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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Slavery Shoes.....Really tho?!?!?!?


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Let’s get right to it. These ‘Shackle Shoes’ that everyone is so up in arms about. Going so far as to call them ‘Slavery Shoes’. Really?!?!?!
I’m black (duh), and I can tell you I don’t find these shoes particularly offensive at all. In all honestly they’re ugly…perhaps tacky, but offensive? THEY ARE SNEAKERS.
Some have argued that because sneakers are primarily marketed and bought by black males, that adidas should be more sensitive to something that evokes memories of slavery.
*blank stare*
Miss me with that nonsense. Young black males (and just young males in general) have been making themselves look stupid for decades. Jerry curl, sagging pants, skinny jeans, gold teeth, beaded braids….you could just add these shoes to the list. But to say they are evocative of slavery? That’s just beyond hypersensitive. ITS FASHION…why was no one up in  arms about this purse….
Or this one….
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Don't these images bring to mind being 'shackled' or 'enslaved'?

If anything it’s a social commentary. We continue to release more and more expensive sneakers that people have actually gotten killed or injured for( Jordans anyone ???) . And as the tag line of adidas’ face book page says, “Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?”
If you want to go the slavery route, we are slaves to fashion; we are slaves to labels and images. We care so much about what people think of our look, our shoe game, or whatever else that you would buy $900 tennis shoes, or ones with handcuffs attached.

Jeremy Scott, the designer of the shoes said this was his inspiration: 
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According to the New York Daily News, and a statement he released to the AP, his work is always inspired by cartoons and such from his childhood. Yep....big toothy monsters always make me think of my ancestors struggle.

I’m not mad at adidas for these shoes. I’m irritated that hypersensitive people of all races blowing this WAY out of proportion. I just want people to think about things before they start running their mouths. I look at these shoes and I don’t see slaves in the field, or a chain gang humming Negro spirituals. I just see some ugly shoes. That’s all.

2 comments:

Ashley said...

totalllly agree with you!! they are tennis shoes and you can CHOOSE to wear them - no ones forcing you too! but i secretly kind of love the LV bag! but you made me totally giggle with the "blank stare" comment! thanks for bringing me up to speed on the latest fashion fights!

callie ;) said...

i literally laughed out loud at this post! "miss me with that nonsense." hahaha.