"core" shoe companies stay blowing it by not sponsoring female skaters

[Fro Doggy Dog]

read max harrison-caldwell's essay on "core" skateboarding, if you want - https://www.skateism.com/lets-put-this-shit-to-bed/. this topic is what i was curious about.

some people, like ted barrow, believe skater-owned shoe companies only have themselves to blame for allowing corporate brands to dominate the market:

“If you look at what skater-owned shoe companies were making in the late ‘90s, right before Nike was able to successfully come in — these plastic and suede tanks of shoes with giant molded cupsoles and puffy tongues and all these bells and whistles — that, to me, killed the skate shoe industry more than Nike coming in,” Barrow said. “Looking at weird tech éS shoes is like looking at fourth century Rome having a decadent orgy while barbarians are at the gate… Am I supposed to feel bad for them? I’m the one that’s paying money. I’m the skateboarder here. They’re not doing me any fucking favors by making shitty shoes just because they skate.”

i think the fact that corporate brands are now absorbing all of the female skaters who get coverage will only further the downfall of skater-owned shoe companies. and it doesn't seem like skater-owned shoe companies are even making an effort to reverse this trend. is samarria brevard really the only prominent female skater sponsored by a skater-owned shoe company? that's sad.

i get that brands like nike, adidas, converse, and new balance "have bigger budgets than skater-owned companies, and as a result can offer their skaters more money and develop higher quality products," (that last part is debatable, i know) but i don't see any reason why dc, emerica, es, etnies, fallen, footprint, lakai, and state can't do something for female skaters at a grassroots level. start sponsoring women who may not necessarily be well-known. hook up the girl at the local that rips the hardest. something. anything.

if etnies dumped the sheckler and joslin contracts and instead signed nora and produced nothing but purple callicuts, would they really be in a much worse position? journeys wouldn't be able to keep them shits in stock. is vans really able to pay breana geering that much? she's already down with the guys at crail - stop investing so much in nico hiraga and put her on lakai. let her have a colorway and see how it resonates instead of letting that clown put out more pastel-colored slipons. isn't globe still popular in australia? why not put hayley wilson on the team? she's been killing it recently. oh that's right, they're still paying mark appleyard.

the olympics will get more girls into skating. it seems like the corporate brands realized that a long time ago and have since built quite reputable women's teams. meanwhile, fallen is bringing back chris cole. fuck it. put marisa dal santo on.

[Francis Xavier]

Lakai has Alysha Le, Osiris had a whole girl squad, and so did Globe with Gallaz. Who do you see on Emerica?

[Fro Doggy Dog]

Lakai has Alysha Le, Osiris had a whole girl squad, and so did Globe with Gallaz. Who do you see on Emerica?

i've never seen lakai promote alysha le.

osiris

gallaz doesn't exist anymore.

put stella on emerica. somebody would then be able join winkowski in the bowls at emerica demos.

[DirtyBurger]

I think the reason is why would a popular female skater want to ride for someone who's going to pay them less than Nike, Adidas, or Cons.

[Francis Xavier]

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Lakai has Alysha Le, Osiris had a whole girl squad, and so did Globe with Gallaz. Who do you see on Emerica?

[close]

i've never seen lakai promote alysha le.

osiris

gallaz doesn't exist anymore.

put stella on emerica. somebody would then be able join winkowski in the bowls at emerica demos.

Just gave some examples from the past,Lakai blows it so much she'll get hooked up by someone else soon too. Stella gets Adidas,she isn't grungy enough to be on stuck-in-the-early-2000s Emerica

[Fro Doggy Dog]

I think the reason is why would a popular female skater want to ride for someone who's going to pay them less than Nike, Adidas, or Cons.

that's why i suggested they start by hooking up some female skaters who might not be well-known. i also suggested that they start cutting some dead weight to make room for women who rip. that'd free up their check books.

[Monkey_Mcpott]

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I think the reason is why would a popular female skater want to ride for someone who's going to pay them less than Nike, Adidas, or Cons.

[close]

that's why i suggested they start by hooking up some female skaters who might not be well-known. i also suggested that they start cutting some dead weight to make room for women who rip. that'd free up their check books.

