Subscribe to The Kicks You Wear with Mike D. Sykes, a drill down on the red hot intersection between sports and fashion.
Good morning! Welcome to the Kicks You Wear! Thanks so much for rocking with me today, folks. I appreciate you for giving me a bit of your time today.
This is KYW’s first send on The Business of Fashion’s platform! It’s been a long time coming, guys. This newsletter’s humble beginnings are not lost on me. I thought this would be something 30 people read for fun. Now, we’re here, on one of the best international platforms in fashion. It wouldn’t be here without your support. If you’ve been rocking with me for the long haul, thank you so much. If you’re new, welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride.
Let’s dive in.
Expanding a Brand with Steph Curry
Stephen Curry always finds himself in rare air. Over the last 16 years, obviously, he’s built up one of the greatest resumés in NBA history. Four championships, a couple of MVPs, multiple NBA records, and a gold medal to boot.
But he’s also pulled off the impressive feat of launching his namesake Curry Brand, an arm of his longtime sponsor Under Armour that the Warriors point guard spearheads. No other contemporary NBA player has been able to pull the same off — not even the likes of his chief rivals in LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Curry’s business with Under Armour is something akin to Michael Jordan’s business with Nike through his Jordan Brand.
The Curry Series 7 is the latest project the point guard launched under his brand umbrella. It’s what he’s calling a “Super Shoe,” which is typically something people use to describe high-performance running shoes — not basketball sneakers.
I had a brief chat with Curry about the new shoe and that distinction, as well as what it’s like to have a brand with his name on it.
Here’s that conversation. Enjoy.
Sykes: You refer to the Series 7 as “super shoe.” Generally, when people talk about super shoes, they’re talking about running shoes. What makes this a super shoe?
Steph Curry: It’s a bold step into super high-performing tech. The name is supposed to perform at playoff intensity straight out the box. The fact that I tested out one of our elite running shoe models and loved the responsiveness and the fit where it gives you a heel-to-toe spring effect, but it doesn’t overdo it. It has the super-critical foam in the midsole, it’s just insanely comfortable.
We add that to the flow that I’ve been wearing since the Curry 8. It’s just the combination of all the best things you can put into a shoe. I’m just super excited that it does exactly what it’s supposed to do. Wore it in the playoffs last year and ready to keep going through the fall.
Sykes: And the Series 7 name — was that inspired by the NBA playoffs?
Curry: Yeah. You rise your game to the moment and the Series 7 shoe is supposed to do the exact same thing. To the point of me surprise attack debuting it then, it speaks to what the shoe is supposed to do. You don’t just switch it up in the middle of a series when you’re feeling good. You’ve got to believe the shoe is going to do what it’s supposed to do. That’s backing up how I’m talking right now.
Sykes: What surprised me was the $160 price point. Generally, when you think of a “super shoe,” you think of about running shoes that can get up to the $220s, $230s, $250s and higher. What was it about this shoe that made it a good price point?
Curry: To your point, there’s a reason it feels the way it does. It’s loaded with the best of what we got.
But to the point of making it accessible and it being a Curry shoe, that’s a big part of it. You want to have that high value associated with it, but we had to take those appropriate steps to continue to build the brand and the spectrum of variety of shoes that we have on shelves. It’s a bold step in terms of what we put in the shoe. You don’t want there to be sticker shock, where you just want to have it as accessible as possible, and then be able to double back with even better tech moving forward.
Sykes: Is this a continuation of your Curry signature line, or is this different?
Curry: It’s a different lane. I just finished 12 last year, and 13 will be on the way.
Sykes: This is another expansion of the Curry brand that we’ve seen over the last few years. It’s still relatively early years for you when you think about the lifespan of a sneaker brand, but you’re going through all these phases. What’s it like to be the face and the name behind the brand as you build it out?
Curry: It’s a wild experience because, you look at case studies from the past — we obviously know about the Jordan Brand and them being the first of its kind in that sense — but most of that was later in his career and even after he was done.
We launched in December of 2020, so the idea that we’re coming up on five years and now have the Series 7, five shoes under the Curry brand, [De’Aaron] Fox is already on his second shoe, we’ve got the Splash shoe, and continue to expand the product offerings. It’s awesome to know that we’re planting the flag in all these different spaces and continuing to grow appropriately.
Now, we’re trying to take more bold steps at that pinnacle signature line. The Series 7 is a different silhouette, but another step in that direction. The 13 is going to be even greater.
