Currently viewing the tag: "Essays"
For my entire life, Nike has been number one when it comes to sneakers. In the hearts and minds of sneaker enthusiasts, among streetwear circles and in terms of pure sales , there was no substitute for Nike. Recently Adidas has made in-roads on Nike’s dominance in the sportswear market. In the fiscal second quarter Adidas sales jumped 23% from a year ago. Beyond just the numbers there’s a real feeling that Nike is falling off in it’s product offerings while Adidas is gaining momentum with successive releases. Since the release of the first Yeezy 750 sneaker in February 2015, Adidas has gained massive popularity with it’s Adidas Originals line, in particular with Ultra Boosts and NMDs. It’s clear that Adidas has made plenty of great design and marketing designs in the past two years. However part of their growth has also come through Nike’s failure to adapt to current market demands. Being at the top for too long can naturally cause some level of complacency, I will break down some of what the areas where Nike is falling behind below.
Continue reading »
If you do a quick google search on building your wardrobe you’re likely to get the same advice over and over. Men’s magazines like GQ set the formula for wardrobe building – get a great fitting suit and fill your wardrobe with all the ‘perfect’ essentials. While this idea is good in theory, I’ve learned from personal experience that this approach doesn’t work.
If you’re reading this site, you’re probably have specific goals for your personal style. Finding tasteful nondescript staples isn’t something that will help develop your personal style, it’s more fulfilling to find specific pieces that you’ll love (not simply tolerate) for years. I made plenty of mistakes in the past buying items that didn’t fit into my style or just filling up my closet with things I didn’t need or wear. I thou some of my lessons and put together a simple guide to getting the wardrobe that you actually want.
Continue reading »
It’s been years since I been to a proper outlet mall but visiting one in suburban Virginia gave me a renewed appreciation for what they can represent. Growing up outlet malls were somewhat of an event for my family. If we travelled to visit an aunt/uncle or family friend that lived near one, it was almost a certainty that we’d be shuttled to some suburban locale where the shopping choices and deals were plentiful. For Chinese families like mine, it was a point of entry into the American dream we saw on TV – video games, designer fragrances, chain restaurants and all.
Continue reading »
