A DAY IN THE LIFE, Vol. "TO THE GREATEST EVER..."

My parents often told stories of how they barely had anything when they started a family. When I came along, my folks had to hustle real hard just to keep things afloat... Especially my dad. My old man had to sacrifice a lot of himself just to give his family a good life.

Looking at us now, we have come a long way. We are now living like kings in our own little kingdom. Every single comfort that I'm enjoying right now, I owe it to my father.

I thank him for being a man for his family, a good father, a loyal husband, a gangster and a hustler... And since he's an OG and the best ever, I broke these out the other night for his birthday dinner.

Here's to you, pops! Happy birthday! Cheers!



A day in the life.

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THE NIKE FLYKNIT LUNAR ONE EXPERIENCE

Last night, I was invited by Nike Philippines to experience the new NIKE FLYKNIT LUNAR 1. Along with veteran runners and athletic bloggers, we were the first ones to actually enjoy all the benefits that the new Flyknit model has to offer.

At around 7:30 PM, we gathered at Nike Bonifacio High Street flagship store to get familiar with the shoe. There was a quick huddle before the test run, lead by our friends from Nike Philippines, who gave us a closer and more intimate look at the shoe and its design. They also briefed us on how the technology came about and the new upgrades from the previous Flyknit silos.

The crew then went outside for the actual test run. I'm probably the noob of the group since I only started running this year, but I was able to keep up (thank goodness!) We took a couple of laps around High Street and both Parkades, roughly a little over a kilometer and a half.

I posted live updates via the LOCKERROOMLEGENDS Instagram during the run, but just in case you missed it, here's a more in-depth report of our Nike Flyknit Lunar 1 experience.

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AIR JORDAN 5 "FIRE RED" | TITAN RELEASE

I was working on this poster on a plane, over Visayan airspace, headed for Bacolod. "ATTACK FROM ABOVE" literally! But hold on, it's not about me... It's the shoes! Word to Spike.

This Saturday, January 26, the much awaited classic will finally return. Prepare for combat folks because this is a free-for-all, first come/first served release... So look alive!

But if you are a TITAN PLAYERS' CLUB member, you don't have to sweat that much; Just for today, January 24, Titan is opening up reservation slots up until 12:00MN. You have about an hour to safeguard your pair.

The Air Jordan 5 "Fire Red" will be available at select Titan doors - TwoParkade, Burgos Circle, Taft, Katipunan and also on the Webstore.



ATTACK FROM ABOVE.

#FLOTG

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INTRODUCING: THE NIKE AIR MAX+ 2013

I was four when I saw my very first Air Max. My very young mind can not comprehend how that shoe worked or felt on feet. It was so strange to see a hole in its sole.

A couple of years after, I held a pair of Air Max 90s for the first time. Turns out it was not really a hole, but a bubble stuck in the foam sole! The six year old me put two and two together and thought that if I had those on, I can bounce endlessly... Higher and faster.

That little bubble in the sole changed everything, not just for me but for the entire shoe industry. From the moment it was conceived until today, the Air Max has stood as a symbol of stability, technology, and innovation. Simply put, the Nike Air Max was and still is that magical technology that made every other shoe boring.

Next in line in this proud lineage is the Nike Air Max+ 2013. Same technology, same magic... But a whole lot more flexible.

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INTRODUCING: THE NIKE LEBRON X 'CORK'

Last year has got to be one of the most significant in LeBron James career. 2012, we saw him dominate in London - capturing gold in the process. We saw him trample his way through the season, through the Playoffs... All the way to the Finals. And as most of you good people know, that's when he got his first chip.

The year 2012, to put it simply, was a good year to pop bottles for the NBA's golden goose! Champagne for champs. He has earned it. He deserves to enjoy it (Chris Bosh enjoyed it waaay too much in my opinion, LOL!)

Nike Sportswear (yep, you read that right...) recognizes LeBron's achievement. And so to commemorate his amazing year, NSW unveils the Nike LeBron X 'Cork'.

REEBOK ANSWER IV 'BLACK/GREY' | DETAILED PHOTOS

Growing up, it was very hard not to respect Allen Iverson's abilities on the court. Whether you loved him or hated him, it's undeniable that his exciting, and somewhat controversial, career has changed the game for the better.

For the young cats out there, Allen Iverson's relevance is very difficult to describe in a few short paragraphs - I suggest you get familiar and hit google and YouTube, witness the documented magic yourself. But for the not-so-youngbloods such as myself, there are no write-ups necessary.

To put it simply: The Answer can ball.

This Saturday, January 19, our favorite hoops joint TITAN will pay homage to one of the most important shoes in the history of basketball.