But I mean wouldn’t it be a waste of an investment if you know for a fact in a few years down the line the Corp shoe brands are gonna offer her 3 to 4 times more than the core brands could afford? Core brands have unfortunately just become a stepping stool at this point to the bigger brands. Some core brands don’t even pay their riders.

[Francis Xavier]

I can see Skatemoss on DC

[Cool Ceith]

Lakai has Alysha Le, Osiris had a whole girl squad, and so did Globe with Gallaz. Who do you see on Emerica?

Definitely Marisa.

[Francis Xavier]

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Lakai has Alysha Le, Osiris had a whole girl squad, and so did Globe with Gallaz. Who do you see on Emerica?

[close]

Definitely Marisa.

But does she want it? She seems to like keeping it mellow,but should get hooked up forever

[Fro Doggy Dog]

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I think the reason is why would a popular female skater want to ride for someone who's going to pay them less than Nike, Adidas, or Cons.

[close]

that's why i suggested they start by hooking up some female skaters who might not be well-known. i also suggested that they start cutting some dead weight to make room for women who rip. that'd free up their check books.

[close]

But I mean wouldn’t it be a waste of an investment if you know for a fact in a few years down the line the Corp shoe brands are gonna offer her 3 to 4 times more than the core brands could afford? Core brands have unfortunately just become a stepping stool at this point to the bigger brands. Some core brands don’t even pay their riders.

maybe, maybe not. but fuck it, i say try at least. didn't reynolds re-up with emerica despite a fat offer from adidas? loyalty. you don't think the corporate brands ever came knocking on sheckler's door. he's still with etnies. loyalty. if you start showing some love to these girls early on, maybe they'll stay, they'll be appreciative, and they'll help build the brands into something bigger and better than what they currently are.

[Fro Doggy Dog]

I can see Skatemoss on DC

hell yeah why not.

streetsweeper was sick, but that crew is so fucking random. they couldn't get any clips in there from a skate kitchen girl? start hooking up east coast women with boxes. i just want to see some effort from these companies.

[Monkey_Mcpott]

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I think the reason is why would a popular female skater want to ride for someone who's going to pay them less than Nike, Adidas, or Cons.

[close]

that's why i suggested they start by hooking up some female skaters who might not be well-known. i also suggested that they start cutting some dead weight to make room for women who rip. that'd free up their check books.

[close]

But I mean wouldn’t it be a waste of an investment if you know for a fact in a few years down the line the Corp shoe brands are gonna offer her 3 to 4 times more than the core brands could afford? Core brands have unfortunately just become a stepping stool at this point to the bigger brands. Some core brands don’t even pay their riders.

[close]

maybe, maybe not. but fuck it, i say try at least. didn't reynolds re-up with emerica despite a fat offer from adidas? loyalty. you don't think the corporate brands ever came knocking on sheckler's door. he's still with etnies. loyalty. if you start showing some love to these girls early on, maybe they'll stay, they'll be appreciative, and they'll help build the brands into something bigger and better than what they currently are.

Contracts buddy

[Fro Doggy Dog]

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I think the reason is why would a popular female skater want to ride for someone who's going to pay them less than Nike, Adidas, or Cons.

[close]

that's why i suggested they start by hooking up some female skaters who might not be well-known. i also suggested that they start cutting some dead weight to make room for women who rip. that'd free up their check books.

[close]

But I mean wouldn’t it be a waste of an investment if you know for a fact in a few years down the line the Corp shoe brands are gonna offer her 3 to 4 times more than the core brands could afford? Core brands have unfortunately just become a stepping stool at this point to the bigger brands. Some core brands don’t even pay their riders.

[close]

maybe, maybe not. but fuck it, i say try at least. didn't reynolds re-up with emerica despite a fat offer from adidas? loyalty. you don't think the corporate brands ever came knocking on sheckler's door. he's still with etnies. loyalty. if you start showing some love to these girls early on, maybe they'll stay, they'll be appreciative, and they'll help build the brands into something bigger and better than what they currently are.

[close]

Contracts buddy

didn't it run out but then he re-upped? and then emerica ran that reynolds' ad that was like cryptically about loyalty or his tenure with the company?

[rusty knees]

I fucking hate the term core

to me there's just skateboard companies, and then there's the other guys.

