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Hooray, let's celebrate our slow assimilation into mainstream sports!
More like, Hooray, one of the most legitimate skateboard companies out is making money hand over fist, giving it back to skating, all the while not compromising anything about their aesthetic or our culture.
Do you know how much fucking cooler and better for skating as a whole it is to have Palace as an ambassador of culture as opposed to Primitive, Nike, The Berrics, Revive, etc.?
Skateboarding is huge now and there's nothing we can do about that, but I'd much rather have Palace represent us than 99% of any other brands; they stay true to skating.
Dudes just made one of the best full length videos of the last decade on a VHS camera, and have now stepped into the realm of Betamax while world tennis champions are repping their gear; so insane.
They need to make Jamal Smith pro, though.
This is cool but the most legitimate, best video in 10 years, now using Betamax hyperbole is a bit much.
Agreed. That whole post read like a Palace marketing statement. Manchurian Candidate confirmed. And I have no idea what Palace is "giving back to skating" that is differentiating themselves from "99% of other brands". I am asking genuinely.
And just so I can keep the rhetoric straight...one thread is golf look is bad but this thread is tennis look is great because one says Palace and the other is Nike? And furthering the thought, Angie Kerber wearing that equates to giving back to skating? Got it.
Honestly, these are complicated questions but I would definitely argue that Palasonic will be one of the standout videos of this decade: seven years in the making, filmed completely on VHS with mk1 (completely their own aesthetic), filmed entirely in London, and released with a full color 200 page photo book--that is insane.
I would say there are two important things to think about:
1) Everything they created is physical--tapes, photos, etc. From a cultural standpoint thats huge because more and more art is becoming less and less tangible. They made something that took time, that you can hold, in an era where thats not necessarily important. This was a conscious decision. This is being acknowledged by prominent outside institutions as well:
https://sidewalkmag.com/skateboard-news/palace-x-tate-palace-skateboards-inspired-by-john-martin.html When was the last time a skateboard company was collaborating with a museum? Everything they do is very well thought out and intentional; it's not just some bullshit logo slapped around in photoshop. This is evident is how successful they are in the world of fashion as well.
2) Up until very recently, skateboarding was very geographically regionalized, which inherently breeds more unique style due to minimal outside influence (obviously mags and videos influenced the past heavily, no doubt, but skateboarding is now completely global due to the internet, it's not better or worse, it just is). What I am saying is compare FTC to Subzero, radically different videos and skating; but in todays world that distinct line is becoming more and more blurred. Palasonic completely challenges that--they made a regional video using international skaters in a global landscape which is pretty remarkable. Also, t whole video is a love letter to London skating. They had all the money in the world and could have done anything, or absolutely nothing, but they chose to just make an awesome skate video with their friends, and it shows.
In terms of giving back; they pay their riders well, ams included, supported Southbank, and also replicated the legendary Radlands skatepark this past winter allowing people to skate there for free. They support their community.
Also the difference between nike/golf and palace/tennis is that Palace is a skateboard company and nike is an athletics company, plain and simple.
For the record I am a filthy punk and would look like a fool in Palace gear, nor have I skated one of their boards ever (I do own Palasonic though), but I think they are one of the best companies out, clearly, haha.