An Off-White Air Jordan 1 Raffle Is Happening This Weekend

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

Don’t Be Sleeping Now

Off-White Kuala Lumpur just announced on Instagram that a raffle for the upcoming Air Jordan 1 “UNC” will be happening this Saturday, June 30th, at the retail store in Bukit Bintang. Details are scarce as of now, but it’ll most likely be an in-store raffle system followed by an online release.

A release date for these pairs was present on Nike, stating that it was to be released on June 23rd, but has since been postponed due to unknown reasons. It’s going to be a bit difficult for y’all sneakerheads, given that the Air Jordan 4 Levi’s are also releasing this weekend, as well as the Yeezy 350 ‘Butter.’ We’ll let you know as more details arise, but as of now, get ready to smash the piggy bank my fellow readers, Big Brother Nike’s here for your cash.

UPDATE

More details have been released by the Off-White Instagram page.

“Off-White™ Kuala Lumpur is happy to announce the “NIKE RAFFLE” for its customers in Malaysia, Due to very limited quantities, we appreciate that all participants are to follow the instructions listed here below: • Date of Raffle: Saturday, 30th June 2018
• Raffle registration starts from 10:00am
• Queue opens from 10:00am to 10:00pm
• Limited number of tickets will be given out on a first come first serve basis.
• Queue and raffle ticket collection will stop once all tickets are given out.
• One ID is only eligible to enter the raffle once. Any double entries will be automatically disqualified with the exception of customers who have purchased from Off-White™ Kuala Lumpur on raffle day.

Location:

Off-White™ KualaLumpur
Unit G36, Starhill Gallery 181 Jalan Bukit Bintang
Kuala Lumpur 55100 Malaysia

Sizes Available for ballot :
US 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 12, 13”

Source: @off__white___kualalumpur

Good hunting, readers!

The Master of Shadows Wants You To Re-Think Athleisure

Posted by & filed under Fashion.

Back in the 20th century, clothing is categorized into different activities & purposes. Leisure clothing is for leisure, and sporting clothing is strictly kept for sporting activities. However, as the years pass and now in the 21st century, the general population is much more health conscious than ever compared to the past, and many clothing companies are introducing athletic wear on the runways. Showing that working out & looking good does not have to be separated, a new trend in the name of athleisure was born.

While athletic wear was created for a specific use – sports or athletics, athleisure clothing branches out from that niche, and it’s this versatility that has attracted many consumers to the category. In a Business Insider interview on Athleisure with Deirdre Clemente, a professor of history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas which research focuses on 20th century American Culture & the fashion industry said:  

“People want less maintenance of their clothes,”

“Technology is such a pervasive part of our lives. To want it in our clothes is simply natural.”

This is especially true as athleisure clothing is generally more durable, with properties like wrinkle and odor resistance incorporated into its weave.

So who started it & when did the trend happen? To see the roots of athleisure, we would have to travel back to 2003, when Y-3, a joint effort by Yohji Yamamoto & Adidas first debuted on the runways. This collaboration was ahead of its time back in the day, way before the likes of Jun Takahashi’s collab with Nike for NikeLab Gyakusou, Rick Owens’ and Raf Simons’ works with Adidas.

Fitting name too, as the ‘Y’ in Y-3 represents the Anti-Fashion designer, Yohji Yamamoto & ‘3’ for the iconic 3 stripes representation by Adidas. Yohji Yamamoto as many would have known then is a very established designer to many. So why in the world would he want to do a collaboration with Adidas & venture into sportswear?

In a recent intimate interview with him to get more insights as to how Y-3 was conceived, he said that he felt that ‘fashion is getting boring’ & noticed that there is significantly lower amount of people wearing his clothes. ‘At that moment,I thought that I came too far from the streets’ was the words the came out from the Master of Shadows. This is especially true during the transition period from the 90s to the new millennium age; fashion trends took a different turn & anti-fashion sentiments are on the low.

It was the time to be sexy again.

