Goldfish Teams Up With Justin Chew To Launch 20/20

Posted by & filed under Fashion.

It’s good to have hobbies, or at least some semblance of a side business that you enjoy doing apart from your day job. Prolific DJ Goldfish, runs a streetwear label with designer, Justin Chew when he’s not spending time spinning in clubs, and it’s quite an interesting venture at that.

The premise of their label, 20/20 revolves around popular culture, creating trends, and styles for the current connected individual; a modern, bilateral mix of both Justin’s prowess in fashion and Goldfish’s musically inspired concepts.

The brand debuts with some 2 shirts, a belt, and a cap, with the highlight of the debut being the motocross inspired oversized jersey. 20/20 graphics are present on the front and on the sleeves, with a white “World Tour” print present above the chest piece. Apart from that, the shirts are a relatively basic black shirt with “World Tour” on the ends, a cap in similar style, and a black belt, again with “World Tour” graphic.

All of this can be purchased at 20/20’s online store or available at Boundless and BevC Clothing. Would you give this a cop?

 

 

 

 

 

U Mobile Is Giving Away Tickets To Good Vibes

Posted by & filed under Events.

All You Gotta Do Is Get Up On Instagram

We feel your sorrows. Our editor diligently checks the Good Vibes Ticket site and much to his grieving lack of proper decision making skills, there’s practically only phase 3 tickets left, but you don’t have to feel that way! If you’re a U Mobile customer, than you stand a chance to win VIP Good Vibes Festival tickets for themselves and 3 other friends.

All you have to do is join through U Mobile’s Unlimited Square contest on Instagram. There’s 2 more days till it ends (contest ends on 5th of July), so there’s still time to submit your entries!

No worries if the VIP tickets can’t be scored, customers also stand a chance to cop General Admission tickets, limited edition U Mobile Festival Kits as well as passes to an exclusive U Mobile pre-festival party on the 18th July! (hint hint, he’s part of The Strokes)

How to win? Here are the steps:

 

 

 

Good luck readers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Court In Favour Of Chatime After Granting Them Injunction Over Tealive

Posted by & filed under Events.

Written by Celine Kitt

CHATIME 1 : TEALIVE 0

After a year and 2 months, the war over our beloved bubble tea drinks is finally over. OG lovers of Chatime are overjoyed after taking the victory, and fans of Tealive will have to face the fact that nothing beats the original. 

On June 27, The Court of Appeal granted a temporary order against Tealive from continuing its operations following an appeal by  Chatime. After all that, based on the violation of the post-franchise terms and the return of its properties, Chatime’s owner is still seeking for the originating summons for the injunction of restrain to Tealive. 

Bryan Loo, owner of Tealive

Despite harsh orders from the judge, Tealive’s lawyers are still being hopeful stating that, 

“This matter is being handled by our lawyers and we will let the due process of law take its course. We have instructed them to make the necessary application to the courts to allow us to maintain status quo until final settlement of the entire legal process.”

On the bright side, despite Tealive closing down, bubble tea staffs are still optimistic that they will be able to keep their jobs. Staff members who were interviewed believed the company would take responsibility and transfer them to other food businesses owned by the Tealive owner, which includes Tino’s Pizza, Spanish yoghurt brand Ilaollao and Gindaco Takoyaki.

After debating between these two bubble tea brands, are you still on Tealive’s side? Regardless of what it is, I think the real situation we are facing here is the fact that some people are still calling it tea-life rather than tea-live. 

The History Of The Football Boot

Posted by & filed under Sneakers, Sports.

We’re now right smack in the middle of World Cup month, and this time round presents an interesting twist compared to the last few World Cups of 2014 and 2010. After the defeat of major players and team favourites from the likes of Germany, Spain, and Argentina having had to pack up their bags and head on home, the underdogs have risen to contest the title much to the surprise of the globe. No doubt that the World Cup is quite literally the biggest sporting event in history, having attracted over a billion viewers worldwide and is the premier front for brands to debut new footwear onto the pitch, featuring some of the most technologically advanced boots to have ever graced the field, but it wasn’t like this in the beginning. Way back when some 200 years ago, football came from humble beginnings, and from there, began a footing that would enable players to perform and breach new limits with every innovation. We detail the history of one of the world’s most recognisable silhouettes, the football boot.

We begin or journey in Britain, where football was an immensely popular sport amongst the factory workers. Back then, people would simply play in their work boots, meaning not only were they bulky and weighed quite a bit, it was also a painful contact sport, in the sense that if you get tackled with steel toed boots, it’s not gonna be a pretty sight for the victim. Later on, studs were added to the outsole in an effort to increase grip in the field.

