Black Friday Deals

A variety of streetwear brands available during black Friday. Via Chris Ramirez. 

 Many gift ideas were talked about in the last article, however, with it being black Friday it’s time to find what great deals are going on. Especially since black Friday is a weekend event instead of just a day, and cyber Monday is coming up as well. All these items can be gifted to streetwear fans and non-streetwear fans alike. 

New Balance is currently having a 30% discount on select items, no code necessary. Having a large number of items such as warm sweatpants and tracksuits that can come in handy during the winter. Also, they will have a large variety of sneakers including the 574, 993 and select 990 versions. With the discount, most of these shoes will be around the $150 range which is a good steal when it comes to New Balances. 

Nike and Adidas will also be having their own select deals on select items. With Nike having a variety of items 50% off plus an extra 20% off with the code SHOP20. Adidas also has 50% off on certain items with hoodies under $40, pants under $45 and sneakers under $100. 

Many reselling websites are also having black Friday deals, starting with Goat which is having 30% off on many limited shoes such as Yeezys, Jordans and high-end brands such as Gucci, Prada and Dior. Stadium Goods is having a 15% off on all items, however, they are known for reselling a bit over market value, therefore the price reduces to what other resell websites already have. Stockx is also having a deal on black Friday by offering raffles, any item bought will enter the customer into a raffle to win either free sneakers for a year, free streetwear for a year, $10k store credit or $5K store credit. 

Although the websites above are having many deals they can still be a bit expensive, something on the cheaper end will be the basic stores at the mall. Zumiez has a large variety of different sales. Although a skate shop, many streetwear brands can be found such as Champion, The Hundreds and Carhartt. 

Staying on topic with skater based retail stores both Tilly's and Urban Outfitters will be having sales as well. Tilly's having a buy one get one deal on all clothing and brands, also a buy one gets one free on RSQ jeans. Urban Outfitters has many streetwear brands on sale, having limited items from Chinatown Market, Bape and The North Face.

Large department stores are also having sales on streetwear brands, Macy's isn't having too much but will have basics from both Nike and Adidas at a large variety of discounts. However, Nordstrom is having up to 50% off on brands such as A.P.C, Comme Des Garcons and Kenzo. Bloomingdales will be having a 25% on clothes and accessories such as watches and wallets from large brands such as Saint Laurent, Gucci and Coach. 

These are simple black Friday deals that can improve gift buying for loved ones or yourself. Also, stay on the lookout for cyber Monday deals that can also have a different amount of deals. 

Holiday Gift Ideas for Streetwear fans

Adidas hats and a collection of sneakers. Via Chris Ramirez.

 In less than 24 hours it will be Thanksgiving, however once it’s over it will be time to think about the gifts to get for friends and family. If one of these loved ones happens to be a sneakerhead or into streetwear, then this may be something to read. Here are some ideas of items and brands to get without breaking the bank, and what brands to avoid. 

Of course this list would be much easier if big named items were added to the list, such as the Travis Scott Jordans or the Ben & Jerry SB Dunks. However, all those shoes are in the high thousands, therefore these items and brands will consist of more manageable pieces to obtain. 

A brand that comes with a low price but high quality is the Japanese brand Uniqlo. Many call it the Japanese equivalent of H&M or Zara but better, way better. The clothing comes in high quality cotton, with many designs and collabs. Their online store will have many anime related t-shirts, and on resell websites Uniqlo x Kaws collab shirts can be found for as little as $50. 

For those who don't know Kaws, he is an american artist and designer whose work is loved in the streetwear community. His bear bricks can be found for as high as $1,000 on resell websites but also his bear stuff-animals and plusheens can be found for as low as $60. Although not as prestigious as the bear bricks, most items from Kaws are popular regardless of how limited, or unlimited it is. 

Fear Of God is another very exclusive brand that can cost a big whole in someone's wallet. If the look is what you're looking for without the high price then the perfect brand would be Fear Of God: Essentials. A side brand that consists of neutrals colors and is a building block that complements the brands main line, you can find Essentials much easier and cheaper at retail stores such as Nordstrom and PacSun. 