‘I came too far from the streets’ – Yohji Yamamoto

So what did Yohji did? He went back on the streets. Through his observation he said: “I watched around the streets of New York, Paris, & Tokyo. There were so many running people, time to care about the body”. With that observation, Yohji had a vision & mission.

“I watched around the streets of New York, Paris, & Tokyo. There were so many running people, time to care about the body”

To many who did not know, Adidas was not Yohji Yamamoto’s first choice when he first thought about athletics. In an interview with style.com (now Vogue Runway) back in 2015, he revealed that he first made a phone call to Nike. But instead Nike replied to Yohji with : “Thank you very much, Mr. Yamamoto, but we are never going to fashion, we are going only to sportswear.”

Right after that call with Nike, Yohji then divert his attention to Nike’s long time competitor Adidas. The reason for that was mentioned in an interview with Interview Magazine : “In Japan, the three stripes were everywhere, and the young crowd did not take them off even when it was time to go to bed.” From that phone call, history is made.

Here is the in-depth interview with the man himself on the brand Y-3:

“In Japan, the three stripes were everywhere, and the young people did not take them off even when it was time to go to bed.” – Yohji Yamamoto

Many were doubtful about the collaboration between the both, as their target markets are vastly different. However that all that doubt went down the drain during the duo’s debut Spring/Summer 13’ collection in Paris. The iconic three stripes, along with the brand new Y-3 logo, were brandished liberally across oversized track pants and hoodies, jumpsuits, robes and blazers. All of which in typical Yohji style, minimal color palettes of black, white and navy worked to temper the boldness of athletic branding.

Adidas was taking a massive gamble that eventually brought overwhelming positive responses while the duo sent more than 60 looks down the runway showing the breadth of creativity with such a simple logo yet cleverly draped onto futuristic clothing.

When asked about the inspiration for Y-3 with Yohji, he mentioned that when it comes to clothing he loves extreme ends of the spectrum, one end being very classy & elegant while the other extreme end is futuristic. If you guys are familiar with Yohji Yamamoto’s own label clothing, the explanation is apparent. It’s very classy – dark & sharply cut tailored clothing draped masterfully, while on the other hand ,Y-3 goes the opposite route, choosing to be extremely futuristic & gave the world a glimpse into what the future will look like.

   Y-3 Debut Show Spring Summer 13’’
Y-3 Fall Winter 18’’

To complete the athleisure look, one can not forget about the sneakers. While Y-3 certainly is not why designer sneakers are so popular now, it cannot be denied that Y-3 is one of the OG brands that were the catalyst to the movement. Y-3’s rise, too, coincided nicely with the steady growth of mainstream sneaker culture. Over his 15 years as the head of creative for the brand, he has made tons of sneakers from iterations of existing sneakers from Adidas to wholly brand new silhouettes.

It came to a point where if anyone thought about unique, futuristic looking sneakers, Y-3 comes to mind. Some of the iconic sneakers such as the Qasa was also reinterpreted to several variations, showcasing its versatility in different cuts and styles. In fact during the wake of the financial crisis of the late 2000s, Yohji’s main label was the one, struggling to make ends meet, while Y-3 saw steady growth throughout due to popular demand, especially when it came to their footwear offerings.

While the brand is relatively young(with only 15 years of history), it does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Yohji’s vision of futuristic wear was fulfilled when a space exploration company Virgin Galactic approached the man himself to design flight suits for their pilots. Certainly that was a challenge to Yohji as now he has to shift his focus on not just onto aesthetics but also functionality & purposeful clothing. 

Y-3 and Virgin Galactic – Shaping the future of space

Yohji’s & Y-3 futuristic approach towards clothing also coincides with the rise of techwear brands such as ACRONYM, Arcteryx Veilance, and Stone Island Shadow Projects to name a few, showcasing the demand to have more functional clothes to face all kinds of different climates. This then, proves once again that the Master of Shadows has a keen observation for the future light years ahead. Prophetic, even.

