The Sydney Tarts Top 10 Sneakers for 2020

2020 has been an interesting year for me in terms of sneakers. It went from a year when I was suppose to go through a period of consolidation (due to lack of storage space…) to a year of… let’s just blame it on the ‘rona shall we? I went a bit nuts and any semblance of self control went out the door (when we were stuck indoors…) The sensible part of me feels that any sneaker that didn’t make my top 10, i really should off load right? But that’s something else for another day perhaps. 

I suppose 2020 for me could be classified into 2 categories of sneakers - retros and collabs. Retros are self-explanatory and it’s not new. Collabs? To be honest I cannot be arsed to chase nor am I comfortable paying silly prices for the hottest and overhyped ones, but there are plenty of other interesting designs that for one reason or another aren’t as sought after and as a result, you can them up without a second mortgage. 

Here we go with the top 10 pick-ups for 2020, in no particular order.

1. Reebok Shaqnosis

The first pick-up for 2020 makes the list because it pulls at the nostalgic strings - The Reebok Shaqnosis was polarisingly styled, and yet so distinctive it became a classic almost immediately. I was a fan of Shaq back in the days, and my absolute favourite Shaq signature sneaker has to be the Reebok Shaq Attaq, but it did take a while for me to warm up to the Shaqnosis. It’s not something you would just put on and go out, and it’s definitely not something I would wear on court anymore. I was very indecisive on it the last time it retroed but there was no hesitation this time ‘round. It’s not something for everyday wear of course, but it definitely brings back fond memories of my youth and a time when basketball was a big part of my life, (and also a time when we couldn’t afford any of the big name sneakers, so making up for it now…)

2. Nike x Undercover Daybreak 

This was a collaboration that was firmly in the shadow of the other, much more hyped but similarly executed one of the Sacai Vapor Waffle. Now before you all start to comment about how different they are, let me be clear this is my way of comforting myself for not being able to afford the Sacai collab. To be honest I’m just as happy with this as it can be had at a huge discount, and one I’ve worn number of times this year.

3. Nike LeBron x James Elliot Icon QS

Would this count as a triple collab? I believe the first drop of these sold out really quickly but for some reason the second drop with fresh colorways just sat? Was it a matter of overestimating the demand and thus over-saturating the market? Not that it matters to me as I was able to pick these up for a song. For some reason the full length air isn’t as soft as I remember given it’s the same tooling as the regular LeBrons 7-8. But maybe it’s because I’ve not broken them in properly yet.

4. Adidas x Alexander Wang Bball Soccer 

This is a collab upon collab sneaker this one. Adidas x Alexander Wang as well as Basketball x Soccer. It’s the definition of hybrid! Even the outsole is a hybrid of boost and…whatever the other stuff is. But the sneakers are surprisingly comfortable, the quality is top notch, and being less dramatic as some of his other works, it’s actually more timeless and easier to match.

5. Nike Air Max 2 CB34

Let’s move away from collabs and get back to retros for a bit. Jordan retros went nuts this year, and people tell me it’s due to the documentary “The Last Dance” which got people interested in Air Jordans again and as everyone was locked down, might as well buy the sneakers as a form of escape? This meant other historically significant retros sat on the shelves long enough for me to pick up at retail. This was one of the more iconic sneakers for me personally and it’s something I’ve always wanted to have, even though with all the max air it still feels like a brick. So no, definitely won’t be playing in these. Not even an everyday sneaker, given it’s a bit tough to get in and out of, but this is the price for nostalgia.

6. Y-3 BYW S97

I went through a bit of an Y-3 phase this year. I do like some of the less outlandish designs from Yohji Yamamoto, and even though the retail pricing is very high for what you get, almost all the styles go on sale (minus some of the more popular styles, but then I can do without them). When they are on sale, they’re decent value for money, and the favourite out of all the Y-3 this year would have to be the BYW S97. It strikes a good balance between classic, subtle design, with comfort and brand name… 

7. Converse Chuck Taylor CX Disrupt

Chuck Taylors are probably the longest serving retro sneaker range currently available, and every once in a while Converse mixes it up and do something interesting based on the classic silhouette. Now I have nothing against Chucks, and I have owned several pairs in the past, but there are more interesting stuff out there. So apart from the occasional limited editions, they don’t really hold my interest until now. This was something very different; a modern, yet retro futuristic design, at the same time addressing two of my biggest gripes about the Chucks - they’ve made it much easier to put on (ie without the need to untie and retie the laces) and comfort. Yes I know they’ve had the Chuck 2s where they experimented with lunarlon insole that didn’t seem to sell, which was bewildering to me, and the Chuck 70s which I admit, are comfortable. But whatever the formula for the CX foam is works great for me. It’s supportive and compliant without being to overtly bouncy or squishy. Oh, and the stretch canvas? a godsend!! Makes it so much easier to put on and take off. This was definitely something that has been missing. Easily one of my favourites for this year and it has seen plenty of wear. 