[Jerrys Kid]

I don't understand Ted Barrow's comment. Nike and Adidas didn't invent the simple skate shoe. In fact, their early lines looked worse than the most turbo eS, Circa, Emerica and Osiris puffy shoes out at the time. Those plastic and suede tanks of shoes with giant molded cupsoles and puffy tongues were what people were buying at the time. Trends dude.

In my opinion, the shift in trend to the nondescript black suede upper with a white sole, and every company responding by making their own versions of the half cab or accel vulc with minimal logos killed the industry. The Nike shoes with the swoosh and Adidases with the 3 stripes were the only thing on shoe walls that remotely looked unique anymore.

[mattchew]

“If you look at what skater-owned shoe companies were making in the late ‘90s, right before Nike was able to successfully come in — these plastic and suede tanks of shoes with giant molded cupsoles and puffy tongues and all these bells and whistles — that, to me, killed the skate shoe industry more than Nike coming in,” Barrow said. “Looking at weird tech éS shoes is like looking at fourth century Rome having a decadent orgy while barbarians are at the gate… Am I supposed to feel bad for them? I’m the one that’s paying money. I’m the skateboarder here. They’re not doing me any fucking favors by making shitty shoes just because they skate.”

This is fucking naive it makes me want to vomit.
Social media has Ted's ego more inflated than a d3.

Wanna know why "core" footwear is gone? Capitalism you fucking idiot. Nike has absolutely endless capital and bought their way in--this isn't complex nor is it up for debate. It's so tiresome hearing everyone spout off their two-bit hypothesis' about why we have such limited skater-owned footwear options while never once even pondering the role of capital. That doesn't absolve core footwear from their past sins and financial fuck ups, but ultimately it's just victim blaming. These companies are basically nonexistent almost solely from the cut throat nature of capitalism and not their own undoing. Skateboarding was 100% fine without sports footwear. We did not need them. They saw a niche market and gobbled it up like they always do. When the bubble bursts, they'll be the first to leave.

Stick the museum tours Teddy.

[Francis Xavier]

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“If you look at what skater-owned shoe companies were making in the late ‘90s, right before Nike was able to successfully come in — these plastic and suede tanks of shoes with giant molded cupsoles and puffy tongues and all these bells and whistles — that, to me, killed the skate shoe industry more than Nike coming in,” Barrow said. “Looking at weird tech éS shoes is like looking at fourth century Rome having a decadent orgy while barbarians are at the gate… Am I supposed to feel bad for them? I’m the one that’s paying money. I’m the skateboarder here. They’re not doing me any fucking favors by making shitty shoes just because they skate.”

[close]

This is fucking naive it makes me want to vomit.
Social media has Ted's ego is more inflated than a d3.

Wanna know why "core" footwear is gone? Capitalism you fucking idiot. Nike has absolutely endless capital and bought their way in--this isn't complex nor is it up for debate. It's so tiresome hearing everyone spout off their two-bit hypothesis' about why we have such limited skater-owned footwear options while never once even pondering the role of capital. That doesn't absolve core footwear from their past sins and financial fuck ups, but ultimately it's just victim blaming. These companies are basically nonexistent almost solely from the cut throat nature of capitalism and not their own undoing. Skateboarding was 100% fine without sports footwear. We did not need them. They saw a niche market and gobbled it up like they always do. When the bubble bursts, they'll be the first to leave.

Stick the museum tours Teddy.

This.

[soonbanned]

 Skateboarding was 100% fine without sports footwear.

Really? Nike was the most worn shoe by pros even in the 70s. You're full of shit.  Skateboarding was fine without "core" companies. Nike Blazer was clearly ahead of its time as companies like DC and Adio made the big ass puffy shoes that even though I loved, noone skates anyomore. They skate things that are built much like the blazer was way back then.

[mattchew]

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 Skateboarding was 100% fine without sports footwear.

[close]

Really? Nike was the most worn shoe by pros even in the 70s. You're full of shit.  Skateboarding was fine without "core" companies. Nike Blazer was clearly ahead of its time as companies like DC and Adio made the big ass puffy shoes that even though I loved, noone skates anyomore. They skate things that are built much like the blazer was way back then.

I know you're a troll and also painfully stupid because 1) the above paragraph is barely legible and 2) you're also comparing professional skateboarding from the 70's to present day street skating.

