Legendary artist and graphic designer Ari Saal Foreman – creator of 2006’s infamous Ari Menthol 10s – sat down with the Complex Sneakers Podcast crew to discuss the ever-prevalent trend of bootleg sneakers. It’s a topic of much online debate in the sneaker world recently, one exasperated by Nike’s recent lawsuit against Warren Lotas and his fake Pigeon Dunk Lows.
Foreman narrates the beginnings of his sneaker fascination with Vans skate shoes (then called Van Dorens) in the 70s and his graphic design background influencing his style. As the pre-eminent voice in bootleg sneaker culture is one of the few designers to be sued by Nike for his statement piece Ari Menthol 10s. Focussing on his shoe’s anti-capitalist statement, the podcast delves into the differences between the hey-days of the 90s/2000s sneaker culture Foreman soon saw himself entrenched in and the differences between the culture now. It’s a fascinating listen for sneakerheads and artist-minded people alike.
Listen to the full episode of the Complex Sneaker Podcast here.
Photo by NSS Magazine