8. Adidas Streetball

This was a very pleasant surprise. I’ve liked the look of it, but a lot of the colour combos had been a bit too colourful for me. But when these popped up with further discount off sale prices, it was a no brainer. And that they’re comfortable to boot is a bonus. Despite its name, I won’t be playing street ball in these though, as there is no lockdown to speak of. Casual wear however, is perfectly fine.

9. Converse Chuck Taylor Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Limited Edition

Quite possibly the only pair of sneakers this year that I probably won’t wear. Bugs Bunny was a part of my afternoon after school. Along with Sophie Lee. Ahem. To be honest, right now, anything that is nostalgic for me is pretty much a “shut up and take my money” prospect. I especially like that Bug’s cheeky personality comes through on the sneakers. Much like the Homer Simpsons Chuck Taylor I have from a few years back - these will most likely remain a pair of “collection/display” sneakers.

10. Air Jordan 3 Denim

This was an unexpected find actually. I was on lunch break one day and decided to pop into the George Street Footlocker to have a look, given I haven’t been in for a while. I saw someone else was trying on a pair of the Jordan 3 Denims. I thought they’d all sold out on release, so I tried my luck and asked the staff whether they had any left in my size. He went out back and brought out the last pair they had. My size! Given how difficult retro Jordans were to come by these days, and to be able to get a classic one with pretty decent colour blocking, AND at a discount for being a member, well… I couldn’t say no…

There are a few late additions for 2020 (December 31st to be exact) which will still count towards 2020 pick-ups, except I won’t take delivery for at least another week or so. Why such a splurge right on the last day? Because I am going to try and be disciplined and do this year what I was supposed to do in 2020, which was to consolidate, and so a literal last minute splurge before the self-imposed disciplinary action… But I will do a review on them once I receive them, and I’m cautiously optimistic that they won’t be disappointing (unlike a number of pairs this year).

Carmelo Anthony joins the league of Swiss Watch Brand Ambassador

We briefly talked about NBA players and watch endorsements. Well, let us welcome the latest addition to the NBA league of Swiss Horlogerie brand ambassador/friend/connoisseur - Carmelo Anthony. The news came around the same time as AP releasing some news about their friend of the brand LeBron visting the factory at Le Brassus and the launch of the new LeBron James Limited Edition. (Although I'm sure we'll soon see the IWC Melo limited edition - maybe they can pacakge it with a pair of shoes, with the strap made from the same material as the shoes? Imagine hyperfused and flywire straps! Hmmm... Copyright on that idea! Same goes for LeBron.)

Carmelo Anthony joins IWC as a friend of the brand

Jordan Melo M10 goes pretty well with the IWC Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar... 

Is it a coincidence that the players getting their own watches also happen to be the ones with a signature shoe? LeBron is up to number 11 with Nike, and Carmelo up to number 10 with Jordan. (Incidentally, Hublot ambassador, the Black Mumba himself Kobe Bryant also made news recently about him presenting HIS watch to a few lucky owners in Abu Dhabi. He's up to number 9 on his shoes with Nike. Yes, only 9 generations as he was with Adidas before that)

Nike Kobe 8 Black Mumba goes perfectly with the Hublot

The AP Royal Oak Offshore Lebron Edition. Limited, no doubt.

Makes me wonder when/which Swiss watch brand will pick up CP3 as an ambassador? he's up to shoe number 7 with Jordan... Bit of a shame that high end Swiss watches wasn't in vogue when Michael Jordan was at his peak. Rose is only up to shoe number 4 but he has plenty of potential...

But going off the prices of these watches, (AP, Hublot, IWC...) I think I'll stick to the shoes...

