Generic Sneaks: NB vs Nike

So in this small feature I'm going put various different models and brands against each other. To expand and have an in-depth look at some of the everyday sneaks and I wanted to start with a pretty simple but worrying  comparison.

I'm going to start chronologically back in 1976 when Nike released the Elite. Which has now donned the the name "Elite Vintage" due to the fact they still release new versions of this model true to the original shape.This is a classic  in its own right and offers the basic look and shape in which most classic runners are based. With a 2 part sole to raise the heel , a smooth shape from top to toe (forgive the pun) and curves on the heel and toe of the sole for a fluent motion when running and simply comfort while walking.

then if we fast-forward into the 80's New Balance retaliated with their version of the Elite. In which I assume design was as simple as that of sticking a different badge on the same car or choosing the size to have your brands ever so original box logo. This is in short a poor design effort from new balance, and when considered alongside the context of originality surrounding the Elite and its lasting effect on the silhouette of running shoes this round belongs to Nike. 

Now, to offer a fairer comparison is to look at how each brand responded to the changes in the times and in turn, the shape of runners. The late 80's with a thicker heel and a greater slope from the tongue to the toe giving steeper and clearer "dip" in the shoes and in 1988 and 1989 both Nike and New Balance responded with their evolution to the runner. I've chosen to look at the New Balance 1500 and the Nike Air Pegasus 89. 

It is worth noting that the 1500 is noticeably easier to compare to the Air Max one coming out a year before in 1987 and featuring a similar structure and overlay however the AM1 is very much on its own level of influence and would simply not be fair comparison. but a good focal point to measure 

Both the 1500 and the Air Pegasus have a more triangular appearance to their predecessors and exaggeration the curvature of the sole as previously mentioned. However this is where Nike's persistent dominance of runners ends. The 1500 is a far superior shoe in terms of appearance they are an easily adaptable shoe for multiple collaborations and colourways and has a clear reputation amongst the sneaker community as a reputable alternative to the AM1. Not to mention it does show New balance clearly taking influence from Nike but not just re branding it but actually making it their own. For these reasons I'll happily come down on NB's side this time solely for my hatred of the Air Pegasus 89...

Air Pegasus or as I'm going to refer to them as the "89" has multiple visible and design flaws in my opinion. Firstly the shoe is nothing original for Nike and takes the weaker aspects from the Air range including: Max 1, Vortex, Elite and Windrunners to create a shoe that looks thrown together with the many irrelevant cut aways and additions  that make the shoe look more like an Elite in a shell than a whole new trainer, which is also the case for the Pegasus 92 which was an Elite in a Huarache Shell. The 89 is also tremendously toned down compared to the AM 1, the shoe is ugly, without a doubt but given the success and significance on the AM1 ignoring it's success was, to be blunt, a bit stupid and has left us with a tremendous skid mark on Nike's lucky boxers : it's Air Range.

 The 89 is simply a sign that the seed never falls too far from the tree and will try to compete but die because of the tremendous power of the parent tree. Yet the recent revival of this classic example of artistic failure shows you can dig any old crap out the ground and it'll sell. 

Infra...

"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me."


I've just listened back to a recording of myself from boxing day after I was a pint bottle of Bulmer's, quite a few JD and cokes and copious amounts of wine down, hence the Hunter. S.Thompson quote. It takes two minutes of listening to drunken drivel to actually reach the focus of my "in depth" discussion with my phone... my boxing day purchases especially when all goes silent and I state "Today I have bought some beautiful shoes"

After this the question I ask is one of terminology. What should I call shoes when I talk about them? Because I think the term trainers doesn't seem specific and seems to be the word used by those who don't really under stand, as I'm sure you've all heard "£100 on a pair of trainers?!" and I feel it doesn't reinforce the knowledge or culture behind streetwear. While Sneakers seems quite an american and cringey term that seems a little too risqué for a little unimportant blog like this one. Ill settle for sneakers and if "sneakerism" were a religion and shoe with an infrared colourway would make it a holy artifact. Which in respect to Nike make any of the Air Max 90 Infrareds the holy grail of sneaks.

But yes £100 is what I spent on my Nike Air Max 90 OG Vintage Infrared which I think is a good deal considering all places selling them for less had them in a January release and by the time I had money in my bank many pre-sales had ran out. So to get my shoes at least 5 days early I queued up in JD Sports on boxing day amongst the cretinous customers all pushing to spend their Christmas and dole money on some new 95s, PTs or Air Pegasus 89s... god I hate Air Pegasus, but I digress.

Following the hellish excursion for food supplies for the day and that sweet, sweet IR we faced the second ordeal of the British public transport system, all in search of some accessories and clothes to set off my new sneaks. My first port of call was the Candy Store where I bought one of this seasons staples: a thick cuffed beanie (Carhartt) and I finally gave in to the camo trend that assaulted fashion this year like the military that it was designed for, with a grey camo tee (Benny Gold).

But on one final, none vain, note you have the patience, creative drive and money you could customise yourself (through Nike ID) some spiz'ikes with some of that critically acclaimed Infrared, whic has also been underplayed by nike, but lets face it they dont need the "spare change"

New Balance, New direction?

First of all I apologise for how long this post has been, presumably because nothing too interesting has been happening recently, but through my news updates on my phone I discovered 2 rather interesting New Balance updates. First of all I’d like to discuss how socio-economic factors affect the fashion industry and in particular its niche markets like streetwear and high fashion. During time of depression people “feel the squeeze” a little more (just to note I hate using such cliché phrases but it’s early and I’m a writer, not an economist).  As a result brands, especially streetwear, tend to tone down their designs as they want to be more appealing and cannot physically afford to take risks in term of “out there” designs. 

   This is what I assume to be the reason for the increase in high street popularity of New Balance they fitted this definition perfectly: not too out there, not too expensive and being a floor-drobe “staple” shoe of sneaker heads, fiends and pimps alike certainly didn’t hinder NB’s position during the hype over streetwear of the last 2 years, along with having a “made in England” appeal during Britain’s most patriotic year. No one could be blamed for thinking they are possible the luckiest brand of the decade. 

     If you’ve read my previous articles you’ll be no stranger to collaborations, and presumably know they excite people. I am guilty of this especially with shoes I would pay a lot more money than I’d like to admit on a pair of ‘Size? X Dave White x Nike air stabs’... Wait size? ...A trainer or tee being exclusive to a retailer makes it that little bit more exciting more desirable this is no different for my reaction to the Size? X Staple X New Balance “black pigeon” but I couldn’t help but take it with a pinch of salt. This announcement came in the same week as the New Balance Infra red announcement, that magical Colourway that gets sneaker reds and collectors sweating from the brow and their fingers ready for some serious F5 mashing on day of release.
      So I hear you ask “what’s the issue?” Well these two announcements make me thing that new balance are using the funding from their new fan base, whether its people discovering them through streetwear or people buying them because their local FootAsylum have them stocked next to their favourite chinos and generic as fuck tee shirts with SWAG written over photos of models the company don’t even own the rights to, they can afford to take the risks, at first I thought this was a prediction that would not come true but another announcement came the “New Balance Spring 2013 M890v3 Rainbow Colourway” Just Google that one...
  
It also worries me that both the infrared CW and Staple design collaboration are two of my favourite Air Max 90 designs, I fear this trend may continue and i really don’t want sneakers to fall into the “homogenous cesspool” Matt Irving talks about (as referenced in “the Article”).


(Size? x Staple Design x New Balance Black Pidgeon 577, New Balnce 574 Infrared, Nike x Staple Design Air Max 90 navigation 2004, Nike Air Max 90 Infrared)