Subsequently, the sport grew enough to warrant it’s first purposed design boot, which featured thick leather and support up to the ankle for protection. If last season’s PUMA EvoSpeed SL weighed 99 grams on one size, the boots of the 19th century weighed 5 times more, and would double in weight when played in the wet.

PUMA EvoSpeed SL

Then World War 1 and World War 2 happened, so there wasn’t much focus on the sport, but it did however carry a significant development during the trying times, because in this period, the football wave was hitting South America, and hitting hard. The drier pitches in more barren climates of Chile, Uruguay and Argentina meant that the traditional approach by the Brits were not viable as the British weather was not present and industrial socioeconomic background was vastly different than the one up north, hence boots were lighter, more aerodynamic, and are more communicative when dribbling compared to their British counterparts.

However, it wasn’t until 1954 that one innovation shifted the landscape in the footballing world. Hungarians held the lead for the first half of the game, Otherwise known as the ‘Golden Team,’ led by Ferenc Puskas, in the final at Wankdorf Stadium, Bern. The Germans have been the underdogs during this rendition of the World Cup, having clawed their way to the final only looking to be put down by Hungarian players in the early stages of the game. However, environmental factors were played towards their advantage.

It was raining heavily, subsequently turning the pitch into a bog, muddy, and unpredictable. Adi Dassler, founder of Adidas, had fitted the players’ boots with screw-in studs to help the team adjust to the ongoing weather conditions, and for this particular match, had been outfitted with longer than usual studs to compensate for the loss of grip during torrential rain conditions without compromising the agility of the boot when the Hungarians had to settle for wet weather ones. The results shocked everyone, German pulled a last minute comeback, nailing another goal for the final score to end at 3 – 2, ending Hungary’s unbeaten run in the World Cup. The match was dubbed, the ‘Miracle Of Bern’ as a result.

The significance of this match in relation to the boots?

Remember previous designs in Britain which had ankle support, were heavy and thick? All of that was scrapped, in favour of lightness, agility, and ball control. Research and development allowed leather to be thinner and more durable as a result. Boot sponsorships too were more common now, with other manufacturers wanting top athletes representing their product. Adidas then cemented itself as the Big Brother with the release of the Copa Mundial in the 1980s, a boot made from kangaroo leather which is softer, extra support on the heel and shorter stud design for the hard pitches of the Spanish World Cup. The boot still holds the record for the highest selling boot of all time.

This was then followed up by the now legendary Adidas Predator, the first athlete designed boot devised by Craig Johnston, adding rubber on the upper for more precise control of the ball. Adidas rejected it at first, but after persuading star names to demo the boot, they were eventually convinced, and the Three Stripes bought the rights to it, which then proceeded to cement itself as one of the most legendary boots of all time. Around this period, Nike too was up and coming in the football segment, with the Tiempo, and Mercurial being favourites on the pitch.

While physical changes were aplenty to increase the performance and breach limits, colour has remained the same for the past century: black on black, until only 30 years ago that more eye-popping colours were added into the mix.

Now, in the new age, boots are commonplace and new tech pops up every now and then. We’ve mentioned the EvoSpeed SL, featuring an ultra thin body mated to a one piece stud composite that promises no compromised in performance at the cost of only lasting 10 games. Nike has put knitted collars for stronger support without sacrificing weight and Adidas now is fronting a laceless design that gives superior lockdown to the midfoot.

Designs of the boot has spilled over into high fashion too. The likes of Off-White creating the Zoom Fly Mercurial Flyknit, KITH with the Ace 16+ Predator Boost, and Gosha Rubchinsky’s Ace Primeknit Sneakers are just some on the luxury roster.

From work boots, to purpose built game cleats, the football boots have come a long way since the 18th century, and it’s only getting better from here on out.

 

 

 

 

 

Fake Sneakers And How It Affects Our Sneaker Scene

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

Before we begin, you may have realized we have a few legit check write-ups on our website. The whole reason behind why we are taking the time to spread the knowledge is to ensure that our readers do not get scammed especially after dropping a few thousand ringgit for a pair of shoes. Today, we will be sharing our thoughts about fake sneakers and how it affects the entire sneaker scene.

If you have not realized, there are different types of grades of replicas out there such as Grade AAA, 1:1, Perfect, and the most feared one of them all, the Godkiller fakes. The people who sell fakes in Malaysia usually use the term ‘Original Copy’, ‘Original Reject’ and more, using the word ‘Original’ to steer away consumers from the thought that their products are fake. You would usually see these listings on Mudah, Carousell, Instagram, and even some Facebook pages with low prices ranging from RM60 to RM500 and above (usually below 700) with a full size run such as ‘Euro 35 – 46’.

