The Premium Sole Collector x Jhung Yuro x Tanner Goods
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年慶祝五週年的Sole Collector可以說是球鞋雜誌的第一品牌，有著豐富的採訪編輯經歷，對球鞋明星運動員的深度採訪，第一手的球鞋設計資訊都是鞋迷朋友必定拜讀的外文刊物，由Sneakerheads如Retrokids、Pro.K等知名玩家所發起，這次與皮件精品Tanner Goods以及球鞋品牌Jhung Yuro合作打造最新聯名款式 --- Sole Collector x Jhung Yuro x Tanner Goods | The Premium，以豪華細緻著稱的兩個新興設計品牌與閱「鞋」無數的球鞋玩家會激盪出什麼樣子的火花？以下是KENLU.net與Sole Collector資深編輯Nick DePaula的訪談內容。
The Premium是一個組合的名稱，包含了許多生活所需的配件，Old School的鞋身挑選了柔軟的棕色皮革製作，周圍則是用了腰果色來搭配，由楦頭延伸到後跟的合成皮料可以幫助我們提升實際穿著時的耐用度。由Tanner Goods所製做的證件夾可以拿來存放常用的重要卡片，這是Tanner Goods特地為了這次計畫所開發的雙色調設計，證件夾與鞋子之間也互相呼應，例如鞋帶孔與證件夾的配色、標誌的雷射細節等等，總結來說，這次就是要創造舒適觸感、易於使用以及具有簡潔線條的聯名作品，我自己很喜歡雙皮環的視覺效果，除了可以搭配牛仔褲之外，也適合不同風格的穿著，仔細填充的皮革鞋墊、柔軟的鞋面都是實鞋會讓人驚艷的地方，甚至連包裝都花了許多心思！品牌標誌用金色油墨印在皮革壓紋的包裝上，盒蓋用了磁鐵扣環，還附贈了放攜帶用的鞋袋，相關的包裝我們都放上鮮明的品牌旗幟，但是鞋子跟皮件本身則是刻意隱匿低調。
很感謝各位花時間了解我們的聯名作品，多年來我已經養成天天上KENLU的習慣，你們多樣化的內容，還有兼顧不同品牌的資訊特別吸引人！ You guys do a great job!
How did this project start?
In the past, whenever I've worked on a collaboration shoe or a project, it's generally been a fairly swift process, albeit a bit rushed at times. This time around, we really took our time to make sure every last detail, touch and thought could be poured into the package. I can't believe it's already May now, cause we began this whole project late last August, and have been going through all of the steps slowly and calculatingly ever since. It all started out with a phone call between me and the Marketing Director at Jhung Yuro. He mentioned the word "collaboration," and generally when I hear that, I usually dismiss it altogether and make sure we stay away from anything that could come off as forced or contrived. The past two years of sneakers have pretty much been nothing but collaborations, and we laid low for a while there.
For some reason though, I just had a feeling that we could work together on putting out something that would be different and unexpected by nature, simply because there isn't a swoosh or vector or something on the shoe, and at the same time I was excited for a challenge to really get after something that could become a true collector's package. This is a pack unlike anything we've ever really done before, and it's a great chance to showcase a brand that people might not be as familiar with. We've seen a ton of packs and pieced-together items out there, but how many of those really hold their value down the road? When I first started thinking about where a Sole Collector and Jhung Yuro project could possibly be headed, I really just kept thinking about the word "premium." I wanted to use the best materials possible and put out something that people could really feel great about owning, and the next step in that equation became making this more than just a box and a pair of shoes.
I happened to know the guys who run Tanner Goods, and I've always admired the cleanliness of their items and how utilitarian all of their pieces are. I just still had that word "premium" constantly in my mind, and I just kept thinking about how I could really get the most out of this package, when I happened to be talking with one of the workers at Tanner Goods about a potential opportunity, and we kind of decided that putting together a real thoughtful package like this could be a really exciting thing for all parties involved. From there, I remember being on a plane headed back to Portland from an unrelated trip and just writing down every possible thought that came to mind in my notebook about how this could all work. I sketched out a real rough box that had compartments for a belt and wallet, and I envisioned from the start just creating a total lifestyle set that would appeal to anyone. Rather than just do a simple colorway and call it a day, the next step was deciding on every single detail, and bringing together the natural leather cardholder from Tanner Goods and this real classic sneaker from Jhung Yuro fell perfectly into place.