From left to right : ACRONYM, Arcteryx Veilance, Stone Island Shadow Project

It is now 2018 and athleisure is seemingly more like a norm, much more evident now in the streets and offices around the world. While many might not have noticed, it has broken down the perception that we have to adhere to a certain dress code for jobs. Now & more so than ever, we see a rise of more relaxed & functional outfits that white collar jobs from the financial business districts can comfortably wear to some even more serious industries such as the medical field.

What do you guys think? Will athleisure stay, and will it be the future of clothing? Did Y-3 managed to spearhead the athleisure trend? Let us know what do you guys think in the comment section below!

On a final note, while we here at MASSES MY are 100% supportive of the athleisure trend (it is so f*cking comfortable) and believe it makes sense for designers to be coming up with newer & better clothing for racing from spin class to the boardroom, but before things get out of hand, here’s one request: Let’s leave leggings at the gym.

 

 

 

7 Underrated Collabs Of 2018 So Far

Posted by & filed under Featured, Sneakers.

Half of 2018 has gone by, and we’ve seen some fire so far, from the Nike React Element 87, Off-White Converse, Sean Wotherspoon Air Max 97/1, and the upcoming Off-White Air Jordan 1 “UNC,” but along with it, came a plethora of other collabs that were overshadowed by the ones previously mentioned. Good news is, the resell market hasn’t really taken notice of this, or even if they did, the prices will just be a lil bit above retail due to the lack of hype surrounding the silhouette. With that here are 7 underrated collabs that you can get now!

Adidas Consortium X Solebox “Italian Leather” Pack

Solebox collabs usually don’t go under the radar, but this one has had a tepid reception. The PureBoost DPR and Quesence make up The “Italian Leather” Pack, which pays homage to the level of craftsmanship and quality benchmarked by Italian leatherworkers, implementing premium suedes and leathers throughout its construction. The dark, muted colours are reflective of Milan’s architecture and the city’s overall palette. Details in the insole include patterns from the Piazza del Duomo to solidify the respective theme.

Commes Des Garcons Air Max 180

The primary colour palette on this pair, is simple, brash, in your face. “Laser Pink” makes up the majority of the colour blocking, with 3 different cage colours to choose from, black, white, and pink. Donning on this pair means you’ll be spotted from kilometres away, but then again, why would you want a collab to be silent? People gotta know it’s CDG bro. It is what it is.

Yeezy 500

The 500 silhouette didn’t get much traction compared to the likes of its siblings, the 350 and 700, which means its the closest pair that you can get for retail. While the 350s and 700s go for twice or thrice its retail price, the 500 is only a smidge above the MSRP, making this one of the more easily accessible Yeezys in the whole line. Build quality too is up to par, using high quality suede and mesh detailing that that covers a pretty complex looking silhouette. No Boost here, AdiPrene makes up the midsole while still providing cloud comfort for the feet. Sure cop.

ACRONYM Vapormax

We’re quite surprised that the ACRONYM Vapormax has been slept on, considering its fairly uncommon to find laceless iterations of the Vapormax, let alone in three different colours. Following an advanced tech cowboy aesthetic, the Vapormax features the A from Acronym printed all over the silhouette, resulting in something that came out from a techwear lookbook. Which is perfect, because the Vapormax is pretty futuristic in its construction too.

Kim Jones Air Max 360

Released in conjunction with Off-White’s ‘Football Mon Amour,’ the Air Max 360 from Jones ‘Football Reimagined’ combines all of Jones’ favourite silhouettes into one shoe. A hybrid of sorts, design cues from the Vandal High are mixed with the Air Max 360 sole, which includes a swoosh smiley on the medial portion of the shoe

Supreme x Vans “Multi-Textured”

Very rare that a Supreme release is muted in the scene, but the “multi-textured” pack has barely got any shoutouts whatsoever. Comprising of the Sk8-Hi and Lampin silhouettes, contrasting panels make up the shoe, as well as including 12-wale corduroy and crocodile-embossed suede on the upper. Co-branding is present on the rubber heel stamp, and “SUPREME” embroidery present on the Sk8-Mid heel and the Lampin tongue.