Retro Vs Classics

Recently I've been dabbling in the sneaker game. Call it reliving my childhood if you will. Back in my high school days I remember seeing people with Air Jordans or Air Maxes on their feet that I couldn't afford... (I even remember about a fellow student who had his Air Maxes taken from him, straight off his feet, only to have them replaced - I'm assuming by the loaded parents - the next week) All I had were some cheap as no name brand sneakers. My first 'decent' pair was a big deal to me. It was a pair of Converse basketball shoes as worn by Magic Johnson in the 1992 Olympics. (Showing my age, am I?) It was $99.99, bought from Athlete's Foot (yes they carried basketball shoes at one stage) at the local shopping centre. And that was because I made the school basketball team, so I guess I needed something decent. $100 was a LOT of money back then for a pair of sneakers, but nowhere close to what Mr Jordan wanted for his shoes. (In hindsight I should've kept them considering the stories attached to them, even if they're extremely worn. Converse, if you're reading this- can you PLEASE retro them???)

(image courtesy of sneakerfiles.com)

Fast forward many years, and the sneaker industry is experiencing some kind of a revival (or so I was told). More people are wearing pricey sneakers, and more brands are getting in on the secret that Nike/Jordan had known for quite some time- Retro sneakers sell by the truckload at full retail. (For those of you not well versed in sneakerverse lingo, a retro means a reproduction of a design that was previously released, sold at stupid high prices to cash in on the hype and nostalgic factor. These are quite often lower in quality compared to the original release *debatable*, higher in price and all profit since there's no need to recoup the R&D... *ahem"

And yes I got caught up in finally able to afford what I'd wanted as a kid. And went nuts going about it.

Ah, but Retros ain't nothing new in the watch game is it? One could accuse Rolex for doing the "retro" for the past, 50 years? *cough* submariner *cough*. It's really the same watch aesthetically, released over and over again, with slight differences to differ them from the order releases just like Jordans, and the prices keep on going up and up. At least the quality has improved over the years.

There are many other brands who consistently look to their past for inspirations for their current/future models. And why is this? Is it because there's nothing new under the sun, or have we run out of creativity? Or is it because a classic design will always remain a classic? A case of "if it ain't broke don't fix it?" Well, yes and no.

Call me a cynic, but for the sneaker game, what the brands are doing right now is to cash in on the latest sneaker craze. They know retro works and now tries to cash-grab as much as they can before all the kids move on to something else. It'll happen. It's got nothing to do with classic designs. Some retro sneakers are down right ugly, but because of that nostalgic factor, or some sort of a personality/story attached to it, it sells. Nike has been pacing themselves, but then again they have a huge arsenal of backlogs to re-release and "update". Reebok, on the other hand, is seemingly releasing their whole archive in one go. I think they need the $$$. Either that or they have an extremely accurate crystal ball that tells them the retro craze will be over next year. Cuz at the rate they're releasing their back catalogue, they'll run out about then. Or they're doing what Converse is doing and just keep selling the same sneakers they have been for the past 80 years.

Reebok Shaq Attacq Retro sneakers - First released back in '92, Retroed for the first time in 2013 to cash in on the current sneaker and retro craze

Sure there is nothing wrong with a classic design that's been tried and tested and loved. But I feel that to remain a classic, improvements must be made to the product. For example, Rolex does constantly improve on the Submariner, albeit how little each improvement is. Jaeger-LeCoultre has continuously improved on their Reverso, a classic of over 80 years. If you ever get the chance to play with one from the 30s you'll realise just how much they've improved on just the swivel case. Porsche is also constantly improving their 911 Carrera, whilst retaining the classic silhouette. But if the same product is pumped out day in day out with no improvements whatsoever, that to me is just being lazy. (Converse comes to mind again with their Chuck Talyor All Stars but to be fair, it's gone from a pair of professional basketball shoes to streetwear, and they have been creative about the materials used as well as collaborations with various artists/designers to put their signature touches on a classic product.)

I love a classic as much as the next classic lover, but personally, I'd also like to see improvements made, whether it be in the materials, the production, whatever... something. As nice as a 50-year-old Porsche is, I certainly would not want to drive it everyday, and therein lies the rub.

One-on-one with a Sydney watch collector Part 2

Exclusive one-on-one interview with a Sydney Watch Collector Pt 2
Previous part is here

TST: There are a numerous collectors out there who swears by mechanical movements only, and would not touch a quartz watch with a 10 foot pole. Where do you stand on quartz?

SWC: I'm one of those non-discriminatory watch fanatics. I have absolutely nothing against quartz watches. I do have issues with brands charging ridiculous money for quartz. I'm sure your readers will know perfectly well that in terms of accuracy, nothing beats quartz. But there's quartz, and there's quartz. Some quartz movements are nothing short of amazing as well, believe it or not. For example, Citizen has this super quartz watch with a thermocompensated movement that is accurate to +/- 5 seconds a YEAR! These movements are also hand assembled and what not. The brilliant Seiko Spring Drive brings together the best of mechanical and quartz technology, so to lump all quartz watches into one category is a bit unfair. For me personally, I have numerous quartz watches- Sometimes it's just really convenient to pick up a watch and go- I have a few Casio G-Shocks, and a number of Swatches that are quartz.

