Monday, September 10, 2012

theAIR JORDAN SPIZIKES STORY

theAIR JORDAN SPIZIKES STORY
by theKONGBLOG


Once upon a time...we were short-handed at work but I decided to "sneak-out" because I was stressed and I needed to hit-up a Chase ATM. Not sure if a walk around theGreatest & Busiest City in the World is a "stress-reliever" but I like I said, I needed cash. I went to a local Duane Reade which carries ATMs "exclusively" from Chase but this one was Out-of-Order!

I then began speed-walking to the nearest Chase bank and then to Kim's Lunch Cart to pick-up my usual chicken over rice w/ lettuce, tomatoes & extra onions (lean protein lunch). As I get back into my office building lobby, I see 2 missed mobile calls from my boss...oh f*ck...since I couldn't call him back in the elevator, I called his desk from our work phone. 

"You called?" 'Yeah, are you back? I'm coming over in a few...'


I'm now eating lunch and sh*ttin' bricks at the same time...nervousness hath set in...am I in trouble for steppin' out for a few minutes w/o telling anyone?! (Ugh.) He finally entered my office, 'Good thing you're having lunch now...the corporate guys from Google are taking-me-out on business to Nike Town to build my own sneakers...they wanted me to bring an associate and since you're our Media Director...and since I know you're into sneakers...we're suppose to meet Sam; our account manager from Google at 1:45pm...we'll leave in a few.' ("WHEW!")


During our walk to the Nike's flagship store (located on 6 East 57th Street btwn 5th & Madison Avenues, New York, NY 10022), the city was bustlin' w/ tourists and shoppers who were taking advantage of the 4th Annual Fashion Night Out in New York City. Human traffic was incredible...the Mother & Daughter Combo was deadly though –on another level!

Upon entering Nike Town's ginormous five-story store, we took the elevator up to the 5th floor to the NikeiD Design Studio so we can build our own sneakers! The Corporate Google reps were running late and so my boss & I got acquainted w/ one of the sales rep who looked like a Delonte West "wanna-be!"



When Sam & Mark from Google finally arrived from Boston, Delonte was actually our presentator. He brought us into the design studio; which was made of "see-through" glass, and gave us a mini-tour. (Most recent celebs to have created their own sneakers were Mark Sanchez & Jeremy Lin –pictures of their "custom-built" kicks along w/ their autographs were on display in a black portfolio book.)

The four of us split-up into two, separate pairs and were assigned a design consultant who brought us to one of four 27-inch iMac workstations. Being that I was first up-to-bat, I found it extremely difficult to design & get acquainted w/ the Google Rep! I consider myself an "above-average" multi-tasker but the pressure of inter-mixing "business with pleasure" kinda sorta got the best of me...the finished design that's depicted was much better than my original; which was just black & orange (my favorite color) w/ no white accents. 

Look, I'm not trying to make excuses but entertaining clients (or vice versa) takes a certain skill –being impressionable is vital, and I'm trying to make that impression while attempting to design my "dream" kicks...like I said, it was extremely difficult. 


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In conclusion, my design consultant eventually came back the station and helped guide me through the design process w/ some ideas of his own. In particular, the addition of the white colorway and placing of the patent leather.

The photos delineated above are the finished product: The Air Jordan Spizike is an Air Jordan sneaker that is a "mash-up" of the 6 different Air Jordans that Spike Lee helped promote. Air Jordan Spizikes take pieces from the following Air Jordans:

Air Jordan 3 – sole, midsole, and “Spike”/elephant print
Air Jordan 4 – “wings” on the sides of the shoes that hold lace loops
Air Jordan 5 – main silhouette of the shoes as well as netting on the side
Air Jordan 6 – tongue of shoes and lace locks
Air Jordan 9 – back tab
Air Jordan 20 – Lasered graphics on sockliner


Retail cost: $175 USD
NikeiD cost: $210 USD
FREE Spizikes courtesy of Google: PRICELESS


~The End~

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