The Answer IV, which AI rocked during his incredible MVP and championship run, will release exclusively and in limited quantities in Titan TwoParkade, Taft, RONAC, and Katipunan. Few pairs are also allocated for their online store.

The Reebok Answer IV will retail for Php 7, 595.00.

Own a piece of history. If you grew up rocking broad shouldered jerseys, improvised shooting sleeves, and shin-length baggy ball shorts, trust me... You need these.

Peep the detailed photos below.

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PUMA RE-SUEDE COLOR

PUMA took one of the brand’s most well-known and iconic shoes, the Suede, and re-tooled each component with the highest degree of recycled materials, delivering sustainable style through an unforgettable look and a pop of color to re-introduce the PUMA Re-Suede Color.

An icon of culture, the original PUMA Suede was famous for its bright colours, suede material, and custom lacing techniques throughout the 70s, 80s, & 90s.  Today, the PUMA Re-Suede has been developed using the latest materials and processes in eco-friendly product innovation.

The synthetic ultra suede upper material is created by Toray, leaders in the development of environmentally-responsible materials. The synthetic suede is comprised of 100% recycled polyester fibers and the outsole is made from Double R Rice Rubber.

The new footwear is incredibly light weight, thereby reducing the fossil fuels needed in transport, saving 15 tons of carbon emissions for every ten-thousand pairs shipped.

The Re-Suede will be sold in PUMA’s Clever Little Bag, a cutting-edge innovation in sustainable packaging that replaces traditional shoeboxes.

The PUMA RE-SUEDE Color will be available at Sole Academy starting Monday, October 15 and will retail for Php 4,710.00.

INTRODUCING: THE NIKE LEBRON X

Just a year ago, I hated LeBron James with a passion. But now, I'll be the first to admit that he has gained my respect. Although I am still one of his biggest critics, he has showed me and the rest of the world enough of himself and his abilities to make believers out of haters.

LeBron James through the years has developed the type of maturity that can only be molded from the pain of defeat, year after agonizing year. Resiliency forged alone in the fire of hate; both internally and from the masses. And the skill - not the raw, untamed kind - but the one acquired from constant pressure and battering. LeBron has been through the very bottom of the fiery pit, all the way to the top of the world.

Nike acknowledges this journey, and so for their tenth outing they created a shoe that would reflect everything LeBron has been through and his transformation.

KANYE WEST X GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI "CRUEL SUMMER" SHOE

This one is for the ladies.

Kanye West teams up once again with Italian shoemaker Giuseppe Zanotti for a Grecian inspired sandal to celebrate G.O.O.D. Music's CRUEL SUMMER release. The sexy stiletto mimics the album's cover art perfectly.

With the price tag still under wraps, I don't think I'll be buying my girl a pair anytime soon; Kanye and Giuseppe's last collab pair went for $5,800.00... Retail!

If you're into anything Kanye and your girl's got expensive taste, better get those European connects on speed dial. No drop date on these yet, but these will go fast.

VANS NOW AVAILABLE AT WELEGENDARY

VANS is on a roll as of late. Fresh from their very successful event last Saturday, it seems that the locally revitalized skate and lifestyle brand can not be stopped.

I will admit that I know little about the brand, and I would like to know them better. They have been churning out hot releases lately, and I think the buzz around the brand is growing bigger and bigger each day.

It's a shame that I only have a couple of pairs in my closet. I should kick myself, I know... But with this bit, I no longer have any excuse not to expand my line-up!

Everybody's favorite skateshop and familia WeLegendary is now game to supply you with VANS' feet cocaine!

A DAY IN THE LIFE, Vol. "COLE WORLD"

So nice...

...I had to do it twice.


Thank you.
A day in the life.

TITAN X NIKE AIR FORCE 1 XXX "GOLD" RELEASE RECAP

The great thing about mid-week releases is you get to have a little spirit boost to get you thru the week.

Last Wednesday, September 12, Titan dropped the much coveted Nike Air Force 1 Low Supreme I/O TZ 30th Anniversary - Pearl Collection "Gold" (I'll give you a second to catch your breath...)

NIKE AIR FORCE 1 XXX "GOLD" AVAILABLE AT TITAN

A couple of weeks ago we featured the Nike Air Force 1 Low Supreme I/O TZ 30TH Anniversary 'Pearl Collection'. The story was published a couple of days before the supposed release date. It was very hard for an uptown-head such as myself not to be excited - as you can see, this shoe is very hard to hate.

But when the August 31st release date came and went, Air Force 1 enthusiasts just had to accept their eBay-bound fate.

Till today.