With core footwear it was possible for a pro to achieve and live a sustainable middle class lifestyle--that is no longer an option. Sportswear literally created "the 1%" within the skate industry. You're either making money because youre on a big shoe company, or you're working a second job.

[soonbanned]

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 Skateboarding was 100% fine without sports footwear.

[close]

Really? Nike was the most worn shoe by pros even in the 70s. You're full of shit.  Skateboarding was fine without "core" companies. Nike Blazer was clearly ahead of its time as companies like DC and Adio made the big ass puffy shoes that even though I loved, noone skates anyomore. They skate things that are built much like the blazer was way back then.

[close]

I know you're a troll and also painfully stupid because 1) the above paragraph is barely legible and 2) you're also comparing professional skateboarding from the 70's to present day street skating.

With core footwear it was possible for a pro to achieve and live a sustainable middle class lifestyle--that is no longer an option. Sportswear literally created "the 1%" within the skate industry. You're either making money because youre on a big shoe company, or you're working a second job.

You have zero grasp of this topic and you're talking out your ass. If you can't understand what I said, it's most definitely you that's stupid.

[mattchew]

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 Skateboarding was 100% fine without sports footwear.

[close]

Really? Nike was the most worn shoe by pros even in the 70s. You're full of shit.  Skateboarding was fine without "core" companies. Nike Blazer was clearly ahead of its time as companies like DC and Adio made the big ass puffy shoes that even though I loved, noone skates anyomore. They skate things that are built much like the blazer was way back then.

[close]

I know you're a troll and also painfully stupid because 1) the above paragraph is barely legible and 2) you're also comparing professional skateboarding from the 70's to present day street skating.

With core footwear it was possible for a pro to achieve and live a sustainable middle class lifestyle--that is no longer an option. Sportswear literally created "the 1%" within the skate industry. You're either making money because youre on a big shoe company, or you're working a second job.

[close]

You have zero grasp of this topic and you're talking out your ass. If you can't understand what I said, it's most definitely you that's stupid.

[ChuckRamone]

I just hope none of the people saying this stuff are all gung-ho about supporting your local skateshop. People could say the exact same thing about local skateshops treating their customers badly, not offering the products they want, milking it, treating their sponsored skaters poorly, etc. Their arguments are presented in such a cherry-picked way it's impossible to take seriously.

[Francis Xavier]

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 Skateboarding was 100% fine without sports footwear.

[close]

Really? Nike was the most worn shoe by pros even in the 70s. You're full of shit.  Skateboarding was fine without "core" companies. Nike Blazer was clearly ahead of its time as companies like DC and Adio made the big ass puffy shoes that even though I loved, noone skates anyomore. They skate things that are built much like the blazer was way back then.

https://skateboarding.transworld.net/skateboarder-magazine-archives/

Skimmed through the 70s archives,while there are a few Nikes, these motherfuckers were mostly barefoot. Toss in some obvious Vans and Converse,but scuba steve wasn't there poaching fools.

[Swithflip]

Skategirls is not interesting even to girls.

[Fro Doggy Dog]

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I think the reason is why would a popular female skater want to ride for someone who's going to pay them less than Nike, Adidas, or Cons.

[close]

that's why i suggested they start by hooking up some female skaters who might not be well-known. i also suggested that they start cutting some dead weight to make room for women who rip. that'd free up their check books.

[close]

But I mean wouldn’t it be a waste of an investment if you know for a fact in a few years down the line the Corp shoe brands are gonna offer her 3 to 4 times more than the core brands could afford? Core brands have unfortunately just become a stepping stool at this point to the bigger brands. Some core brands don’t even pay their riders.

[close]

maybe, maybe not. but fuck it, i say try at least. didn't reynolds re-up with emerica despite a fat offer from adidas? loyalty. you don't think the corporate brands ever came knocking on sheckler's door. he's still with etnies. loyalty. if you start showing some love to these girls early on, maybe they'll stay, they'll be appreciative, and they'll help build the brands into something bigger and better than what they currently are.

[close]

Contracts buddy

[close]

didn't it run out but then he re-upped? and then emerica ran that reynolds' ad that was like cryptically about loyalty or his tenure with the company?

found it. scroll through some of the comments.