Adidas X Porter Campus

Porter’s last collaboration that involved footwear was with Timberland, and that one was already a tanker as it is. The Campus model is a more lightweight version that still combines both brands’ signatures in a very tasteful way. Donned up in black suede, Porter wording replaces the Campus on the lateral side of the shoe, while the stripes have been coloured in the iconic Porter orange. Toebox and tongue are made from Porter’s proprietary ‘Tanker’ material, the same one they use to make their bags, so it’s not only just for aesthetics, it is in some ways functional too. Many are still sitting on shelves, so an easy pickup is waiting for your feet.

Are Giant Brands Killing The Exclusivity Of Their Cash Cows?

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

If you are reading this, you probably have better knowledge of the resell market and have the same hunch regarding the supply and demand of sneakers these days. What we are about to discuss today is related to giant brands such as Nike and Adidas, killing the exclusivity of their cash cows. Please note that this is just a perspective of the situation in its entirety.

We recall back to the Boost days back in 2015 when the Turtle Dove 350’s dropped and Adidas was just starting to push their Boost technology using the Ultra Boost and NMD silhouette. Boost tech was instantly adopted as it set a benchmark in terms of comfort; introducing technology commonly used in other industries into mass-produced footwear really upped their sales. As we entered 2016, Adidas went on a sneaker release spree, milking every single drop of profit on their new technology and silhouettes which eventually flooded the sneaker scene with their NMDs and Ultra Boosts, not forgetting the reiterations of the silhouettes to keep things ‘interesting’, or at least that was what was implicated. Adidas even butchered the exclusivity of their limited Boost line; the Yeezys by Kanye West with their many colorways and restocks eventually oversaturated the scene, driving sneakerheads to empty their bank accounts all in the name of adding that one more colorway to their collection. However, we cannot really blame Adidas for overproducing the Yeezys as Kanye West gave a fair ‘promise’ saying that, ‘Eventually everybody who wants to get Yeezys, will get Yeezys’.

Enough about Adidas killing the dreams of Hypebeast trying to ‘over-flex’ their so-called limited sneakers which were once cool. Another brand that we (or at least myself) expect to oversell their highly-sought after silhouettes are Nike and Jordan Brand. If you haven’t realized, Nike is re-releasing their big guns from Air Max collaborations, Air Force 1s, and more while Jordan Brand is releasing a new colorway for their Air Jordan 1 silhouette almost every week such as the 6 Rings pack, the different iterations of colorways using the Shattered Backboard (SBB) color blocking concept and even colorways that ride on the hype of rare pairs such as the Game Royals, having the same shade of blue with the Fragment 1’s for consumers to custom if they are not willing to submit to the resell prices for an original pair.

Every sneakerhead that was on the Boost bandwagon (if you were) moved over to the Nike bandwagon after catching wind of what a game-changer Nike’s ‘The Ten’ collection was. Virgil redefined the aesthetics of Nike and Jordan silhouettes that relate strongly with this new generation of sneakerheads which opened another door of opportunity for Nike to further milk their consumer’s bank accounts. Due to overwhelming demand, the Swoosh has been releasing different colorways of the silhouettes from the Off-White collaboration previously at high frequencies within months. The Off-White x Nike Vapormax has already been released in three colorways, three different pairs of Off-White x Air Jordan 1 have dropped with only one or two months gap between each release. Another two colorways are being anticipated for the Prestos and four different colorways of the Blazers have already surfaced. At the rate Nike is releasing all of these ‘hype’ pairs, we believe the overproduction of these pairs in the market will only dilute its significance and exclusivity, which is something Nike could leverage on in the case that Adidas tries to take a bite of the market share, with their forward-looking Futurecraft technology.

