Remember the good old days when ‘The Ten’ was just, ‘The Ten?’ Not ‘The Twenty,’ not ‘The Thirty,’ as it has now turned out, after Off-White founder decided to pull the plug and plaster the whole collection in many different colours and schemes, much like another designer who’s selling the same pair in every colour under the rainbow.
Granted, Kanye West did say that his ultimate endgoal was that Yeezy’s will be for everyone, and anyone is able to get them at an affordable price. Credit to him, that has happened; Blue Tints and Butter Yeezy 350s have been the most affordable Yeezys to date, smack only just a few hundred above retail price.
Virgil’s initial concept sounded tantalising to say the least when the idea was announced along with Nike’s activation in 23 Wall Street aptly named “OFF-CAMPUS”. The pop-up highlights past and new models that were heralded as instant classics, hallmarks in the history of Nike that has transcended to another level. Part of the appeal too, is that it carries a vintage look without the worn attributes, giving you somewhat a peace of mind that it’s still a brand new pair. A lot of people share the same view, and when the drop first launched, crashed the SNKRS app to a point where Nike had to issue an official apology.
The story behind it sells; there’s real thought and genuineness in wanting to share a simple vision that resonates loudly in everyone else’s minds, but when that concept is abused, squeezed as a cash cow, and is drip-fed to us consumers like the sheep we all are, then that dilutes what was attractive to most people in the first place. The hype is practically the only thing carrying it forward, after the story, design process, and concept has been distilled to near nothingness as people now constantly hunt it just because it’s “the in-thing now.” Just look at your Facebook marketplace and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
It’s ridiculous to be honest, and with the release of Off-White’s new collaboration with tennis superstar, Serena Williams, just drives another nail into its figurative coffin.
That’s not all though. Twitter account py_rates has leaked a full list of upcoming colourways for “The Ten” series, adding an extra all-black palette to models which currently do not have them, as well as more graded vintage colours and highlighter blocking to the Zoom Fly SP and Air Force 1. It’s like the initial Yeezy hype all over again, with exclusivity gone waaaay behind in the rearview mirror.
