Zero & Fallen x Dwindle...

[zuma]

Expand Quote

It's strange how brands that have been so huge are going through this. Alien Workshop being sold to a corporation and then going to shit, now Zero going to Dwindle (technically a skate brand but judging by where I see Darkstar boards I'm going to consider them a corporate brand). Meanwhile, brands that died after the 90s are coming back or came back, like Stereo and Shorty's.

All of this seems so familiar. The corporate involvement, massive contests, core brands shifting around or dying out completely... are we about to meet the next skatepocalypse?

[close]

No, I don't see why industry issues would affect the general love for skateboarding towards youth. Kids don't give a shit about those problems.

everyone should just get back in the trenches instead of compensating for losses- room up with a couple of vx s and keep it like it used to be when these companies got big. put lots of footy out and build up again and go from there. or even better start something new with the squad

[Hercules Rockefeller]

I mean, you won't keep selling product, when your product is shit. I don't know about zero boards, but fallen shoes are notoriously low quality. I bought a tan pair of jack curtains, and the soles fell off in three weeks. I never skated them once, I got them as chillers. And I've heard a million other stories of the same. You can't put garbage out there, especially in a competitive market, and expect people to keep buying them.

to be fair, newer fallen models (especially since the NB# deal) are up to par with general quality. lakai had the same problems and image a few years back, but managed to get that done early enough. fallen was a little behind, and thats hurting them.

[mooraga]

how can they still have a deal with new balance while they can't sell THEIR own shit?

or its new balance keeping afloat the entire distro?

mystery its probably going down soon

[ice nine]

weird that cliff is now isucks tm

[S.E.]

how can they still have a deal with new balance while they can't sell THEIR own shit?

or its new balance keeping afloat the entire distro?

mystery its probably going down soon

New balance is currently leaving black box to do their thing independently...It's funny how Jamie basically confirmed that skate mental is $omewhat influenced by Nike.

[ThrillOfItAll]

This is so strange to see... hope they don't turn into another Dwindle company and look more like a kid brand than they kinda do.

Hopefully they strip back, go back to the roots and come back stronger with an underground following like Polar then take over the world.

Ps, Jack Curtain to bring out a chunkier G shoe on Fallen will have the 90's heads que up. With all this 90's Nostalgia going on, i don't know why cool skate shoes haven't made a come back yet. They are not gay, Floral Bucket hats are....

[ThrillOfItAll]

Oh, and big up ISUCK for telling people how it is, no bullshit. Respect.

[OopsPoops]

I mean, you won't keep selling product, when your product is shit. I don't know about zero boards, but fallen shoes are notoriously low quality. I bought a tan pair of jack curtains, and the soles fell off in three weeks. I never skated them once, I got them as chillers. And I've heard a million other stories of the same. You can't put garbage out there, especially in a competitive market, and expect people to keep buying them. Maybe dwindle will be able to put more money into the brand, and the quality will rise, and with that, sales.

Side note, how is dwindle so flush? What company do they have that's raking in money? Cliche, maybe? I don't think I've seen blind, dark star, or tensor product in a shop since I was maybe 18.

I've seen plenty of shops stocked up with Cliche, Almost and Enjoi boards. As for Blind and Darkstar, a lot of larger department stores sell their completes, so that's some extra cash right there.

[OopsPoops]

Does this mean Fallen is going to be influenced by Globe with tech and designs?

I don't think Dwindle actually distributes Globe. If I'm correct, Fallen would be the only shoe they distribute right now.

[Baron Samedi]

Side note, how is dwindle so flush? What company do they have that's raking in money? Cliche, maybe? I don't think I've seen blind, dark star, or tensor product in a shop since I was maybe 18.

My thought is that it's Blind and Darkstar that kill it for Dwindle. It's the same deal as Element, where you as the older skater think it's corny as fuck but there's this giant population of younger skaters and even non-skaters that think it's really cool. It also seems like each one of their companies targets a different type of skater, or kid in the case of Blind and Darkstar. I'd assume Enjoi, Almost and Cliche, which are their more "core" brands, to be much lower sellers than Blind and Darkstar, especially with Darkstar's juggalo/Walmart appeal, but each appeals to a different group. And I can see the acquisition of Zero being pretty beneficial for Dwindle, as Zero represents a market they haven't really delved into yet.

EDIT: Looks like OopsPoops beat me to it.

[RollingThunder]

I grew up on "Thrill of it All" so it's really sad to see Zero suffering through financial issues. They have never had the best design aesthetics but their team has always been so sick. I wish that team skill / gnar could keep a company afloat but we all know that it can't.

[dillanharp]

Expand Quote

Does this mean Fallen is going to be influenced by Globe with tech and designs?

[close]

I don't think Dwindle actually distributes Globe. If I'm correct, Fallen would be the only shoe they distribute right now.

Globe owns Dwindle.

[natenola forever]

So does Jamie have anything to do with Black Box now? Or is that just gonna be run by other partners?

[ChrisSennsGirlfriend]

am i making a glaring oversight or would forrest be zero's first black dude?