Sykes: You having a brand in 2025 is not something that’s very typical. There aren’t many athletes — NBA or otherwise — who’ve pulled something like this off. Do you ever think about that?
Curry: Every day. But it’s motivation, too. I feel like I’ve got so much to accomplish on the court. It’s hard to talk about it because I’m talking about my own brand and business, but the halo effect of still being aspirational, still chasing championships and trying to play at a high level, I feel like I have a whole lot more left in the tank.
I want people to be a part of my story — a part of my product. I want the roster that we’re building out to not feel like they have to be me, but they can continue to write their own stories in their own authentic way.
I don’t ever take it for granted. It’s hard work building any type of business and having that start-up mentality, but I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish in the last five years for sure.
A Total90 Makeover
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Nike is taking things back to the 2000s with Paris Saint-Germain’s new third kit for the 2025-26 Ligue 1 season. The team unveiled the kit for the first time over the weekend, and it has the complete Nike Total90 look all over it.
The look: These kits likely look familiar to you football OGs out there. Nike’s Total90 line ran from 2000 to 2013 before being discontinued. These new PSG joints check all the boxes of an early-2000s Total90 kit. The shield paneling across the chest, the faux-collar around the neck. It’s all there.
What’s happening: Nike’s Total90 look is spreading across the football world again as the brand revives the defunct line. PSG isn’t the only team getting a Total90 makeover.
- The brand reportedly plans on spreading the design language to other notable teams like Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and more.
- That’s on top of the brand bringing back the Total90 III sneaker and rekindling its “Secret Tournament” through Toma this summer.
The big picture: Football has been having a moment in fashion since the rise of the low-cut terrace shoe began in the early 2020s, through the Adidas Samba. For a while, Nike didn’t have a counter there in the football space. The brand had lost focus on the sport and, really, sports overall.
We can’t say that anymore. Nike is doing its best to stake its claim once again through the Total90 relaunch and is using its massive partners in the football world to make it stick.
I love a good competition. Don’t you?
Welcome Back to The Runway, Kith
Ronnie Fieg and Kith literally shut the block down on Sunday for the brand’s first runway show since 2019.
The skinny: Kith held its show, titled “Institution,” right in front of its Lafayette store out in the open for the city to see.
- The area in front of the store was gated off, but the public gathered around to get a glimpse at the brand’s F/W 2025 collection.
- The umbrellas were out in the audience with a bit of rain pouring down ahead of all the action.
What we saw: The brand showed off its upcoming fall and winter collection for 2025. As expected, there were a number of collaborations spotted on the runway. New York City sports fans have a lot to be excited about.
- Collabs spotted: New York Rangers, New York Giants, New York Yankees, New York Knicks, Adidas, Clarks, Avirex.
- Celebrities spotted: Jordan Clarkson, Jim Jones, Dave East, Victor Cruz.
What worked: Per usual, Kith’s product really shone through here. There was a lot to take in. The sports fan in me loved seeing that satin Knicks varsity jacket with Patrick Ewing’s name on the back. There was also a denim Adidas jacket set with a matching bottom that immediately caught my eye. Seeing that material paired with those iconic three stripes was interesting. Adidas has explored denim a bit before, but it hasn’t stuck yet. We’ll see if it does here.
The biggest winner from the show has to be Clark’s. I lost count of the models walking the runway wearing Wallabees with Adidas’ 4D tooling attached. That’s a pairing I didn’t think would work so well.
What could use work: The spectacle of shutting the block down was pretty dope. I love that. But the rest of the presentation felt like it left a bit on the table.
- Maybe it was the weather, but I just feel like the show’s ambience didn’t match the spectacle of it.
- There was a performance by NYC rappers GASHI and Jimi Banks meant to spark a bit of energy, but it felt a bit out of place to me.
To be clear: It should be noted that I watched from my couch via the brand’s livestream. I’m sure the vibes were different IRL. I just expected a bit more from Kith — especially after Kith’s long absence from the runway. Given the constraints of the weather, though, it’s a bit of a wonder that they still managed to pull this off.
Regardless, the product still remains strong. Personally, that’s what matters most to me.
What’s droppin’, bruh?
This is a dedicated section detailing upcoming sneaker releases for the week, and sometimes other interesting drops I think you might care about.
That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks again for being here today. Appreciate you giving me a bit of your time. Hope you enjoyed the newsletter.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to email me at michael.sykes@businessoffashion.com.
Have a fantastic week. Peace and love. Be safe, be easy, be kind. We out.
-Sykes 💯