Although Supreme and Bape are the heavy weights in the streetwear community, obtaining some of these items is not too difficult. Most of their main pieces will sell out in seconds, however pop into there websites a bit after the release drops and many items will still be available. Consisting of clothes, accessories and even everyday items, Supreme has weekly drops on their website on Thursdays at 11am (ET). 

Another easy choice for anyone, regardless of being into streetwear or not is Nike and Adidas. With both brands having low expensive shoes that any sneaker fanatic would like such, as the Nike Air Force 1s, Adidas Continental and the Adidas Superstars. These are classic shoes that go well with almost any outfit, also Nike and Adidas hats are some big favorites. 

Now that many of these quality brands are out the way it's time to talk about two bands to keep away from. 

Anti Social Social Club is a brand that was very big a couple years back, it still is somewhat but nowhere near to what it is now. However, that's not why this is a brand to avoid, the reason why the brand has fallen off so much is due to their infamous customer service. They will not help and clothing will take months to arrive, without any update from the brand, also the clothes are printed on cheap materials that are not worth the price.

 Another brand to stray away from is Off-White, although their shoe collaboration with Nikes are quality in materials and aesthetic, their clothing is not. Not that the clothes are cheaply made either, but with such high pricing the clothes should be better than what it is. Also, the clothes aren't known for reslleing well, all the other brands on the list can be resold once someone outgrows them or simply changes style for a decent amount and Off-White simply does not compete in the resell market.

Taking advantage of a legacy

Promotional photo of the Nike Kobe 5 Protro Bruce Lee.

 Many people today woke up extra early in hopes to obtain the shoe of one of their favorite basketball players, Kobe Bryant. There is no secret that basketball players are a huge reason why sneakers are as prestigious as they are. Without Michael Jordan and his shoes the sneaker game and streetwear community just wouldn't be the same. 

Most athletes shoes are pretty easy to obtain for the most part if they aren't part of another collaboration. Anyone would be able to walk into a store or go online and get a pair of Kobe’s news shoes. Ever since his untimely death, that is no longer the case. 

When basketball and Laker legend Kobe Bryant died all his shoes were instantly being bought out from stores and websites. Today, his brand new Nike Kobe 5 Protro Bruce Lee was released with many people looking forward to getting the shoe from their favorite player. To nobody's surprise the shoes sold out in less than 10 seconds due to people using bots. 

People are taking advantage of the death of one of the best basketball players of all time in order to make a couple of extra bucks. Going out of their way to use bots to take shoes from real fans who simply want to shoot hoops with the same shoe their favorite player used. 

Resell giants are taking the first step in combating these independent resellers that have made the basketball players death a business. 

With many famously known resell stores such as Urban Necessities avoiding to increase the price on all Kobe’s shoes. Even resell websites such as Stockx have stated they will donate all proceeds from sales of Kobe Bryant related products to the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation. Even other basketball players have reacted to these events.

@Lakers @JeanieBuss We need more Kobe Jerseys to drop! Maybe in stores so real lakers fans can get them!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 https://t.co/fkT09Gqf1A

— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) August 24, 2020

Although some resell stores are doing what they can to prevent people from profiting from Kobe's sneakers, Nike doesn't seem to care. With doing as little as possible to combat bots and continue selling items with limited quantities, making it harder for real fans to obtain the Protro 5. 

The $180 shoe is being found on stores for upwards to $800 depending on the size, model and color of the shoe. Right now the only way to get a Kobe shoe for retail is to enter as many raffles as possible in hopes of getting lucky. 

How much does a reseller make?

Jayson Garcia (on the left) posing at Coachella 2019. Via Lily Velazquez.

A very controversial conversation within the sneaker world is about resellers. They are those who buy limited and rare shoes with the mere intent of selling them for a higher price than paid for. Though they are criticized, many believe that resellers are the reason why hype even exists and that they are a big part of the streetwear community. 

Though what do resellers actually think of all the criticism that they receive? Most people question how important their part is in the world of hype and fashion. 