TST: But most of your watches are mechanical, correct?

SWC: Yes.

TST: Why is that?

SWC: I really admire the craftsmanship that's gone into a movement. You have all these really tiny springs and cogs and wheels, all working together in such a tight tolerance, and it's able to do this day in, day out, with no problems for years on end, whilst keeping pretty accurate time! And it's all mechanical! I find that so amazing. And then there's these high complication watches with 4-500 parts within the movement, all crammed into such a tiny space, it's simply mind blowing! To be honest I'm surprised these things don't break down more often!

TST: So out of all your watches which one is your favourite?

SWC: I love all my children equally.

TST: Fine. There must be some that you tend to pick up to wear more often than others?

SWC: I go through phases. For example, right now I'm wearing my G-Shocks quite often. They're not the high end solar powered radio linked super G shocks, but the more basic ones you can get. I think they're just such great value for money though, I mean you're getting an extremely tough watch, with perpetual calendar, world time zone, stop watch and timer, alarm and what have you- all for about $200. Plus the battery life on these are amazing! I think one of my G-Shocks must have lasted at least 5 years, and that is with constant use and abuse, and who knows how long the battery's been in the watch before I had it!

TST: The G Shock is very casual. What would be your current pick if you had to 'suit up'?

SWC: I have a Tissot Le Locle, which is really nice, very dressy and elegant, great proportions and perfectly balanced design- I really love this watch. Such great value for money as well. It'll easily pass for watches costing 10 times more, and it'll keep just as good a time, since it's powered by a reliable ETA 2824 'workhorse' movement. It's also relatively thin, so it'll fit under the cuff no problems. What I would do, is put a decent alligator strap on it. The calf with fake alligator grain strap it comes with does NOT do it justice.

On the other end of the scale, is the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master World Geo. The dial is probably a little too busy for a dress watch, but it's all useful busy, not busy for the sake of being busy. The world time is a really useful function for me, as I do need to speak to people in other countries at times, and at one glance I can see exactly what time it is in any of the 24 time zones.

TST: Just to play Devil's advocate - doesn't your phone tell you that?

SWC: Yeah but what's the fun in that? But it is a good question. Everything has a time on it these days and a smart phone can tell you pretty much anything that your watch can possibly tell you, so why bother with a watch? Some wear watches as their jewelly, some as status symbol, to show off, but I like to think I'm part of a secret society - in that only people in the know will truly appreciate what you have on the wrist. There is a sense of excitement when you see someone with a true classic, or something that's quite obscure or underappreciated, you know that they also share this 'secret'. And I suppose...  the secret handshake is that knowing nod,  the subtle acknowledgement.

TST: From what you've just said, I'm guessing you don't really like the so-called "mainstream" watches?

SWC: Yeah... you could say that. I mean, a classic is still a classic, and I have a number of classics, such as the Omega Speedmaster "moon watch" I mean, the design on this has not changed for more than 50 years and it's as fresh today as it was 50 years ago, and I will most likely get a Rolex Submariner or a Sea Dweller just because. But I do prefer to have something that not many others have.


TST: Such as...?

SWC: Ok.. I'll pick the more obscure ones-


1. 70s (I think) Seiko Manual. Got this on the cheap. All I needed to do was to get it serviced and put a strap on. It's just so different and funky!

2. Fortis IQ watch Rolf Sachs. The case and movement is nothing special, but I really liked the dial! All the 'chalk' part glows at night too- even the smudges. When I first saw a picture of this, I knew immediately I had to have it...

3. Nike Triax Chrono - This I also got on the cheap - seems like it didn't sell very well, and I'm not surprised. The customer that would buy a Nike watch would probably pick a digital over this one. I love the organic shape and the fact that it's an analogue chronograph! It's so not Nike and that's part of the charm.

4. Omega Speedmaster Split Second- This one is so ugly that it's got such character. Completely unbalanced, and extremely thick and chunky, again, not a watch that sold well. This one sat in the dealer for a very long time till I brought it home. Obviously rare since I've had a couple of half decent watch retailers asking me if it was fake cuz they ain't never seen one. I don't have it any more and I think given the chance I'll most likely buy it back.

The third and final part of this interview will be up shortly!