Image via Illustrator/Kagan McLeod
Ah, 2020. The year that will forever be remembered as the juncture at which the world got flipped, turned upside down, leaving nearly every facet of our lives looking drastically different than it did last year.
In a weird way, the fashion and sneaker world is one of the few things making this shit show of a year feel somewhat normal. The Sneaker Industrial Complex has more or less remained unfazed during all of this. Not even the coronavirus pandemic can stop the urge to flex one’s footwear and dress for an unforgettable night—even if we can’t go anywhere. We might not have many places to venture to, but that doesn’t mean we can’t express our unique personalities through some fresh kicks and dress for the night (or, you know, the living room).
Connecting the dots between nightlife, culture, and design is at the core of Miller Genuine Draft (MGD). Over the last few years, MGD has been on a mission to explore the exciting impact of customization on nightlife culture and the people that live and play within it. This has come to life through Miller Design Lab—an innovative platform in partnership with streetwear fashion icon Jeff Staple. Most recently, it brought Jeff Staple and Canadian sneaker customizer Jack the Ripper together to create four one-of-a-kind sneakers inspired by Canada’s rich nightlife culture—check them out on MGD Canada’s Instagram page.
To see how things are going on the homefront, we caught up with seven of MGD’s Toronto- and Montreal-based style and nightlife influencers, all of whom shared their takes on how the pandemic has affected the fashion industry, and their picks for best sneaker drop of the year (so far).
David Forteau
IG handle: @davidforteau
How did you first get into sneakers and style?
Falling into my art form in my late teens caught me at a perfect intersection of having two part-time jobs so I could buy fresh sneakers whenever I wanted. Being trained by professional b-boys also ingrained in me that if you always look fresh, you will be fresh on the dance floor. Even one scuff or a really bad crease and my crew would already be joking about kicking me out of practice until I came with a fresh pair. It almost became a game to us, which helped us have some of the cleanest footwork in the scene.
It was cool to be able to work with Jack the Ripper and Jeff Staple through the Miller Design Lab this year and have them create a sneaker that is customized just for me and my style on the floor—none of my crew can match that! You can check them out here.
How would you say the pandemic has impacted the fashion industry?
The pandemic definitely has put everybody in this weird state of uncertainty, which I think prevents people from crossing things off their wish list. I’ve seen some of my favourite brands shift into capsule drops instead of full-on collections due to just not enough people buying right now. I think people will support brands on the same level, but the volume of purchasing may be at a low point for the next little while. It has sparked a new desire to build an audience and for e-commerce—it’s also removed the stigma of ordering non-traditional items online; it’s the new normal now, which I think is a positive. I think it’s beautiful that an elderly person or anybody can have things delivered contact-free right to their doorstep and they can just enjoy the outdoors and do things they actually want to do.
What’s your pick for best sneaker drop of the year?
The Dior Jordans, I have to say, are the best sneaker drop of the year.
Anna Bediones
IG handle: @atothebed
How did you first get into sneakers and style?
There are a few factors at play here. From day one, my parents dressed me in sneakers and more "sporty" looks. I also fell in love with basketball at a young age, which had a direct correlation and influence on sneakers and style, especially in the mid-to-late ’90s and early 2000s. I started with basketball shoes, buying into those of my favourite players at the time—Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson, and Kobe Bryant. When it came to fashion, I gravitated towards celebrities who I thought embodied the "sporty" girl I was—Sporty Spice, Aaliyah, TLC’s Left Eye, and more. I suppose the short answer is that I was heavily influenced by basketball and music.
How would you say the pandemic has impacted the fashion industry?
The fashion industry is certainly suffering—I think it was already beginning to implode even before COVID. Department stores were on the verge of becoming an endangered species, many brick-and-mortar stores were struggling to stay open, and the fashion industry as a whole was being challenged in the name of sustainability. It's easy to see that every Nike/Jordan/Yeezy release sells out every weekend, but that isn't an indicator of how brands are actually doing as a whole. While it's likely that the majority of brands suffered losses, we also saw a surge of people adapting to the times and launching independent brands and seeing a lot of success in masks and loungewear. (We're all staying home, after all.)
What’s your pick for best sneaker drop of the year?
I don't think this was a strong year in sneakers and it's still too early to pick a winner, but so far, I'm going with the Jordan x Union IV ‘Guava.’ I wasn't obsessed with them at first, but its most redeeming quality is how well they actually facilitated the drop—they eliminated the bots and allowed a fair chance for people to purchase. It was definitely the best "drop" of the year. Best sneaker? We'll see, but their first Jordan collab was also initially not loved by the masses until much later.
Brandon Fenton
IG handle: @brandonbilllions
How did you first get into sneakers and style?
I first started getting into sneakers from my older brothers. They have such a big sneaker collection and I saw the way they took care of their shoes. That made me want to start collecting shoes at a very young age and it started to evolve. I had a pretty large collection by the age of 18, with about 30-40 pairs of shoes in the boxes. It went from shoes to looking up outfits on Google and blogs. It didn’t help that my favourite artist is Fabolous, too. I always saw that he had a new outfit on in every picture and it was crazy to see that he would never really repeat any clothes twice. That's where it all came from and I have never looked back since.
How would you say the pandemic has impacted the fashion industry?
The pandemic has impacted the fashion industry negatively. A lot of fashion brands have postponed runway and major events due to the virus. Manufacturers have been pushed back due to not being able to operate. People also don’t want to buy clothing if all they’re going to be doing is sitting at home. Tracksuits and joggers have been the new fashion these last few months. There have been a lot of creative ways that these brands have been getting their products out there in this pandemic. They’ve been really focusing on the e-commerce aspect and started shipping their clothing to high-profile figures and getting them to post on their social media with the link for where to order, using these types of people to have their own runway at home. It really has made people get into their creative bag and make the best of the situations they have in front of them.