THE NIKE BLAZER MID LR DROPPING AT WELEGENDARY

Although our countrymen went home empty-handed in the recently concluded Summer Olympiad in London, shoe enthusiasts' hearts were consoled by the amount of olympic footwear gold that has dropped locally in the past month or so.

NIKE AIR FORCE 1 XXX PEARL COLLECTION "GOLD"

The 30-year old Bruce Kilgore masterpiece gets reincarnated again! Always a welcome surprise to Uptownheads such as myself.

The great folks behind Nike and NSW updated the classic silhouette with treatment so luxe, it demands Fort Knox level security.

NIKE JAPAN INNOVATION HUNT

It's pretty obvious that Nike has been leading the pack in terms of innovative design and performance footwear engineering, but The Swoosh has been owning the marketing front as well. From early slogans  that are still memorable today, to the most recent #FINDGREATNESS run - their most inspiring campaign to date - Nike has been changing the game on and off the kitchen.

Take this for example: Nike Japan's INNOVATION HUNT celebrates the brand's Lunarlon and Flyknit success through, well, a scavenger hunt. Items are scattered in Tokyo's Harajuku district and it is up to the people find them. The items to be scavenged include a fixed gear bike, dumbbell, traffic cone, skateboard and a BE@RBRICK toy by Medicom.

Aside from INNOVATION, PERFORMANCE, MARKETING and BRANDING, I guess Nike can put FUN up there in their bullet points for success. If you are in the area or about to hit Tokyo, you might want to check it out here.

PUMA RE-SUEDE

Puma got love... And we got love for Puma as well. The Puma Re-Suede is releasing here!

This classic, game changing shoe has influenced style trends for years based on its clean and simple silhouette.  The suede material opened doors for all categories.  In order to give back, the PUMA Re-Suede uses recycled materials, an idea that is also very hip.  Weighing in at less than the original suede, this footprint became even smaller. 

The Re-Suedes were initially released last year as a Euro-exclusive release, but due to the buzz it generated and the success it had, it got re-offered in The Philippines as a Sole Academy exclusive.

Only 7 pairs got to our shores so you better rush to our friends over at Katipunan!
The Puma Re-Suede retails for Php 5,350.00. Available tomorrow, July 30, Sunday.

WELEGENDARY TAFT OPENING TEASER: DAY 3 "NO WORDS."

I have no words. Big brother @WeLegendary did it again! I missed out on a recent Gourmet release, and I've been salty about it since... This time, I won't let this pass.

PRIMITIVE X GOURMET Quadici. WeLegendary... Take it away:

DAY 3 of "5 days before TAFT".
 

And surprisingly these babies found its way to our doors.

It has been about 3 years since we had a chance to carry PRIMITIVE. It's funny that we share the same founding date on when our shops started.

They had this collab with GOURMET about a year ago putting interesting ideas like these subtleties are patent leather foxing that wraps around the entire shoe. Ballistic nylon and a transparent bottom tread let you know this colorway was inspired by one of their favorite retro kicks. (If you are a JORDAN fan, you should know this by now).

We are glad to have Gourmet on our door FINALLY, and glad for them to give us these EXCLUSIVE release for us.

Gourmet QUADICI x PRIMITIVE, SATURDAY.

Primitive X Gourmet. WeLegendary exclusive. This Saturday. Taft Avenue. Just take my money.

I have no words. :)

NIKE BASKETBALL 1992-2012: TWENTY DESIGNS THAT CHANGED THE GAME

Can you still remember what you were doing way back 1992? What were you into, what were you wearing on your feet? Where were you when the Dream Team played in Barcelona? Twenty years... Can you remember the changes you went through as a spectator, as a fan - as an athlete?

Twenty years is a long time. I was 7 when I saw the Dream Team play live. It's all a blur now, but I can still recall the excitement quite vividly. I remember Magic more than any other player... That's because I was a fan - twenty years ago, until now. I remember Chuck Daly's suits, Team USA's uniform, and of course - their shoes. Mike's and Chuck's were my favorites, while Pip's and The Admiral's joints came in at close second.

Twenty years is indeed a long time. But that makes reminiscing so much sweeter.

This past week, Nike also took a walk along memory lane. Remembering their footwear creations, inventions and innovations from the past twenty years in basketball. For many of us who grew up in the '90s and '00s, we have a certain bias for shoes designed in that generation. The shoes that came out the woodwork looked wildly experimental; most are extremely ostentatious, and some are just straight out-of-this-world. But that does not take any genius away from the design or the minds behind it. Some of the state-of-the-art shoes that we rock today owe their very existence to these avant garde mavericks of the '90s and the new millenium.

