March 25, 2009

GLORIA'S X DC WIN WIN!

Our good mates at Gloria's sent us a couple of pairs of their collaboration with DC to giveaway! The DC Gatsby shoe was one of the more subtle colabs from last year, but for every multi-speckled rainbow shoe out there, the Gloria kids knew they were onto a winner. The shoe completely sold out, yet we were lucky enough to score two pairs to giveaway to two Sneaker Freaker members. Hit up the WIN WIN section to be in the running to win a pair for yourself today.

PK! FINNISH FOOTWEAR FABRICATION

Meet our man in Finland, Mr PK. Some guys love sneakers, some guys paint them, but PK is in a league of his own - he makes his own kicks! That's right, he builds his sneakers 100% by hand, right down to the very last stitch. It's not everyday you meet someone who can say that, let alone pull it off.



Hey PK - where do you live now?
In Hameenlinna, Finland.

You're a shoe designer in training, sneakers in particular. The difference between you and most shoe designers is that you have the ability to actually sew your own shoes. What made you decide to learn how to do that?
I had sources for information and access to machines, tools, materials and stuff, and I started to produce my own models outside school time.

So you are in training? Is it like shoe school?
I'm studying on the Footwear Design Programme at HAMK University of Applied Sciences. It's a four year study and I'm about to do the final exam.

I'm stoked you found a place to teach you the craft.
I asked every shoemaker in Montreal to train me and they all told me I did not want to be a shoemaker. No money in it, they said.
I know a local cobbler and I've been working in his place and seen the daily routines… Man, it's hard work. Learning shoemaking takes a long time, so that might be the reason they skipped it as they have so much work with the repairing and stuff.



Most guys in the sneaker industry aren't 'craftsman' How are you going to use it?

That's a hard question to answer. There's so much to it. From material know-how to understanding factory production. In our school we learn from the industrial point of view, like pattern making for an example. If I was a designer in a sneaker company I could make protos and readjust them. That can mean sending them back and forth to the Far East, which happens in many companies. Sometimes I get the feeling that some models have been designed on a bright computer screen, and then when they come back they don't look as good as they did on the screen. That's another reason why it would be good to be able to make protos where the designing happens.

Do you want to design for other companies or build your own brand?
I'm working on my own thing. Serum Footwear... but I'm interested in work offers also.

For those of us who only ever buy shoes, tell us how long it takes you to hand make your own pair from start to finish.
Depending on the model, the times vary a lot. The making of the shoes is always slower when you build a new design for the first time. There are really many work stages in making a pair. I can make the patterns, the prototype, fix the patterns, and make a final pair of a simple Stan Smith style pair with good quality in three days, but it's not all in that.

Before that I have to hunt down all the materials and do the actual design project, which sometimes is a result of a long period. Then in some models there's also the print pattern thing. After designing the pattern I have to make the silk screen, mix the colors to get the right shades, then print them. It takes a long time to make a pair sometimes…



What is the process?

An accurate description would take very much space so here it is in short.
1. Designing.
2. Last hunting, making, molding. When molded, I add cork to the places that need to be raised and sand down the last to the right shape.
3. Material hunting. Finding materials in the right colors is always hard.
4.
Pattern making. Besides looks, foot anatomy has to be considered.
5.
Prototype making. How it works for example when the foot is bent in a walking position.
6.
Fixing patterns
7.
Making the pair. Uppers are sewn and sole parts are attached with glue.

Do you buy shoes made by other manufacturers?
Sometimes I buy when I come across some nice ones, but besides my own models, I like second hand treasures better than new reissues from boutiques. I use shoes to learn about construction techniques. I analyze the style and the practical point of view. Just last week I found a pair of original New Balance 300s.

As for window shopping for ideas, I might take inspiration from a certain detail but I usually want to make a whole new model based on how I'm feeling at the moment. To use the word that Chris Hall used, my life for the past three and half years has been much about Sneakerology. I've liked sneakers since I got a pair of Vandals in second grade, but these days I check Hypebeast daily, learn footwear stuff at school, design my own sneakers etc. In the end, all that everyday life filters into the models I produce.