When it comes to how people are dressing, masks have been introduced and are here to stay for a while. Places like China have been more accustomed to using masks and have been using it for fashion for years. The rest of the world is starting to become hip to it and using that to compliment their outfits by customizing and matching the masks to their outfits.
What’s your pick for best sneaker drop of the year?
I've been a collector of Jordans since the age of 13, having up to 50 pairs at one point. I would say that the Jordan 1 ‘Pine Green’ has been my favourite drop of the year. The colourway is great but most importantly the material is amazing. The leather on the shoes are one of none. Extremely good quality to the point you don’t want to wear the shoes, or you buy another pair so you can save one for later.
Riddjyy
IG handle: @riddjyy
How did you first get into sneakers and style?
I became interested in sneakers and my personal style about seven years ago. For me, what triggered this change was dancing. At that time, I was looking for my identity and I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. However, as I began my journey in the world of dance, I developed an interest in sneakers. As they say, "sneakers are a dancer's best friend" and that couldn't be more true for myself.
My interest in fashion really developed about three years after I started dancing, when I started working for the WLKN clothing store in Montreal. At the time, it was one of the only stores that had a variety of choices for streetwear brands. Being in this environment, I was inspired by what I saw and learned to incorporate it into my own style. Additionally, at that time in my life, I really liked having my picture taken, so I was able to showcase my personal style.
How would you say the pandemic has impacted the fashion industry?
When the pandemic started, consumers started to prioritize the necessities, such as food and hygiene products and saved their money instead of buying sneakers. Fast forward a few months, even though people go out and can go shopping, the lack of tourism in the world has played a major role in this global economy. The sneaker world has been greatly affected, but I am sure it will rebuild itself shortly.
What’s your pick for best sneaker drop of the year?
For me, the best basketball collection of the year is the Nike Air Force 1 collection. They came out in so many different colours that are eye-catching, super comfortable, and fun to dance in. I must say, I'm making a little collection for myself ;).
Potato
IG handle: @po.tato
How did you first get into sneakers and style?
In 2016, I started working at a sneaker boutique in Montreal and wanted to learn everything there was to know about sneaker culture. My first pair of kicks were Jordan 12 UNCs—after those, I knew there was no going back. I was collecting sneakers because of the feeling I got every time I copped a new pair. I love the fact that collecting sneakers allows me to meet like-minded people from all around the world. By sharing what I do and love, I’ve built relationships with so many people because of our mutual love for sneakers.
How would you say the pandemic has impacted the fashion industry?
People are rarely going out anymore. They have to look for inspiration elsewhere, like social media, whether it be on Instagram, TikTok, magazines and so on, and create those ‘going out’ experiences at home. I believe the pandemic has shifted the fashion industry in a good way. People are getting more and more creative, having to think outside the box. For instance, Black designer Anifa Mvuemba debuted the first-ever virtual fashion show for her brand Hanifa. It blew my mind! A virtual fashion show with no audience or visible models! It was so well executed.
What’s your pick for best sneaker drop of the year?
It would be Melody Ehsani’s Air Jordan OG. I try to focus mostly on women’s releases for my collection. The main reason for it being my pick is that it’s a collaboration with one of my favourite L.A.-based designers. Not only that, but this model was also Jordan’s first sneaker created specifically for women in 1998, which makes it even more special. Everything about the shoe, from the box itself, the cherry detailing, the small message written inside the tongue, to the fact that the model was recreated to celebrate Women’s History Month, makes it my pick for best sneaker drop of the year.
Matt Mogul
IG handle: @mattmogul
How did you first get into sneakers and style?
I’ve been into sneakers and style since I was a child. My mother would always make sure I was in the latest clothes and flyest sneakers. I’m a ’90s baby and most of my childhood pictures are in retro Air Jordans, so, as I grew up, it pretty much stuck with me to keep that same energy. That also drove me to become more aware of my personal style and understand fashion can speak volumes even when you're silent.
How would you say the pandemic has impacted the fashion industry?
I think the pandemic helped in a way, because it made people make more conscious purchase decisions. It gave that moment for people to expand their fashion palette instead of just buying what’s hype. Even myself, I made time to research and look into a lot of different and upcoming brands that I thought were dope.
What’s your pick for best sneaker drop of the year?
I’m a fan of collaborations and the return of the grails I used to have growing up, but this year I can say the Off-White x Air Jordan V, Nike Dunk Lows, and Reebok x Pyer Moss Fury Trail really caught my eye. I never thought Reebok would be on the list, but being able to create a new design that shakes the culture up will always be impressive to me.
Lary Kidd
IG handle: @larykidd
How did you first get into sneakers and style?
I first started being interested in shoes that my skateboard idols wore at the time. Over the years, this love of shoes shifted towards sneakers and even towards dress shoes. I love them all!
How would you say the pandemic has impacted the fashion industry?
The whole way of presenting a few collections per year has been severely disrupted… maybe it's for the better, but maybe not. One thing's for sure: consumers have new shopping habits, all of them converging towards online stores. The experience of retail is going out of style and we’re losing the true experience we used to get at sneaker stores.
What’s your pick for best sneaker drop of the year?
I can't wait to see the shoes designed by Matthew Williams under the Givenchy house. A super modern and futuristic approach to the past and traditions; it looks promising.