“I think resellers are just as important as anyone else when it comes to streetwear,” Jayson Garcia said, a veteran reseller. “The reason why there is hype when it comes to certain shoes is due to how fast they sell out. We add a lot of what makes it so intense to obtain certain sneakers.” 

Also, a question many people have is wondering how much money does a reseller even make. With shoes and clothing already being so expensive, most people believe that the struggle of waiting in line for hours can even be worth it. Regardless of it being a line outside in the cold or online lines that open up at around as early as 5am pst. 

“I mean it all depends on how unique the drop is and what brands are attached to the specific piece,” Jayson said. “At times I can sell a somewhat limited shoe and only get about $100 for it. However, other times I can sell a shoe and make over $1,000, though I have to admit that at the time shoes that make me that much money are harder to find nowadays.” 

Although Jayson adds difficulty to obtain these shoes for other people, he doesn't feel bad. On the contrary he believes he is doing something good for those who aren't even able to have a fighting chance to get in line for the shoes in the first place. 

“For example when drops were being released in stores only it was harder for people to get them who aren't from big cities,” Jayson said. “Think of it this way, Supreme has only a handful of stores in the U.S. and all are in California or New York. By being in line, yeah I might take the chance of getting the shoe from someone behind me who actually wants it, but the opportunities open up for some kid who lives in Ohio to get the shoe from me since they can't get in line them themselves.” 

Even though Jayson obtains super rare shoes, he also has to go through the same steps as everyone else to get them. He doesn't get any freebies nor does he have any way of cheating the system, he waits in lines, enters raffles and even buys from other resellers if he has to just as much as the next person. 

“It’s understandable why people don’t like resellers but I wake up earlier than others to get to that line first,” Jayson Garcia said. “If other people are bummed about not getting a certain shoe then they should have gone the extra mile to get there before me. When it comes to online drops, yeah I use bots but anyone else can easily purchase them as well so it's all fair play around here.” 

Regardless of this being seen as a way of business for Jayson, he also loves the streetwear lifestyle and does this because he appreciates the culture of it. He chooses streetwear because he knows streetwear due to the many years of investing his time and money on it. 

“I buy many stuff to resell but honestly I buy more stuff for the personal,” Jayson said. “Most of the time I'm in line for the things I like so that I can actually wear them. Anyways part of the things I resell are things I actually wore at some point and no longer do, I feel that it's smart to buy clothes that can make you money even when used if taken care of correctly.” 

Even though most of the reasons to obtain these rare items are for himself or to make money, Jayson says he does lots of good with it. He knows how rare these items are, and he can use his skills to help those who want the new pair of Nikes but doesn't know how to do it. 

“Sometimes I have little cousins who say they want the new Kanye West shoe or the new Jordan shoe, so i'm able to get them cool gifts for the holidays or birthdays,” Jayson said. “Also, lots of the times I'm helping out friends to get shoes they want, the more people entering a raffle the higher chance to win, ya know? At the end of the day I go to school and have a job, so I ain't doing anything bad, it's just a fun hobby I like that happens to make me money and there's nothing wrong with that.” 

At the end of the day this is nothing more than a hobby for Jayson. He buys what he likes and resells what he doesn't like. It’s fair game when it comes to the streetwear game and Jayson is just another player who plays the game well. 

The Yeezy hype is still alive

The Yeezy and Adidas promotional logo. Via the Adidas website. 

Rapper Kanye West signed with Adidas in 2013, creating one of the most sought out clothing lines in the world, Yeezy. Although each shoe sells out, many have started to question the brand and its stance in the streetwear game. As the years have gone by an increasing amount of slander has surrounded the famous Yeezy brand. 

Although some think the brand has fallen off or will, such as Ian Servantes from input magazine. There is a great explanation of why Yeezy shoes aren't as sought out as they once were a couple of years ago. 

31 different sneakers re-released in total that day, an unprecedented move for not only Yeezy, but any highly sought after line of sneakers …” Servantes wrote in his article called “How Kanye’s lusted-after Yeezy 350v2 lost its hype”. “... It spelled desperation: Why would Yeezy, which was once the most sought-after name in sneakers, need to re-release so many models at once? Why would Yeezy need to embark on a paid promotional campaign … These Yeezy 350V2s should have sold themselves.” 