 

We came across a few pages promoting their ‘before’ prices at RM1,299 and then stating the ‘after’ price for RM180 (example in the photo below) which usually throws off real sneakerheads but to a commoner, it probably is the best deal out there for them especially when they can save almost RM1,000 but, is it really a deal? If you are involved in the sneaker scene with a good eye for observation, you would know that there are no authentic Yeezys or anything hype selling for below retail especially when the retail price is already at RM900 and above, with a resell price north of RM2000. However, it’s a different case if it’s priced low at official factory outlets because the stocks at factory outlets are slow-moving stocks from official distributors meant to be cleared off.

You might have the urge to ask, why is it such a big deal that someone is buying fakes? It really isn’t a big deal but with ignorant newcomers who try to ride on the trend and are not willing to spend, they end up buying fakes, ‘flex’ as if its the real thing and the worst part of all? They actually try to resell them. When these people start to think they can resell sneakers like everyone else, these fakes start to flood the secondary market and to make things worse, these newcomers sell the fakes at authentic pair prices eventually leading to genuine buyers getting scammed.

Based on the point of someone trying to ride the trend and buying fakes stated earlier, another concern involving ‘influencers’ in Malaysia (at least) comes into the picture. We all scroll through Instagram on a daily basis and with enough time spent, you would come across and realize that at every corner there is a college/university student or even a ‘FOMO’ (Fear Of Missing Out) adult trying to be an influencer with their hype apparel or sneakers. This is all well and doesn’t change much, however, there have been multiple incidents where wannabe ‘influencers’ promote Instagram stores who sell fake sneakers just because they were sponsored a pair. Their followers then blindly believe that the shop is selling original sneakers just because their favorite ‘influencer’ have misled them with false advertising (as photo below). This would result into more fakes circulating the sneaker market in Malaysia and further ruin it. Time to question some of your favorite influencers?

Lastly, it destroys the significance of sneaker collecting. Sneakerheads who collect sneakers search low and high to find their grails or favorite sneakers whether its RM200 or four figures and above, but the trouble of locating these rare or expensive authentic pairs is the true essence of sneaker collecting. If someone calls themselves a sneakerhead but collect fake sneakers, it negates the practice entirely. As an example, you collect money notes, but your collection is self-printed and are not real, so would you still consider it a collection?

We strongly do not condone fakes, but we would advise everyone to spend according to their means. If you are wearing a fake, it’s fine but don’t go around flexing like they are real or even worse, resell them. It doesn’t take much time to learn how to legit check a pair of shoes as knowledge is only at the tips of your fingers. Congratulations for reading all the way to the end, here are some proof of ‘influencers’ who are trying to promote fakes as original as your reward.

 

 

Timberland’s FlyRoam Series Gets Updated With Its New Aerocore System

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

Timberland’s FlyRoam line of shoes have always been a bit of a good mix, being a shoe made to trek through the urban forest, and this time round, it’s been upgraded with the brand’s new Aerocore™ system, which is akin to what Nike’s doing with its new Epic foam. While the Swoosh primarily uses it for training and sports purposes, Aerocore places its focus on everyday use, prioritising its cushioning system to allow the user to experience a much lighter step, much more consistently.

Showcasing the usability and practicality is Hong Kong based photographer and influencer, NK7. #FLYROAM follows him as he traverses the concrete jungle, capturing its unexpected beauty and intricate details through his lens. The photos too, are taken at angles not made possible with regular shoes, only reinforcing the versatility of the shoe and its new midsole tech.

The shoe in question is the FlyRoam Chill, which includes all of the niceties mentioned above as well as Timberland’s mark of craftsmanship. Retail stands at RM 699 at all Timberland stores.

 

How To Legit Check A Nike SB Dunk (Orange Box To Gold Box)

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

Before the existence of Boost and Off-White x Nike sneakers, the older generation of sneakerheads used to collect Nike SB. Nike SB, with their interesting concept and materials, had their fair share of popularity back in days, and have currently fallen into the vintage genre of sneakers. As usual, China factories are always out to get a slice of the profit cake of anything that’s trending with a high demand. This article is meant to assist sneakerheads who are looking to add older Nike SB’s from the Orange box era till the Gold box era to their collection.

Padded Tongue

This method is not entirely reliable as some China factories have fixed this flaw on their fake pairs but still worth mentioning. Nike SB Dunks have a fat, padded tongue usually, especially on the Dunk Low. Most Nike SB Dunk fakes come with a thinner tongue, meaning its not as padded as the authentic pair. If you have watched reviews of a particular Nike SB Dunk Low on Youtube, you may realize that the tongues on the authentic pair is well-padded and has a certain ‘invitation-to-squeeze’ feel to it. Fakes usually have half-stuffed tongues which are well noticeable with the naked eye.