A lot of people are excited about custom shoes which might mean Nike ID or hand painting a pair. You're in a league of your own. Does it get you down that people get famous for painting them when you are virtually unknown?

I think it's good that these custom people get recognized. Even though everyone could paint a pair, there are dudes that stand out. I like SBTG's style a lot. The situation doesn't really bug me. If anything, it would more likely be myself not stepping out that might have bugged me, but I decided not to until I'm able to offer quality in every aspect. I finally feel ready to get on the field. You've done some collabs with some artists and you did a Tribe Called Quest shoe. Way more limited and a lot nicer than the SB model by the way.
Thank you! I was going to accompany the Midnight Marauders with maybe Resurrection (Common Sense), Blow Out Comb (Digable), Atlien (Outkast) and Stakes is high (De La) models, but about four weeks after I got the Midnight Marauders on RTHQ, a pair of custom painted Common Dunks came on the internet. It got me a bit frustrated, then I was like, whatever, I'll start making those models for autumn. Then Boom, there's a De La Soul Dunk… It took a while to start thinking about doing the pack again, but now I've decided to make a couple of pairs of handmade Midnight Marauder sneakers and try to get them to a shop by the time this issue of Snkr Frkr is out.

there is still room for one thing before we finish.
I have a wish for all you sneaker loving people around the world. Next time you buy a pair of sneakers, please try on some of the smaller brands like Pointer, Madfoot, Visvim, JB, Creative Rec, Tas, Feit, Rtft… or maybe even Serum Footwear if they can be found on the shelves!

:: JEREMY BRESNEN

This article appeared in Issue 8 of Sneaker Freaker. Buy it here!

PATRICK SNEAKERS RETRO PREVIEW

To all sneaker lovers, welcome to the your sneaker news! The label returns to its roots and brings you a limited collection of 7 'new' vintage models. Discover these exclusive retro models on www.jordan-ugg.com

Patrick History: We return to the French Vendée in 1892, where the success story of Patrick begins. Patrick Beneteau, founder, designs his very first sportsshoes collection. Bulls-eye! The Chaussures Techniques are known for its reliability and innovation from the start. The following century amateur sportsmen and professional athletes obtain the most memorable victories wearing Patrick shoes. Remember Jacques Anquetil who won the Tour de France for the fifth time in 1964. Or the 3rd Golden Ball for the French footballer Michel Platini in 1985. Why change something great?


Marathon: this walking shoe was a great hit in the eighties. The ribbed sole and it's advanced design on the tip & heel are causing the success. The Marathon model is available in the French basic colors, but also in a black/white/red combination.

Copenhagen: Patrick's top model since 1974 is available with different color accents : white nylon with a suede finishing and grey/black sidebars or a red Copenhagen with a suede touch.


Harlem: very popular basket sneaker referring to it's French origin. The white basic color finishes off with it's blue tip and heel, and red sidebars. Men adore the white Harlem with black sidebars.

Translu: one of the first leisure shoes, available for men and women in black with green/white sidebars and white with red/black sidebars.



Ed Women T-shirt


      Name:        ED-Hardy Women T-shirt-9

      Product ID: 14584

  Detailed Product Description


Trade  Price:

Ed WomenT-shirt

��49 pairs

 13-48 pairs

6-12 pairs 
Sample  

Price 

 $16

$ 18

$ 20

$ 30


Size:

 

 S

 M

 L

XL 



   1. We process customer orders everyday.

   2. Before ship any goods to you. we must confirm full payment

   3. If you have more orders or any question, please email to us anytime.


  E-mail: Service1978@hotmail.com    MSN: Service1978@hotmail.com

NBA Jerseys


      Name:        NBA Basketball Jersey-9

      Product ID: 14257

  Detailed Product Description


Trade  Price:

NBA jersey

≥49 pairs

 13-48 pairs

6-12 pairs 
Sample  

Price 

 $18

$ 20

$ 22

$ 35

Size:

 M

 L

XL 

 XXL

XXXL 

1. Choose product. 
    Tell us the product ID, Quantity and Size. you can order through the following methods:
     1). Email to us. (
Service1978@hotmail.com
)
     2). Talk by MSN.(
Service1978@hotmail.com)
2. Tell us your address, like this:
     To:Your name Country:______Address:______Postcode:______Tel:______
3. Pay for order.
     