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=102014.0

[johnes]

I’ve said this before but seeing everyone in Nike’s just makes things look bland to me.
Especially when it’s a black nike vulc.
 
I would love to see girls skaters I like on lakai or emerica.
Especially have a real ad for the brand.
I loved the Nike video but imo it would have been extra special if it was a lakai or emerica video.

I also think we often over estimate how much Nike Addis’s cons pays their skaters.
 

[mattchew]

I also think we often over estimate how much Nike Addis’s cons pays their skaters.

Anyone "fully on" aka listed on the Nike/Cons/Adidas/NB#/Vans websites makes at least 6 figures, no question.
P Rod, Koston, Nyjah, Ishod, etc. are for sure making million(s).

Ishod deserves billions tho. 

[TheLurper]

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“If you look at what skater-owned shoe companies were making in the late ‘90s, right before Nike was able to successfully come in — these plastic and suede tanks of shoes with giant molded cupsoles and puffy tongues and all these bells and whistles — that, to me, killed the skate shoe industry more than Nike coming in,” Barrow said. “Looking at weird tech éS shoes is like looking at fourth century Rome having a decadent orgy while barbarians are at the gate… Am I supposed to feel bad for them? I’m the one that’s paying money. I’m the skateboarder here. They’re not doing me any fucking favors by making shitty shoes just because they skate.”

[close]

This is fucking naive it makes me want to vomit.
Social media has Ted's ego is more inflated than a d3.

Wanna know why "core" footwear is gone? Capitalism you fucking idiot. Nike has absolutely endless capital and bought their way in--this isn't complex nor is it up for debate. It's so tiresome hearing everyone spout off their two-bit hypothesis' about why we have such limited skater-owned footwear options while never once even pondering the role of capital. That doesn't absolve core footwear from their past sins and financial fuck ups, but ultimately it's just victim blaming. These companies are basically nonexistent almost solely from the cut throat nature of capitalism and not their own undoing. Skateboarding was 100% fine without sports footwear. We did not need them. They saw a niche market and gobbled it up like they always do. When the bubble bursts, they'll be the first to leave.

Stick the museum tours Teddy.

[close]

This.

What I find interesting about this is:

1) Ted seems to be equating style he doesn't like with the end of core companies. The D3 is ugly as balls, but it sold well. Is he upset that it sold well to none skaters (fashion rather than function) or is he upset that it was ugly and (some) skaters convinced themselves that it was good for skateboarding? I think of the JNCO jeans era where big pants were worn to "protect our ankles from the board" and the girl pants era where skinny jeans were worn because they "don't get in the way and allow us to see the board better").

2) Nike's 3rd attempt came in strong w/a ton of market research; associations with important people, shops, and companies; a ton of money to pump into the magazines (Does anyone remember Transworld Business's exposure meter? Nike's exposure via ad/editorial was off the charts); and exclusive deals that appealed to shoe heads and boosted the local shops' bottom lines.

3) Out of all the mistakes the core companies made, the D3 is not my number 1 complaint. There are plenty of other mistakes (and attempts at running their companies like corps) that lead to their downfall.

4) There is certainly an issue with the "core" not supporting women enough. However, I firmly feel this is being used as a wedge issue to break associations with the skateboarding we all know and create an opening for Olympic/Street League skateboarding who will pretend to give a shit about women. The core companies tried, but sadly as soon as they hit any economic trouble the girls sections were the first to get huge cuts.

[Fro Doggy Dog]

I believe Etnies (soletech) had a girl thing going on for awhile, because i knew a girl IRL who was getting free shoes from them, and was flown out to their HQ with a bunch of other girls for an event at the little park they filmed those videos of Herman in slowmotion at. Obviously they weren't putting them front and center but i guess they were trying to get something started. This would've been like 2009-10ish.

that's interesting to read. given the current state of women's skateboarding, i think etnies should try something like this again with samarria brevard as the face.

i think lakai should really go all in on allysha le. she's almost at 100k followers on instagram, is backed by dickies, already kills contests, and might be skating in the olympics. hell, she's even getting ads for kashi. and lakai is doing jack shit to promote her. they're no stranger to collabs that make you go , so they should be all over a kashi x lakai shoe.