Semi-conscious consumerism: Nike + American Apparel = what, exactlyBy Justin Juul
I know I’m not supposed to buy Nike shoes because they’re made by starving children in developing countries -- unlike Converse, New Balance, and Reebok shoes which are all made by high-paid workers right here in San Francisco -- but holy shit has Nike made an awesome sneaker. Their new Free-Everyday line has a super-streamlined look with a custom-colorway option, which is what really sealed the deal for me (mine are all grey with brick-red highlights).
But that’s not all. They also come with a little microchip you can slide into the sole. The chip pings to a bracelet (or an iPod) so you can monitor your progress. Also, if you’re a nerd, you can personalize the back of your new shoes with a two-word phrase. I was going to get “America Rules” emblazoned on mine, but there was a copyright issue so I chose “Manifest Destiny” instead. * Come on! Starving children are great and all, but really, how could I not buy a pair of these things?
You see, I’m a runner, but until I got my Nikes I was just a casual nighttime runner, a secretive runner if you will. Now, I’m a machine. I’ve already clocked 50 miles on my new kicks and I’ve got my sights set on running the first half of the SF marathon in August. Why the sudden change? Well, it sucks to admit, but I’ve never publicly expressed my love for running because runners are fucking dorks. Have you seen their shoes!? Before the Nike Free-Everyday was released, the only running shoes you could get –good ones, I’m talking about—looked like they’d been designed by colorblind robots from the planet Zorton. This isn’t 1986, guys. This isn’t Back to the Future II. Mismatched neon, totally useless plastic ridges, and air bubbles may have been cool at some point, but this is the nineties, man. I need my kicks to look fresh! And now they do. But compromising my morals wasn’t as easy as I thought it’d be. And soon, other problems began to surface
My new shoes made me happy, don’t get me wrong, but all joking aside, I just felt terrible supporting Nike when I knew full well that little girls were being tortured in their factories overseas. And then, of course, with my shoe problem fixed, I began to focus on other things, like my outfit. My new shoes made my feet look cool, but now my feet were making the rest of me look ridiculous. But what was I gonna do? Throw away my shoes and stop running? Order more Nike shit? Neither option seemed right.
The '80s?
And then it hit me. I could balance out my irresponsible shoe choice with a highly ethical (and really really cool) outfit from American Apparel! It took a lot of guts, but last weekend I strapped on my new kicks, synched up my iPod, and ran directly to the American Apparel Store in The Upper Haight where I dropped a hundred bucks on a jumpsuit made of equal-parts cotton, polyester, Human rights, and freedom. Take that, corporate oppressors! My feet may belong to you now, but you ain’t getting the rest of me (unless you merge with American Apparel, at which point I’ll reconsider)!
Also, while we’re on the topic of shoes (and Michael J. Fox movies), I realize my taste for streamlined designs and colorways is out of line with most Nike enthusiasts, or sneakerheads, as they like to be called. Don’t believe me? Check this shit out.
*Kidding! Mine say “Mind Head.”
digg •
del.icio.us •
sphere •
google
•
Comments (1)
Hey,
I'm the only Asian chick in the room that was sitting right in front of you. Just wanted to thank you for coming in and giving us a good slap in the face, we needed it.
Hope you stocked up on some slick n' shiny ish at the employee store and it was nice meeting you!
Fanny
Posted by Fanny | August 27, 2008 04:59 PM