What Goes Up; Melbourne

Bowl-A-Rama; Sydney

This weekend saw Bondi come alive when the skate world illuminati rolled into town.

As bowl comps go they don't come much bigger than the Vans Bondi Bowl-A-Rama, so I was on site to take a peek at just what it is that makes Bowl-A-Rama so popular, why the event attracts such a diverse and loyal following, and how Vans are still rocking it from the skate park to the high st.
It was a great day and whether you were there or not I hope this helps you get into the Bowl-A-Rama vibe.

Stink for the Arctic - Feb 27th

I love a good cause and if you're looking to help raise awareness of something we can all help with then please spread the world about tomorrow being 'Stink for the Arctic' day.
The Spirithoods Tribe are known for their quirky approach to accessories all inspired by great animals, and wild creatures don't come much greater than the Polar Bear.
We all know that it's an animal whose future is uncertain, but we can all help in trying to protect it by taking part in this great campaign.
Click on the pic above for more info.

Behind The Brand; Sneaker Freaker

One of the mecca's of the urban style world/global sneaker community is Sneaker Freaker magazine.  The iconic publication is a leading light in sneaker style, and I was lucky enough to be invited to their HQ in Melbourne to check out the surroundings of an office that oozes with inspiration wherever you look.

In 10 years the mag has become nothing short of a revelation and it's all down to Founder and Editor Woody (see 2nd pics) whose tireless dedication has made him and his work an international phenomenon.  He's also a top bloke and spent time chatting with me about everything from the sneaker world, to photography and my embarrassing moment with an Australian cricket great (don't ask!). 

if you're not a Sneaker Freaker subscriber yet then shame on you, but I urge you to check it out, and above are some shots behind the scenes of the fantastic publication.

Half Cab - Happy Birthday; Sydney

Last week saw the celebrations rolled out for a classic Reebok kick (see here) and this week see's Vans light up the birthday candles as they celebrate 20 years of their classic kick, the Half Cab.
This week see's Bowl-A-Rama roll into Bondi, an annual skating celebration that brings the biggest, baddest and best things on 4 wheels to the iconic Sydney bowl.  The event is a showcase for Vans close relationship with the skating world, and the brand started the festivities in style with last night's party that marked the start of a week of skating loveliness.
If you're in town this weekend make sure you head to Bondi on Saturday for the 2012 Bowl-a-Rama, I hope to see you there!

Melbourne's Looking Up Pt 2 (In B&W)

Melbourne's Looking Up Pt 1

When you spend all day looking down at people's feet, it's sometimes nice to look up and check out some of the detail that makes each city so unique.
Melbourne is particularly interesting in this respect as glances skywards will not only reward you with the sight of interesting architecture (residential, business and commercial) but also a mainstay of the Melbourne skyline; Tramlines.  Trams run like a series of arteries through the city and are integral to keeping this fascinating city moving.

Creative Recreation AW12 Preview

 

Creative Recreation is a Californian footwear brand that launched in 2002 in an attempt to fill the trouble zone of the sneaker world; the professional sneaker!
The whole smart/casual area can be murky territory with footwear leaning too much one way or the other to be the ideal shoe to wear for work meetings and then the pub, so the Creative Rec founders (who both come from established careers in the shoe game) have put some thoughtful product forward for 2012 that they claim offers 'shoes for life with style'.
I was given a sneak peek at the brand's collection which is in stores and online now, and the brand have some interesting silhouettes and colourways on offer that could sharpen up any look - check it out.

Boxfresh AW12 Preview

The UK menswear brand Boxfresh is due to undergo something of a rebirth in 2012, and I was lucky enough to be invited to get an exciting preview of some of the brand's new footwear and apparel lines.
The brand's name (according to Wikipedia) refers to the early hip hop term where hot sneakers were 'Boxfresh' if they were hot when they were fresh out of the box, and from what I saw of the brand's new collection there were some fresh pieces indeed.
Above are my picks, and I loved the brand's return to basics with simple yet interesting cuts in the apparel and some playful twists on classic shoe styles.
Boxfresh will be making some big noises in 2012 with some key peices starting to drop in Australia in March so check them out if you're looking to freshen you up your wardrobe.

Geordie Took a Punt on a Pint; Melbourne

Geordie is a new convert to New Balance after picking up these 'The Red Lion' 574's in the Xmas sales.
The shoe was part of the 2011 The Pub Pack which offered the classic 576 silhouette in 3 styles all inspired by some classic UK pub names, and in addition to these shoes he also picked up the iconic Blue leather 'The Kings Head' style too.
He wasn't too familiar with NB before his impulse purchase but is now a complete convert due to the mix of comfort, quality and style and would be welcome in any pub in town!

Happy Birthday Dear Workout, Happy Birthday To You

 

 

I hate to say it but...I told you so! 

Some time ago I made the insightful prediction that big things were going to come from Reebok and their iconic back catalogue of shoes.  Their back catalogue features some truly iconic silhouettes and while the brand's popularity may have dipped in some quarters over recent years, it's definitely a sleeping giant ready to wake again!

It's hard to believe that The Workout; a Reebok shoe that made an indelible mark on sneaker history is 25 years old, and to mark the special occasion Sneakerology threw a party to celebrate the shoe's coming of age and I was lucky enough to grab an invite to check out the store, some great limited edition Workout colourways, and the cool Reebok loving crowd.

If you're looking to do some retail therapy this weekend you could do far worse than pick up a pair of the classic shoes and play your part in ensuring it's around for at least another 25 years.

Behind The Brand; New Balance

Following on from Monday's post, today is a chance to get up close and personal with a fascinating sneaker story from a key industry insider.

As many of you will know, my background is in the TV industry where I have worked as a Producer, Writer and Director for a number of years.  This background has given me a desire to expand on the video content of the site with meatier content in 2012, and something I will be looking to pursue is my ‘Behind The’ series which will take you behind the scenes of some interesting style and sneaker based peeps that I reckon have an interesting story to tell.

To start things off I’m taking you ‘Behind The Brand’ of a brand that I know a lot of you love; New Balance.  I was lucky enough to sit down with Ryan Jones, the brand’s Australian Lifestyle Manager to hear NB’s story from the inside.

Please send your feedback and comments on what I hope will be an enlightening series through 2012.

Cheers

Sole Digger

Melbourne's Walls Are Alive Pt 4

Louie; Melbourne

Louie is a truely global sneaker story.  He's from Columbia, but now lives in Melbourne.  He's a fan of the French brand Lacoste and was recently delighted to pick up these new shoes online from the US.
As you can see Louie takes great pride in his appearance with a neat approach based on extreme colour co-ordination that he applies to even the most routine of situations.
His new Lacoste's tipped off a well thought out look that was used merely to get to work for his job as a barman.  It's a lot of effort for little reward as when he gets to work he has to change into a uniform, but nothing gets him ready for work like feeling good and comfortable on the way.