However, Jordan Brand can’t really be put at fault for re-releasing their highly-sought after pairs as every sneakerhead knows Jordan Brand’s pattern where OG colorways are bound to get a re-release eventually. As for Nike, this market ‘takeover’ tactic is definitely effective currently, but in the long run, Nike will run out of cards to play, but we all know that Nike always has their tricks up their sleeves in case of a rainy day. Adidas has been quiet recently after their cash cows are done being squeezed dry, and sneakerheads are just awaiting their next move, anticipating the rise of Futurecraft technology and new designs along with it.

What we may pick out of this opinion piece is that everyone wants what they can’t have, but when everyone can, nobody cares for the sneaker because they want to ‘stand out’, ‘be different’ or remain exclusive. The consumers or self-proclaimed ‘sneakerheads’ (at least in Malaysia) are desperately trying to keep on the hype bandwagon, feeding these giant brands to continue their ‘marketing plan’, failing to realize that the real significance behind sneaker collecting is having knowledge about your sneakers, knowing what’s rare and not what’s more expensive, and lastly, understanding that a collection is not based on quantity, but quality.

To all the real sneaker collectors out there, kudos for staying real despite all the temptations of hype. However, for all the Hypebeast and especially the ones that are just getting into the scene, remember not to be a sheep and not to look like every other average ‘Hype’ joe out there. Some may beg to differ, but as stated earlier, this is just a perspective of the situation where giant brands milk their cash cows, and our roles that have contributed to the butchering of our favorite brand, collaboration, and silhouette.

 

 

 

What Do You Think Of Louis Vuitton’s New Sneaker?

Posted by & filed under Fashion, Features, Sneakers.

We have to discuss this. Now, it’s a fairly well known fact that Virgil has been accused of plagiarising items and ideas, repurposing them into his own, as called out by dietprada over several items like the hoodie and Ikea’s “MAKERAD” collection featuring the doorstop chair, initially designed by Paul McCobb way back when. Abloh claims to have elevated the status of a simple, functional chair into an art piece by integrating a doorstop into one of its legs, and that basically says it all about the breadth of his creative endeavours.

This one is no different though. Virgil Abloh’s newly designed sneaker for fashion house Louis Vuitton is a bit of a compilation of sorts from Nike’s and Jordan’s back catalog of shoes, with the clearest comparison being done with the Avia 880s of old. Upon first inspection, the colourway looks eerily similar to the Air Jordan 3 Black Cements, all the way to the design and colour palette of the outsole, sans the black cement detailing. The hangtag too is extremely reminiscent of the ones Jordan use, only now the LV logo adorns the face instead of the Jumpman.

Left: The New Louis Vuitton Sneaker
Right: The AVIA 880

 

Overall, the collective opinion around the office revolves around “CMI” (Cannot Make It).

While the concept behind “The Ten” conveys an interesting coverage whereby deconstructing and reconstructing classic silhouettes amplifies the shoes’ human value and intensifying the emotional connection of the icons to the wearer, the new ethos just doesn’t carry the same weight when it comes to depth and meaning, and public perception was quick to dismiss it as a blatant copy, with Nike bits added in into the proverbial mixing bowl.

 

 

Then again, the same argument can be said for other fashion houses too, exemplified by the Saint Laurent’s SL10, a somewhat inspired copy of the Air Jordan 1 ‘Bred,’ mimicking its colourway one to one only discerned by different cuttings and material use. Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear Of God 101 Low too has been questioned as to whether to shoe is copied directly from Vans or just an inspiration.

Left: Yves Saint Laurent SL 10
Right: Fear Of God 101 Low

So it comes down to where the line is drawn between copy and inspiration. Shoes like Hender Scheme and Common Projects can be classified as inspirations, elevating standard models from Adidas, Nike, and Converse, into high end luxury items by way of premium materials such as calf leather and handmade detailing to finish off the silhouette, whereas on the other end of the spectrum, we have shoes like the LVs above.

What do you think? Inspiration or Plagiarism? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

 

 

Albert Hammond Jr. Is Coming Down To KL

Posted by & filed under Events, Music.