For someone who owns this set, you know you're investing in something that can offer some great longevity and usage. This isn't some pack of black/white/red shoes that might fall apart a few years from now. When you get a cardholder from Tanner Goods, you're basically getting something that takes on your everyday style and wears in as you live. The touch and feel of those pieces is just unbelievable! For anyone who's worn a Jhung Yuro sneaker, there's just so much texture and great materials have become a requirement from them. What ultimately made this a reality and something that I knew I would be deeply invested in with my time and efforts was simply knowing that both brands could come together and speak to the same tone and level of quality that would make for something truly memorable. From the box to the texture to the slip bag, there's just a lot of depth, and I hope people talk about this set for years to come, as something that just hit and left a lasting impression.
Can you describe the materials and the features of the shoe?
The Premium is basically a set that gives you everything you need for the next day. There's a great sneaker in the Old School that's made of a really nice and supple brown leather, with a cashew colored synthetic rand that wraps around the toe along the midsole and is really durable. We also included a natural leather cardholder from Tanner Goods that can carry all of your essentials. It's the first time Tanner Goods has done a two-tone leather cardholder, which is a nice aspect that's special to this project. The eyelets on the shoes are all in silver to match the cardholder's buttons, and all of the logos are lasered in as well. It ended up resulting in just an extremely clean and wearable sneaker that's also incredibly comfortable and looks real good on. I'm a fan of popping out the two straps, which looks great with jeans, but it's a versatile sneaker that can work for any style. There's also a well padded insole that's actually topped with pigskin, and the softness of the shoe, I think, will really surprise people. The box is just crazy too! It has a reptilian finish to it, our logos in foil along the top and a magnetic snap closure. Inside we also included a plush slip bag that the shoes can be transported in, and it's also branded with our logos. We didn't want to overbrand the sneaker and wanted to keep things low-key and subtle, but at the same time, we're all really proud of where this project finished, so you'll see our branding in a more noticeable fashion on the packaging.
During the development, were there any controversial issues or hard decisions to make?
When you're just out and about and checking out the latest sneakers that are in every shop, it's really hard to take a second and think about all the costs and margins and everything that's involved with the manufacturing process. Being on the backend of a project like this, it's really a learning process as to what grades of leather you can use to stay within a certain price point or how far you can take things with a box or slip bag that you're including. Initially, my goal was to have a set that included a high quality box, a slip bag, a natural leather belt and wallet, and a great pair of leather sneakers. The problem of course is if we went that route this set woulda ran way over $250. Rather than just load the package with a ton of items, we all decided together to bring the project into a zone we were comfortable with, and still including that Tanner Goods cardholder along with the shoes and packaging is a great feeling. Having an item from both brands that really says a lot about their design language and quality brings this all together. On the actual shoes, we had tried out brass and silver eyelets and stuck with the silver for the final version. We also fooled around a bit with the logo placement, and at one point had all of our logos along the heel wrap, but that got a bit too busy. I figured just leaving that as a clean piece and taking the logos to the medial collar would really help with the subtlety of the shoe. There's something to be said for having a quiet confidence about your product as compared to just shouting to the world what you're wearing with a monogram logo print or something more gaudy. Otherwise, that was pretty much it, and we knew all along that we had to have impressive materials for every panel, and we luckily didn't have to compromise any one area of the set and kept everything the highest grade quality possible.
In your opnion, what's the best part of the shoes?
