Sneakers and footwear are such an everyday part of our lives that I think we sometimes take it for granted. While I read about the latest Nike Quickstrikes on Hypebeast and query sizing options for Red Wing Gentleman Traveler’s on men’s fashion sites, I rarely take a step back and wonder about the history of a shoe. That’s exactly what a graphic student from Helsinki did on a visit to his homeland, China.
Shumeng Ye saw a cleaning lady wearing a pair of Warrior basketball sneakers at the airport and his interest was piqued. Instead of leaving it as a passing thought, he embarked on a project that revealed a rich 30 year history that spans social classes. What was once a sought after shoe, Warriors are now relegated to the working class — and they’re not complaining. A year later, Ye returned to China to take pictures and he assembled was he saw through the lens into a book.
Flipping through it, you’re immediately humbled by the poverty of the people in a country of 1.3B people. However, after a half a minute of scanning the page, you can’t help but crack a smile at the pair of crisp white kicks on peoples’ feet in stark contrast to the surroundings. The book (packaged with a pair of Warrior shoes) is available for purchase online as well as at major trendhouses Colette (Paris), Wood Wood (Berlin), and Patta (Amsterdam). It is a limited edition of 420. To say that I am impressed that a student was able to document an obscure and forgotten sneaker brand and turn it into product with tiered placement and an excellent online presence, would be an understatement.
From Josh Spear
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