News

I am honoured and inspired to have been invited to work in the lab @vibramconnect a huge thank you to everyone involved and everyone @vibram  We were tasked to recreate and rework some vintage archive pieces from @sota.rome for display at their exhibition space in Rome.  It was luck of the draw and i selected a pair of 2004 @nike escape. The soles were Eva with a waffle outsole, peeled straight off without crumbling luckily. The concept I went with was inspired by the name “escape” I thought of hiking/sailing and the feeling of exploration.  Taking elements from climbing, I...

Search "how to clean suede shoes"  and you'll see the same advice repeated everywhere:       "use bicarbonate soda" Bicarbonate soda has always been incorrectly recommended for cleaning shoes of any kind. It’s cheap, accessible, and widely promoted online as a miracle fix for stains and odors. However this household staple does a lot of damage and we've seen it first hand multiple times. Can You Use Bicarbanote Soda on Suede? No. Bicarbonate soda (baking soda) should not be used on suede shoes under any circumstances. While it may absorb odours or lift very light surface dirt, it actively damages...

Nike Air is one of the most recognisable features in modern footwear but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. At Sneaker Pharm, we regularly get asked whether a popped Air unit can be repaired. The reality is usually more technical than most people expect, and it comes down to how these units are designed and manufactured and the lack of spare components available for purchase. What Is Nike Air Technology? Nike Air is a cushioning system made from pressurised gas sealed inside a flexible plastic unit embedded in the sole of a shoe. At the centre of that system...

The story of Vibram begins with its founder, Vitale Bramani — an Italian mountaineer with a deep understanding of the dangers of the outdoors.

In 1935, Bramani took part in an Alpine expedition that ended in tragedy. Six members of his climbing team lost their lives due to extreme weather conditions and inadequate footwear. At the time, mountaineers relied on leather-soled boots or metal-studded designs, both of which failed in icy, unpredictable environments.

This moment became the turning point.

I sat down with Liam Wilson and Molly Granger from Manchester Fashion Institute, for a conversation in our studio. We talk origins of sneaker pharm and the challenges of running a niche, novel business. “I’m like, a hyper consumer. I’m the guy who likes lore. You know, it’s crafted by a 100-year-old, by his hand, took him 50 hours to do.” We’re chatting to Vinnie Tao, the founder of Sneakerpharm. While most of us will care for our clothing and maybe even get it tailored to extend its life cycle, we’re unlikely to do much beyond chucking our latest pair...