Coming Down As Part Of Good Vibes Pre-Festival Party

Thank the lucky stars that at least one-third of The Strokes is coming down to KL. As part of Good Vibes pre-festival tour, Albert Hammond Jr. is making his way to The Bee, Publika, just to get a little taste of what the actual festival can offer. While not with The Strokes, Hammond has made a pretty good name for himself, having released 4 albums, with his most recent release, Francis Trouble, garnering glowing reviews.

One, from a particular Pitchfork describes the album as, “some of the brightest, scrappiest music he’s ever made as a solo artist.” Regardless of what you think of Pitchfork, that’s quite a high accolade.

BUT

There’s a caveat. It’s only for U-Mobile customers only. Starting from today, 25th June, U Mobile customers can redeem tickets to the event by following the steps below:

  • Download and open the MyUMobile app
  • Go to Subscriber Rewards
  • Find the U Mobile Presents Albert Hammond Jr: A Pre-Fest Party. Tap on Save This Deal
  • Open My Vouchers, and copy the unique promo code. One promo code entitles the customer to two tickets.
  • RSVP your attendance by e-mailing the promo code, full name and mobile number to ideas@u.com.my
  • Tickets are first come, first served. If you are amongst the first few to RSVP attendance, you will receive an e-mail confirming your tickets to the pre-fest party.

Good Luck, and all the best!

 

Modern-Day Talk, A ‘Symposium For A Rude Physique’ By Shuren Projects

Posted by & filed under Fashion.

Shuren Projects presents to you their 2018 collection, ‘Symposium for a Rude Physique’ which is inspired by Plato’s seminal Symposium text, telling the story of philosophers, playwrights and political figures of ancient Greece. The topics discussed at these symposiums during ancient Greece are usually the topic of love (Eros), desire, and highest forms of Beauty while Shuren Projects offers their own take on modern-day symposium in this collection which involves daily conversations related to clothing and style that suggests their consumers to ponder upon the questions of love and inner beauty, without forgetting the all-important balance between happiness and sickness.
The ‘Symposium for a Rude Physique’ collection by Shuren Projects is now available for purchase in-store at SRP Taman Paramount and on their online store.

AGAINST LAB Brings ‘CHAOS TACTICS’ To The Streetwear Table

Posted by & filed under Fashion.

Local brand, AGAINST LAB is back with another collection with a theme inspired by basketball culture. Fusing the elements of basketball sport with the ethos of AGAINST LAB: ‘Creating Chaos In Monotony’, the collection name ‘CHAOS TACTICS’ was conceived. The collection displays AGAINST’s unapologetic playfulness with a team of diverse graphics and spectrum of colors, ranging from the Demolition Services to a more direct Basic Rules Tee. We may observe AGAINST’s experimental nature in the collection with the contrasting fabrics on the caps and a mix-and-match patchwork on the Chaos Pattern Hoodie.

Shop AGAINST LAB’s latest collection, ‘CHAOS TACTICS’ on their website or visit their stockist at Showroom KL and Hundred% Paradigm Johor Bahru.

They Say Butter Makes Everything Good, Even Yeezys

Posted by & filed under Sneakers.

When someone mentions butter, all we can think of is good food and probably suede (if you are a sneakerhead).

Adidas is back to release another colorway for their Yeezy Boost 350 V2 silhouette, named as Butter. This is the first new colorway since the Beluga 2.0 and Blue Tint dropped back in December 2017. The colorway features a lighter Butter tone, a soft yellow on the Primeknit upper and rubber midsole, completed with a darker shade of yellow on the outsole. The Semi-Frozen Yellow colorway wasn’t on demand as expected, but with this lighter tone of yellow on a pair of 350’s? Expect it to sell out within hours.

The Yeezy Boost 350 V2 ‘Butter’ will be releasing next week, on the 30th of June, in-stores and online, first come first serve. The online release will take place at 2:00 pm while in-store release will remain at 10:00 am during store opening. You heard it from us first.