Tongue Length

We all know that China factories usually try their best to replicate yet keep their cost low by cutting corners. You may compare a fake and real side by side, and you would realize that most fakes have a shorter tongue compared to the authentic pair. The tongues on the authentic pair are usually always above all the eyelids while the tongue on the fakes is usually hidden by the top eyelids. Check out the photos below for a better understanding. (Top is fake, bottom is authentic)

Toe Box

This is one of the easier ways to know whether a pair of Nike SB Dunk Lows is authentic. The fakes usually have a higher mudguard compared to the authentic pairs. You may refer to the photos below for a better understanding. The perforation holes on the toe box are usually equally distributed and more closely placed together rather than the perforation on replicas which are far apart. (Top photo is fake, bottom is authentic)

Size Tag

This is the best way to determine whether an old release of Nike SB Dunks are authentic. The size tags of the Orange box era till Pink Box is similar, however, the Black box era onwards have a different print of size tags. The first method to determine the authenticity of Nike SB Dunks from the Orange box era till the Pink box era is to examine whether the ‘production date’ touches the ‘barcode’ above it such as below. If it doesn’t touch, it’s a fake.

Next, you may check the product code on the size tag (every colorway has a different product code) and Google it. If the searched product code shows the shoe you are looking at in your search results, it is authentic. As an example, type in the product code in the size tag above ‘304292-281’ (the ‘dash’ is optional) in Google, and search for it. The image of the Nike SB Dunk should appear in your search results. The size tag in the pair above belongs to a pair of Nike SB ‘Hunters’, so please do try it for a better understanding.

Besides checking the product code, you can Google the colorway of the Nike SB Dunk, and check when was it released. The production date on the size tag should be before the date it was released unless there was a re-release such as the first Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Shanghai’. Another way of checking the authenticity of a pair of Nike SB Dunks is to make sure that the ‘I’ from ‘In’, from the wording ‘Made In China’ on the size tag to be right above the ‘E’ from the word ‘Fabrique’ on the size tag. You may observe the size tag above and below for a better understanding of the ‘I’ from ‘In’ being above the ‘E’ from ‘Fabrique’. As Nike changed the size tag from the Black box era onwards, this method and the production date method is preferred.

However, China factories have slowed down on replicating Nike SB Dunks from the Blue box era onwards so there isn’t much to worry if you’re buying the newer generation of Nike SB Dunks. We know that thrift shopping has picked up in Malaysia, and many sneakerheads often get tricked or blinded by ‘steal’ prices of old SB Dunks at the thrift shop which usually turns out to be fake, especially the Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Tiffany’. Stay safe and stay real, sneakerheads!

 

 

 

WDHANFTSY: Adidas Futurecraft 4D (F&F)

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

In the words of our Editor-in-Chief, Bryan ‘Botak’ Chin (IG: @bryanbotakchin), this episode is akin to a Burger Double Special Cheese, because someone has been gracious enough to lend us a pair of shoes that’s on the rarer side of the spectrum: The Futurecraft 4D Friends & Family.

UPDATE: The Air Jordan 4 Is Restocking Tomorrow

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

UPDATE: The Air Jordan 4 Levi’s Is Restocking Tomorrow

After previously not getting the original standard wash denim colourway, Nike has blessed us with the black edition of one of the most sought after collaborations this side of 2018. Much like the original, Denim covers the entire shoe all the way down to the midsole, accented with the Levi’s “Two Horses” paper patch and hangtag. The outsole is finished in gum, finishing off a silhouette that you can truly make yours. This time round however, the reversible Trucker Jacket will not be sold here in conjunction with the shoe.

You lot are going to have a tough weekend. Apart from these Levi’s Air Jordan 4s, Off-White Kuala Lumpur is hosting an in-store raffle for the Air Jordan 1 ‘UNC,’ and Adidas Originals are gearing up to release the Yeezy 350 ‘Butter.’ All in the same day.

The Levi’s x Air Jordan 4 will release on Nike, this Saturday, 30th of June at 9AM local time, for approximately RM 905. Will you be copping?

“Kedai Run It” Pop Up Is Happening This Weekend

Posted by & filed under Events, Fashion.

We don’t normally get locally inspired concepts happening around often, so it’s refreshing to see a pop-up reflecting upon the ever popular sundry shops that’s as much a necessity as it is Malaysian, lovingly called Kedai Run It.

In essence, Kedai Run It represents a pop-up concept, added with a slice of Malaysian twist to it, hence drawing inspiration from the ubiquitous Kedai Runcits all over the country. Against Lab and Melatonin headline the event, selling limited edition pop-up related goods on the weekend. 17 Gallery too makes an appearance at the event, showcasing holy grails of streetwear culture in the form of rare sneakers and tees.

The pop-up will be held at Vision Studios, Bangsar, just behind APW, from 4pm – 10pm on Saturday and Sunday, 30th and 1st of July. Y’all definitely don’t wanna miss this one out.