[Abyss1]

am i making a glaring oversight or would forrest be zero's first black dude?

Yea, Zero's always been a rock company, Forest is not a rock dude, Come to think of it I dont know any brotha who'd look right on Zero...

[zuma]

Expand Quote

am i making a glaring oversight or would forrest be zero's first black dude?

[close]

Yea, Zero's always been a rock company, Forest is not a rock dude, Come to think of it I dont know any brotha who'd look right on Zero...

terrell robinson or norman woods would fit i think or ghost maybe- if he had footy

[McGooch]

This is so strange to see... hope they don't turn into another Dwindle company and look more like a kid brand than they kinda do.

Hopefully they strip back, go back to the roots and come back stronger with an underground following like Polar then take over the world.

Ps, Jack Curtain to bring out a chunkier G shoe on Fallen will have the 90's heads que up. With all this 90's Nostalgia going on, i don't know why cool skate shoes haven't made a come back yet. They are not gay, Floral Bucket hats are....

Agreed. I can't even find a cool looking shoe anywhere except for 100+ on ebay. Every shoe on the wall is "normal" or a super slim janoski ripoff.

People argue how those shoes wouldn't be skateable today. Just look at the skating in the late 90's early 00's. Dudes were almost as good as they are today. Tech shoes weren't hindering them any. Lakai should have a tech shoe since that's their roots. DC should bring back the OG lynx, not a slimmed down version that looks identical to every other shoe. Don't these companies remember how hugely popular some of those shoes were like muskas, kostons, DC's? Don't they see that they go for 100-400+ on ebay? Shoe's were just getting into technology and every one of them looked unique, then somewhere it changed to cookie cutter simple slim shoes. No variety anymore. Janoski ripoffs, halfcab ripoffs, antwaun lookalikes/ripoffs.

As for dwindle shoe companies, I believe Lakai was out of dwindle a few years back. Not sure if they still are.

[Swithflip]

http://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2014/06/24/the-future-of-zero-fallen-with-jamie-thomas/

[Billy Ocean]

As for dwindle shoe companies, I believe Lakai was out of dwindle a few years back. Not sure if they still are.

Lakai was out of Podium, Tim Gavin's distribution house which does DVS, Matix. Don't think they'd be partnered with a Rocco affiliated group. They parted ways with Podium a year/year-and-a-half ago over quality/money issues.

[Baron Samedi]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

am i making a glaring oversight or would forrest be zero's first black dude?

[close]

Yea, Zero's always been a rock company, Forest is not a rock dude, Come to think of it I dont know any brotha who'd look right on Zero...

[close]

terrell robinson or norman woods would fit i think or ghost maybe- if he had footy

Shuriken would be tight on Zero except for the obvious Brockman beef

[Fongstarr.]

^^^^What is with Brockman and Shuriken?

[Baron Samedi]

^^^^What is with Brockman and Shuriken?

As I understand it, Brockman got kicked off Osiris for being wasted and saying or doing some purportedly racist shit in Shuriken's general direction. I don't know what was said or done, but it's detailed towards the middle of this interview.

http://www.thrashermagazine.com/articles/magazine/james-brockman/

[MyUserName]

Anyone who ever said Forrest Edwards would end up on Zero: I owe you a Coke.

[smokecrack]

you fuckheads make me so mad

http://www.slapmagazine.com/component/option,com_jfusion/Itemid,4/index.php?topic=79623.0

[ChrisSennsGirlfriend]

jamie thomas already posted that jamie thomas interview.

[IamCircus]

Ok, to me that reads like he is selling the company. If that's the case and Cole is part owner does that relieve him of his duties and leave him free to move to another board company? I know people have been saying for awhile that he was leaving but I doubted he'd leave a company he owned but if he's not in ownership anymore...

[McGooch]

James Brockman's weekend buzz was horrible. Nothing bad to say about Jimmy Carlin, Brink, or Erica. Dude just seems like a tool. Being racist towards somebody is bad enough but Shuriken seems like the nicest dude. Not to mention James' ugly ass style and face.

[DannyDee]

James Brockman's weekend buzz was horrible. Nothing bad to say about Jimmy Carlin, Brink, or Erica. Dude just seems like a tool. Being racist towards somebody is bad enough but Shuriken seems like the nicest dude. Not to mention James' ugly ass style and face.

I actually thought it was amazing because of how awkward brockman was, and Jimmy basically saying his brockman impression is a slightly higher pitched eric cartman

[doomstation55]

It just seems weird that Black Box is still a thing but Zero is no longer on it. What chance does Mystery stand really? I really hope that Slave sticks around, it's the only BB distro board I've bought in the past 5 years and I really like everything about the company.

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

It just seems weird that Black Box is still a thing but Zero is no longer on it. What chance does Mystery stand really? I really hope that Slave sticks around, it's the only BB distro board I've bought in the past 5 years and I really like everything about the company.

From the interview, it seems like black box still has control of the creative direction and team, but that dwindle will distribute.