See payment methods
4. You will receiving a track NO. in 24 hours.
 
     We will delivery the goods with in 24 hours after arriving payment.and we will give you a track NO.
5. Track the goods on express company website.
     EMS: 
 UPS:    DHL:     TNT
6. Receive the goods.
     Usually, the goods will arrive your house in 4-7 days 
Products ID No. Size

D&G Jeans


      Name:        D&G jeans yh-9

      Product ID: 14093

  Detailed Product Description

Product Price
Product Size
Produce ID


30.31.32

33.34.35

36.37.38

38.39.40



   1. We process customer orders everyday.

   2. Before ship any goods to you. we must confirm full payment

   3. If you have more orders or any question, please email to us anytime.


  E-mail: Service1978@hotmail.com    MSN: Service1978@hotmail.com

Ed-Hardy Hoody Men


      Name:        Ed-Hardy Men Hoody-9

      Product ID: 15302

  Detailed Product Description


Trade  Price:

Ed-Hardy Hoody

��49 pairs

 13-48 pairs

6-12 pairs 
sample  

Price 

 $38

$ 40

$ 42

$ 56


Size:

M

 L

 XL

XXL

XXXL

1. Choose product. 
    Tell us the product ID, Quantity and Size. you can order through the following methods:
     1). Email to us. (
Service1978@hotmail.com
)
     2). Talk by MSN.(
Service1978@hotmail.com)
2. Tell us your address, like this:
     To:Your name Country:______Address:______Postcode:______Tel:______
3. Pay for order.
     
See payment methods
4. You will receiving a track NO. in 24 hours.
 
     We will delivery the goods with in 24 hours after arriving payment.and we will give you a track NO.
5. Track the goods on express company website.
     EMS: 
 UPS:    DHL:     TNT
6. Receive the goods.
     Usually, the goods will arrive your house in 4-7 days 
Products ID No. Size
 

Garnett Basketball Shoes


      Name:        Garnett-7

      Product ID: 13851

  Detailed Product Description

Product Price
Product Size
Product ID


CM

26

26.5

27.5

28

29

30

U.S.A.

8

8.5

9.5

10

11

12

U.K.

7

7.5

8.5

9

10

11

 Eur./CN.

41

42

43

44

45

46



   1. We process customer orders everyday.

   2. Before ship any goods to you. we must confirm full payment

   3. If you have more orders or any question, please email to us anytime.


  E-mail: Service1978@hotmail.com    MSN: Service1978@hotmail.com

Man Timberland Shoes


      Name:        Man-Timberland-Shoes-79

      Product ID: 23629

  Detailed Product Description

Product Price
Product Size
Input Product ID No.


CM

26

26.5

27.5

28

29

30

U.S.A.

8

8.5

9.5

10

11

12

U.K.

7

7.5

8.5

9

10

11

 Eur./CN.

41

42

43

44

45

46



   1. We process customer orders everyday.

   2. Before ship any goods to you. we must confirm full payment

   3. If you have more orders or any question, please email to us anytime.


  E-mail: Service1978@hotmail.com    MSN: Service1978@hotmail.com
 

Women Timberland Shoes


      Name:        Women-Timberland-shoes-11

      Product ID: 23755

  Detailed Product Description

Product Price
Product Size
Produce ID


CM

22.5

23.5

24

25

25.5

U.S.A.

5.5

6.5

7

8

8.5

U.K.

3

4

4.5

5.5

6

 Eur./CN.

36

37.5
(37)

38

39

40



   1. We process customer orders everyday.

   2. Before ship any goods to you. we must confirm full payment

   3. If you have more orders or any question, please email to us anytime.


  E-mail: Service1978@hotmail.com    MSN: Service1978@hotmail.com