For me, it's just an easily wearable silhouette that I think anyone who has a chance to see can appreciate. Both brands have created their own following because of their attention to detail and quality, and for me, I just love wearing great sneakers that have some added thought and detail behind then. Bringing together an incredibly clean and modern sneaker like the Old School and the amazing longevity that Tanner Goods' products are known for has been great. Those two provided the great materials and clean designs, and I just helped navigate the project and kind of throw out my ideas on the colorway and packaging. The fact that everything came together so well and somebody who's buying The Premium is getting quite an extensive set has felt really good. There's just a great sense of value and quality in the set that I probably appreciate most and that we don't see all that often. The shoe has more of a grown feel to it, which has been exciting also, as we've always done more colorful and loud athletic sneakers in the past. Don't get me wrong, those are fun as hell and I'll never grow out of purple patent leather, but I really like the more serious tone we took here.
Any upcoming plans in the near future?
As always man, we're just continuing to try and improve. It's really all you can do. Whether that's improving our writing as we go or learning new tricks with a camera, we're always just looking to grow and get better. Our next issue will be dropping this May, and I think people will really be surprised by the cover story and there's some great looks at literally every brand and some sweet upcoming sneakers. The spring time issue is always a fun one 'cause it's pretty much open season to take a look at everything that's out there. Basketball season has its handful of shoes that we expect and definitely enjoy every year, but come spring we're always hungry for stories and brands that people haven't heard from.
It has been 5 years since Sole Collector first published, any thoughts?
We just celebrated our fifth year anniversary last October and we definitely couldn't be happier to have made it this long. When you take a moment to think about all of the events, interviews and shoes we've gotten to check out firsthand over the years, damn, it's been pretty unbelievable. When Steve and Retrokid first sat down to talk about doing a magazine about shoes, who knew it would have turned into what we have today? Guys like Retrokid, Prof. K, Dee Wells, Anthony Gilbert and so many others helped make the magazine what it is today, and we've just been extremely proud to put out a magazine that so many people have enjoyed over the years. For me, to think a decade ago that I'd be interviewing people like Tinker Hatfield and Penny Hardaway, and about shoes, it would have seemed like some crazy dream, and we've all been real thankful and humbled by all of the things we've got to experience. I was just a kid growing up always really into sneakers, and being apart of the magazine up to this point has been one of the best things that ever happened to me.
Being settled in Portland, a place crowed with many shoe companies, must be great! How do you like it?
The proximity to great brands like adidas and Nike has been pretty awesome, and aside from the terrible weather, Portland has been a great city to live in. I have a lot of real good friends that work at both brands, and this city is definitely pretty much the epicenter of sneakers. People always move to LA to become an actor or actress, and if shoes are your thing, what the hell, move to Portland!
What would you like to say to KENLU friends?
KENLU has been a site that I've been checking on the daily for years now. You guys do a great job! It's truly one of the most comprehensive sites out there and I love that you guys show equal shine for every brand and genre. I definitely appreciate you taking the time to learn all about this project, and thanks to everyone for checking it out!
Background
Sole Collector : The world's leading print sneaker magazine, now 5 years old. Regularly features in-depth interviews with athletes, designers, developers and collectors from around the world. Sole Collector has brought together sneakerheads under one roof for a series of events that spanned over two years, and its collaboration shoes have remained extremely sought after for years to come.
Tanner Goods : Founded by two native Oregonians, Tanner Goods produces high quality natural leather goods made by hand in Portland, Oregon. Their leather items are known for their durability and simple design, and each hide of natural leather comes from one of the last American suppliers of quality full-grain leather, conveniently also located in Portland. Sold in high fashion boutiques around the world, Tanner Goods has recently worked with 3Sixteen and Tellason and is quickly gaining notice for their attention to detail and quality pieces.
Jhung Yuro : Founded in 2005 by designer Kris Wright, Jhung Yuro has been at it in the luxury lifestyle sneaker world for four years now. Known for their detailed and crafted boxes and for choosing great materials that include the finest leathers, nubucks, suedes and pigskin, Wright has been busy applying his touch towards unique silhouettes that stand apart from the more gaudy and loud styles on the market.
"The Premium" 將會在本週五於Portland的Tanner Goods旗艦店發售 "The Premium" will be Available this Friday, May 8th,
in Portland, Oregon at Tanner Goods flagship store
Hecklewood, 114 NW 3rd Ave, Pearl District., Portland, OR 97209 MAP
REF : Sole Collector
REF : Tanner Goods
