13, I’m hoping Nike goes higher than their normal size 12 Asia release production, as these should challenge the big-brother Zoom Kobe III in the playability department. They are currently available on eBay from two reputable sellers — ID4Shoes and kbryant8twfan.

Alife is slated to release an entire collection this year for Reebok, which includes three models each for both Men and Women. For the ladies, the Pro Legacy Mid, Freestyle Hi and Ventilator all get the Alife treatment, and feature subtle canvas uppers in shades of white, grey and black with splattered midsoles and laces for an added streetwear touch. On the Men’s side, three colorways of the ERS 5000 II are scheduled to launch, each featuring a subtle base colored upper with full pop colored midsoles and accent stitching. Look for the set to launch worldwide at select boutique accounts next month.