From the very beginning Kanye West stated a promise, he wanted every kid who wanted a Yeezy shoe to be able to get one. So he chose one shoe, in this case, the 350V2 to be the silhouette that constantly gets re-released in many colors. Also, a campaign is a good way for many kids to find out about the shoes and have more opportunities of getting a pair by having more raffles to sign up to.

Of course, even though the shoes are selling out, they aren't selling out fast enough for Servantes.

“... Enthusiasm for the 350 V2 has plummeted amongst enthusiasts as the market has become oversaturated,” Servantes said. “The sneaker no longer sells out as quickly, and the resale market is grim. While the original quartet of 350s still resell for no lower than $800 on resale sites like StockX, some 350 V2 models can be found for as little as $239, just $19 over their retail price.”

Simply because resellers aren't making enough money selling shoes they bought by using bots does not mean the enthusiasm for the shoe has gone. The reason this is happening is simple, people are finally being able to buy the shoes online on the release date, therefore avoiding having to pay a ridiculous amount of resell for the already expensive $220 shoe. That is also the reason why shoes aren't selling out in seconds, but at the end of the day the shoe is still selling out, therefore the demand is there and luckily so is the supply. 

Although still selling out, a problem for Servantes seems to be that the shoes aren't being bought by the right demographic. 

“The idea of “too much of a good thing” is paramount to sneakerheads, the more attainable a sneaker becomes, the less desirable,” Servantes said. “Adidas famously released millions of pairs of the 350 V2 “Triple White” in 2018 … The shoe has become mainstream enough to be found on Wall Street types and other guys far from the zeitgeist. Even if it’s selling well, is this really the crowd Adidas and Kanye want?”

Yes, Adidas and Kanye want their shoes on anyone who wants them, regardless of who's the person wearing them. If anything this helps the brand, grabbing more eyes and attention, therefore introducing the shoes to those who aren't even involved in the sneaker community. It being mainstream just means many people wanted them, meaning they still hold their popularity. 

At the end of the day, little kids and grandparents wear Nikes and Jordans, but that does not mean the brand isn't big in the streetwear community. Also, all brands have obtainable shoes and limited shoes, no brand would be able to become big and successful only selling a small number of limited shoes. Now if the argument is that brand is still big but the actual 350v2 silhouette is not, that's also wrong. 

Anyone can walk into a sneaker store and buy a famous Nike Air Force 1, one of the most legendary shoes in the streetwear and sneaker community. Regardless of it being accessible to the masses, the shoe is hype, being an everyday beater for the common sneakerhead. The 350v2 can be exactly that, being the one easy to find shoe out of the many limited hard to buy Yeezy shoes that still sell out every time they drop.

The New Balance 2002R are a must have

A pair of New Balance 2002r light bone.

Via Chris Ramirez. 

 When it comes to the streetwear community everyone seems to gravitate to Nike and Adidas, most specifically Jordans and Yeezys. However, there is a shoe and brand that usually goes under the nose of most hypebeast. New Balance is a brand that rarely misses, and in this case the topic of conversation is the New Balance 2002R. 

The American band released six new colorways on Nov 4 in the not so famous 2002R model. When it comes to this brand many people seem to write them off, unless of course there is a huge collaboration surrounding the new. When there is not a collab some people may talk about the 990v4, 992 and the 327. 

At the end of the day the 2002R is just a better shoe. From comfort, to style and the subtleness of the shoe. 

It’s no secret why New Balance aren't as big or seen as flashy compared to their main competitors. They don't have big name rappers such as Kanye leading their designs, or a history wrapped around one of the most famous players of all time such as Jordan. Though that's exactly what makes New Balance so amazing. 

What makes a sneaker isn't always its exclusivity or hype, but the overall aesthetic and feel of the shoe. The simpleness of the 2002r is perfect for those reasons alone, begging with comfort. The shoe has amazing cushioning and support, miles could be walked and it would only feel like a couple blocks. 

