The sound of my shoes

The trainer queue. It's something I've only ever read about. Anything from a handful to hundreds of dedicated souls waiting outside a shop for anything from a few hours up to a week to get their feet into that special pair of trainers on the morning of release. This weekend, I finally bit the bullet and tried out the experience for myself. But the queue is just part of the story...

On Friday night, I was lucky enough to get an invitation to the UK release of the Fluff SB book launch. The book, presented by Nike Skateboarding and dutch skateboard magazine Fluff, comprises photographs by Marcel Veldman, following 117 riders from the European Nike SB teams on various tours through 19 European countries.

To celebrate the book release, there's an exhibition of photos from the UK content of the book at the Nike Sportswear London shop, 1948.


The show opened on Saturday, but I was there for the party on Friday night. As most of the photos were taken in Ramsgate, the exhibition has a traditional British seaside resort theme, with the photos displayed on the walls of beach huts.

Keeping with the theme, there was also free Nike SB/Fluff rock. And a free copy of the (600-page, 5kg) book for everyone who was invited. There was also free beer. Lots of free beer.

After the Nike party, it was on to party two. It started out as Kate's birthday party, but soon turned into a celebration of Kate and Steph's engagement.

Getting home from drunken karaoke at about 2am, I went to bed for about two-and-a-half hours before getting up and heading out into the snow to pick up one of 12 pairs of Nike Zoom Bruin SBs, designed by the people at Fluff magazine, that were released to promote the Fluff SB book.

Swaddled in all my warmest clothes, some of which I hadn't worn since climbing Mount Kenya in the summer of 1997, I got (back) to 1948 (the aforementioned shop, rather than the year) around 6am, definitely feeling the after-effects of the free booze consumed in the very same place not 12 hours before. There were two people already there. They'd turned up at 1am and slept in their car. Between then and 10.30, when the shop opened, people turned up in dribs and drabs, until there were about 16 people (unfortunately for the last four, the fact that there were only 12 pairs had previously been just been a rumour).

Despite one of the guys in front of me also being a size 8, I was very happy to pick up a pair in my size. Very happy, very relieved and ridiculously tired. All in all, the trainer queue was an enjoyable experience, but not one I'm planning in making a habit of.

For those of you with an interest in photography or skateboarding, the Fluff SB exhibition runs until 14th February and it's well worth a look.

My 15 minutes?

Following on from the the photoshoot of me and my trainers (I might have mentioned it). I've become what is known as an 'internet sensation' (albeit a very, very small one).

The above image turned up on the Classic Sole blog. I was dubious about the pic. With, as it turns out, quite good reason.

Look at us through the lens of a camera

I was subject of a photo shoot last Friday. I answered a request by a photographer on the Crooked Tongues forum looking for people involved in the trainer industry to be photographed for an upcoming exhibition he's putting together.

Having seen Errol's Flickr stream, I decided to drop him a line. Not only do I have quite a big collection (in terms of normal people, but compared with other trainer 'collectors', mine is pitiful, but then I don't see myself as a collector, I just buy what I like the look of and wear them), I also write about trainers for N-SB.org.

Below are a selection of the pics taken. The rest should be up in The Sneaker Business section of Errol's Flickr soon. All pics copyright Errol, www.errolphotography.com, used with permission.

Sale away, sale away, sale away

I've decided to do it. I'm going to (try and) sell some trainers. I have always said I buy all the pairs I do with the intention of wearing them and I have worn some of these. But not for ages. So out they will go. I need the space and the cash would be nice too.

Here they are. If you're interested, get in touch with an offer. They should also be up on solemart.de, once the site its server trouble have been solved. Sorry for the rubbish photos.

Adidas Crooked Tongues adicolor Century Lo, with all tongues and laces, including the orange set given to users of the CT forum. Size UK8. 9/10 condition. The purple tongue has creases from wear and the light green laces are a bit dirty. The other tongues and laces are mainly unused.

Jordan Spiz'ike (Spike Lee collaboration hybrid). UK 8. 7.5/10 condition (just a bit of dirt).

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Air Jordan XX, from last year's Countdown Pack. I'm not selling the IIIs that they came with though! Unworn deadstock. UK 8. These won't come with their original box.

Nike Court Force Basic, neon AM95-inspired colourway. UK 8. 9/10.

Nike Dunk High Vintage. From the 2007 quickstrike version of the Be True To Your School series. UK 7.5 (fit big though). 9/10. They look quite worn but that's largely down to them being a 'vintage' release – made to look old.

Adidas adicolor Superstar II G5. With all, unused, stripe colour strips. UK 9. 9/10.

Nike SB Dunk Low Pro. So-called 'Bic' colourway. UK 8. 8/10 (dirty midsole).

Adidas Vintage Promodel. UK 8.5. 8/10 (slight ripping on the tongue lace lock). They will come with an Adidas Promodel box, just not these Promodels.

More soon! (SBs, AM90s, Adidas Skate, Sal 23s)

What's in the box? (See whatcha got)

I received one of those exciting emails from the postroom at work on Friday morning, saying that there was a parcel waiting for me. It was this huge box...

... from skate shoe company Sole Technology's European HQ in the Netherlands.

That information gave away what could be inside. Last month, I wrote about the release of the Crooked Tongues and éS collaboration Foothills range and its launch party at Slam City for n-sb.org (and on here). A few days later, I was emailed by Charlie from CT offering me something from the range to say thanks for the coverage. I asked for a pair of the trainers. And that's what was in the box.

But that wasn't the only thing. Oh no. Also in there was the cap, backpack and jacket from the range. It was an extremely generous gift from Crooked Tongues.

Here's me looking like I'm going to apply for my first ASBO in the jacket. Yes, it's a bit on the large side but, with a price tag of £220, I can definitely live with that. Is it wrong that I really want the temperature to drop so I can wear it (outside of my flat)?

Busy Day

Some of you (LOL etc) must have been wondering why my posts have slowed somewhat recently. It's because I've been back at work. Literally back. I have been and will be at Marketing Week again. Only three days since eventually getting the heave-ho, I'm back as a freelancer. I'm there for a total of ten days, which should bring in the same amount as I was making in a month when I was full time. This will obviously leave the rest of the month for other work. Or...

This place opened today. Mile End skatepark. It's only minutes from my flat. Amazing. And it will be even better when I'm actually good enough to use any of the obstacles (or whatever they're called), apart from rolling up and down the bump bits.

Also today, Weartested, a super-comprehensive skateshoe review site, was updated with a breakdown of the Adidas Campus Vulc. I helped out with this by checking over the words – the guy who writes it is German. But his English is probably better than mine. Check it out.

Two of my favourite things

Girls in trainers. Girls in underwear in trainers. I quite like this Playboy fashion feature.