Nike Basketball’s releases over the last 20 years represent the definition and redefinition of the hoops shoe. A 20-year work-in-progress. A cycle of delivering the unimaginable, making it better and then doing it all over again.

Nike designers have instigated multiple movements from 1992 to the present day. Of course, Nike has been committed to basketball since the 1970s. But new rules in the early 1990s opened up a global stage for the brand’s elite athletes, changing perceptions of basketball forever.

Branding was minimized, amplified, removed, flipped and then resurrected. Leather gave way to Durabuck, then pioneering poured foams, before uppers were fused. Shorts got longer, colorways went metallic and pearlescent before exploding in a limitless burst of brightness. Then there was Max Air, Nike Zoom, Tuned Air, Nike Shox and Nike Lunarlon — assistants in the sole unit for every type of player.

Nike designed for every movement, every dunk on primetime, every embarrassment in a concrete park somewhere. It matched point for point the new breed of athletes with their multiple modes of play.

Nike’s design continues to create the rules - conquering its own achievements to perfect performance for the next wave of icons.

In celebration of the summer of basketball, Nike is revisiting their most iconic Nike Basketball shoes of the past 20 years. Beginning today, July 24, the untold stories of these 20 iconic shoes will be released daily here.

Get ready to nerd out, design-nuts! Because every day we get to dive into inside stories from designers, original sketches, early ads and graphics, and more.

Keep it here as we celebrate 20 years of basketball evolution through Nike's contribution in footwear design.

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CONVERSE AUCKLAND RACER REMIX

Last week, I told you about my visit to ConversePH's HQ (see INVASION: CONVERSE PH HEADQUARTERS). They were generous enough to bless me with a pair right before I went out their door,  so I decided to return the love and rock the pair for a week then blog about it.


Here it is - The Converse Auckland Racer Remix.


The "Remix" is the lighter, tougher, sleeker, and more flexible reincarnation of the classic Auckland Racer. As the name suggests, it is re-engineered to meet the current market's demand for lighter and more breathable trainers and runners.


Here's a quick visual breakdown of the shoe: An overview of the upper.


Stylized heel cups.


The very sleek toe tip.


The Star Branding in a flexible, elastic material against a very light, breathable mesh upper.




The toe box, in the same breathable mesh upper material.


Brand new body... Same old soul.


Rear elevation.


Un-DS'd them in the office. Rocked without delay!


The very first thing I noticed was how comfortable these were. My feet were cradled perfectly, and my weight was evenly distributed.


These felt so good on feet, I almost forgot how good they look! It rides like a Phantom, but looks like an Aventador. If you don't know cars, look it up. You'll see what I mean. :)


Weekday work to weekend hustle. I rocked them last Saturday at the Deck at Ronac - a lazy, rainy afternoon. You might be thinking I'm crazy for putting them on on a wet, wet day... It's just that I love them so much that I don't want to roll out the house without them on.


Met with friends that evening, had dinner and saw The Dark Knight Rises.


Shoe so dope, it goes well with everything!



The following morning, I decided to take it for a run. It's not called RACER for nothing, right? Might as well take it for a spin.

The Auckland Racer Remix performs like a dream. It's a race car you can put on your feet. It's extremely light without being flimsy. The breathable mesh does its job of keeping your feet cool, at the same time it gives your foot enough room to expand and flex.

Wore them one last time earlier. I was at a site meeting and I was impressed by its toughness. It's heavy-duty enough to handle the rubble and harsh terrain of a construction site. Surprisingly strong for a shoe that is incredibly light.


To conclude my week with the shoe, only one thought comes to mind: "I WANT ANOTHER PAIR."

I want to double up on this Navy/Orange joints, then cop both the Grey/White and Black/Red alternates!

I need another pair not because I've beaten mine to death (matter of fact, if you check out the shoe, it's still in good shape), but because IT IS THAT GOOD!

It's light, it's strong... It looks sexy! What's there to hate? I would go as far as saying this is probably the most comfortable shoe I've ever worn... If it isn't, then it made me forgot about Top 1. But for sure, the Auckland Racer Remix is up there in my Top 3 Comfort-Design shoe of all time.

If you're the type that runs casually but often, this shoe is perfect because it's comfortable, light, yet durable. Not to mention affordable! For Php 3,990.00, you get to put on a sexy sports car on your feet.

Something worth mentioning - if you are planning to buy, try it on first. I went half a size up and the fit was perfect. Your feet will surely be different from mine, so check it first... But it's something worth looking at.

The Converse Auckland Racer Remix is now available at select Converse Retailers and partner department stores. Go get 'em!