Side Step, a lifestyle footwear and sportswear brand, has been a lifestyle force to all sneaker-obsessed peeps. The brand is proudly and exclusively bringing you the fully reloaded Converse Chuck Taylor All Star monochrome hi’s – only available at their stores nationwide. Making sneakers accessible and available to lovers of fashion, ensures the longevity and proliferation of sneaker culture. The sneaker is, after all, a universal must-have item.
The Converse Chuck Taylor All Star sneaker has also managed to embed its distinguished patch throughout the ages of popular culture. It always reinvents itself with each generation that comes with its varying fashion needs. The launch of the new Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Monochromes hi’s, makes sure that every young, urban, sneaker freaks will be catered for. Side step allows peeps to have fun putting together their looks because they provide the best apparels and sneakers for the masses.
Available in all-white, Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Monochromes hi’s are the perfect palette to complete a minimalistic or a fun, versatile look. With some of these characteristics in mind, we enlisted two respected creatives in JHB, Braamfontein, to wear them, dress them up in their own way and translate what the sneaker represents in their everyday, creative and inspirational lives.
Success Maake and Athandiwe Ntshinga are two creatives who embody the characteristics of the sneaker. They were simply amazing when we were putting together the spread. They understood what the sneaker is about and they interpreted the aesthetic of the new kicks well, each using their unique approach to creativity.
Success Maake
Success Maake is a 22-year-old multimedia design graduate from the University of Johannesburg, an Alumni at International Development Design Summit and founder of the design and research agency, Trilab. He is also an impressive brand and informations architect with a clean and minimalistic approach. Design, research, content creation and product development are also form part of his creative arsenal.
Part of the cool kids, he can usually be seen cruising around the CBD on his beautiful and retro inspired bicycle(s) looking all cool or collaborating with friends on exciting and inspiring projects. His portfolio includes work on some of the monthtly held Design Share Party events, where artists and people interested in the arts share their work and inspirations. He was also a guest speaker at the first RHTC workshop where he shared his knowledge and experiences with youngsters interested in the creative space.
As a freelancer he understands the amount of hard work that you have to put in, in order to achieve your goals. So far his work has managed to speak well for itself. His creative philosophy is vision: “My physical being is inspired by society, culture and the media.”
His thoughts about the new Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Monochrome range exclusively available at Side Step stores:
1. What has been your fondest memory when it comes to the Converse brand?
“Seeing friends wear them and customising a pair of white hi tops for a friend in high school. I have never owned a pair in my life until now.”
2. What do you think of these new “Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Monochrome hi’s?
“I love them, I see a blank canvas and that is always a foundation for a story.”
3. Where do you see yourself wearing the sneakers?
“EVERYWHERE! They work with almost all my outfits and environments – be it formal or casual.”
4. Besides the colour white, which colour would you like to wear and why?
“The classic red and white colourway – I love red, it has the power to be any emotion.”
Athandiwe Ntshinga aka Amarafleur (pronounced ah-ma-ra flur as in the flur in McFlurry)
Amarafleur is a 21-year-old student at the University of Witwatersrand, studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies. This electro-soul singer is a well-travelled scholar of life – having been to Tanzania, India, New Zealand and other parts of the world. The inspiration she has drawn from her travels are infused into her sound and the results are soothing and encouraging. It’s all about global influence darlings!
Having fostered a the love of music through her travels and encounters, Amarafleur started experimenting with different sounds and after spending some time in the New Zealand music scene; her first project – the Amarafleur EP was released online in the beginning of 2014. With that daring exercise and belief in herself, her music calling was officially answered and she hasn’t looked back since.
Since her EP’s release, she has been experimenting with other sounds and sharpened what she has already acquired musically (and socially). In that way she eventually found her unique sound by making connections with other artists around the world – resulting in the making of memorable and lasting music.
Her thoughts about the new Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Monochrome range exclusively available at Side Step stores:
1. What has been your fondest memory when it comes to the Converse brand?
“The first pair of Converse I wore, was when I got to Grade 5 – They were olive low’s and I squiggled all over them. My friends and I used to sit by the courts and draw all sorts of designs on the soles. My brother took the pair after a few years, so I don’t have them as memorabilia anymore.”
2. What do you think of these new “Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Monochrome hi’s?
“This range is one for the kind of human who enjoys the simple, but finer things in life. You’re able to wear these monochrome’s anyway you feel works for your personal style.”
3. Where do you see yourself wearing the sneakers?
“EVERYWHERE. I’d wear them at my wedding.”
4. Besides the colour white, which colour would you like to wear and why?
“I’d wear orange, mainly because I have a lot of earth/monochrome colours. Having a little burst of colour never hurts.”
Listen to some of her music below:
Make sure you visit Side Step Store’s website and check out their store list here
To win yourself a pair, make sure you enter the competition here.
Live SA
Facebook (like and share the post competition post)
Twitter (follow and retweet the competition post with #hashtags: #ConverseMonochrome, #allwhitecanvas, #sneaker, #exclusive)
Instagram (like the competition post)
Side Step Store
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Words and Production: @sponono_fierce
Photography by: @stay_prep_sa