Although the bulky dad sneaker wave is mostly dead, this shoe would make anyone miss those days. Best part, the shoe really isn't even that chunky to begin with and can fit a wide variety of outfits. Not all shoes can go with every outfit, but the 2002r are simple enough to wear with sweats and stylish enough to wear with jeans. 

The shoe itself comes in variety of great colors, such as the grey “marblehead”, navy “pigment light aluminum”, the dark green “camo green nettle”, grey/green “defense green natural”, white/pink “petrol exuberant pink” and what seems to be the favorite, the cream “light bone”. 

The shoe is greatly built with a soft suede on top and a nicely balanced (no pun intended) rubber outsole that's not too hard or too soft. The shoe looks great and will make anybody feel great while wearing them. 

Although the shoe is not one of the most limited shoes out there, it's still been somewhat of a difficult sneaker to find. With only a few sizes left on newbalance.com, ssense.com and blendsus.com or in stores. With that being said the shoe is again a perfect balance of unique, but not entirely rare or in this case “hype”. 

If the $140 shoe is not available it will be for resell on the two biggest resell websites, StockX and Goat. The good news is that the shoe isn't going for too much over its original price, with most prices on average being around $180-$200 depending on size and colorway. 

Not all shoes have to be rare or co-signed from a favorite rapper or athlete. At times, something that just looks nice and is comfortable is just enough, and the 2002r is just that.

Brain Dead x Converse Collab

Brain Dead and Converse logo

Most collaborations are always unique and cool. A unique limited shoe by an exclusive brand is usually enough to get people excited and it makes sense, the feeling of having something that almost nobody else has is a special feeling. However, that usually means that the shoe will sell out within seconds. 

However, there is usually one brand that always seems to have the perfect amount of sneakers being dropped. Falling perfectly in between unique and exclusive, but enough to be able to obtain for those who really want them. This brand is of course, Converse. 

Converse may not have the hypest shoes around, compared to Jordan brand or Yeezys. Though the brand is always able to get some excitement from sneakerheads and hypebeast. Mostly because they have one of the most famous silhouettes of all times, the Chuck Taylor. 

That iconic shoe can be spotted from miles away, it's a shoe just as famous as the Jordan. Not only do young kids wear them, but their parents probably do, athletes and even grandparents. Which is a huge reason why the next release is one to look out for. 

Converse will be collabing with Brain Dead for the third time on a pair of Chuck 70 high-tops. Which are a better quality version of the famous Chuck Taylor, due to the premium grade materials. 

Brain dead is also one of those unique stylish brands that are very much talked about. Founded by Kyle Ng and Ed Davis in 2004, it is a collective with artists and designers from around the world. According to their website, “Brain Dead is not one person, nor is it one idea. It sits in the space between people.”

Promotional Photo by Converse

The two large brands will be dropping three sneakers tomorrow morning (Nov. 19). The shoe will release a low top called the Converse Bosey Brain Dead and two colorways of the Chuck 70s in a black/white colorway called the Dead Black and a white/brown colorway that similarity looks like a cow print design called the Dead Egret. 

Promotional Photo by Converse

Both the high-tops and the low tops are both set to have the price tag of $140. However, the low top and Chuck 70 Dead Egret will be easier to obtain, releasing on multiple websites such as: wearebraindead.com, converse.com and Dover Street LA and NY. However, the Chuck 70 Dead Black will exclusively be sold at Dover Street Market Retailers. 

Promotional Photo by Converse

Although this may make the shoe harder to obtain it shouldn't be as difficult as other drops earlier this year. Though the amount of units of each shoe has not been released, it is said to be a decent amount of number to be reached by those who actually want the sneaker and not want to flip. 

Of course there will be many people who may still a L and not be able to obtain the shoe. That's when the resell market will be available for all three shoes. Though all shoes will be a bit more expensive, it is rare for Converse collabs to reach a high amount in the resell market. 

Most Converse seem to reach about $50 to $150 above retail price, making them very much obtainable compared to many of the other exclusive collabs that go for over $1,000 of their original retail price. All three shoes will be available on the two largest resell websites StockX and GOAT.