In this episode, we sit down with Cephas and Donovan of The Bunt, the Toronto-based skate podcast that started with two friends, a terrible microphone, and an idea to talk about sports and somehow turned into a decade-long institution. We get into how the show started, what they were doing before it, and how two skateboarders ended up building a podcast that brings together skating, sports, friends, and the wider culture around all of it.

We talk about the early days of The Bunt, from recording in apartments and working construction to landing their first sponsors and realizing that this thing might actually become something. They break down how their relationships with Vans and other skate brands helped change the trajectory of the show, why they’ve always been selective about sponsors, and how projects like The Bunt Jam (see you there?) and Beamer Beer grew out of the same instinct to keep making weird, fun shit with their friends.

We also get into what 10 years of doing the Bunt has taught them: how they’ve become better interviewers, why they stopped worrying about editing out every mistake, and how getting older has changed the way they see skateboarding, sports, and the community around both. Plus, the unlikely number of skateboarders who are secretly huge sports nerds, the people who have surprised them most at the Bunt Jam basketball tournament, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is make something that’s probably going to suck at first and see where it goes.

Today on the pod we’re joined by Rowan Zorilla, who you likely know as a pro skater.

We’re also joined by footwear designer Jake Crawford. He’s the guy behind Vans hitters like the Era Wafflecup, the Crockett High and the Upland.

They’ve joined forces on Rowan Z3, Rowan’s pro new model, and we’re here to talk about it.

We get into everything - how the shoe came together, inspiration (spoiler: baseball cleats!), Jake’s path to becoming a footwear designer, crucial video soundtracks, and Rowan skating vulc soles for his entire career and now pivoting into being a cupsole guy(!!!).

Happy Monday to all Village Psychic readers – first off, thanks for reading, we quite literally could not do this without you. So thanks :)

Last month we released our collaboration with PSYCHE Organic Olive Oil in the form of olive oil skate wax, and today we wanted to get you all a chance to grab some and help support what we’re building at the same time.

So, today only, if you sign up for our paid tier (monthly or yearly, doesn’t matter!), we’ll send you a bar of our new wax + a VP tee designed by Henry Johnson.

If you already are subscribed at a paid tier, THANK YOU - we’re reaching out to get your address to send you wax+ a tee as well.

Every city of a certain size should have a skate shop, right? So what happens if your city no longer has one? This exact scenario played out in Buffalo, NY, a city who’s metropolitan area encompasses over 1 million people – I mean, come one, they need a skate shop.

No one seemed to be doing anything about the situation, so in stepped Dave Eoannou, today’s guest on the pod. We talked to Dave, formerly of Mom’s Skate Shop in Buffalo, NY about what it’s like to be that person, the one holding it down when others won’t, for better or for worse.

We got into the current state of skateboarding (and skate shops), unique takes on graphic production, and generational shifts in how people get into skating. We also got into Dave’s new venture, Dauter Skateboards, and how running a sho translated to starting a skate brand, despite being in crowded space when times are changing.

We’re back after a one-month hiatus with summer releases from
Vans Skateboarding with two pro shoes for the month, ASICS Skateboarding who are rolling out a couple understated bangers, I-Path with a waxed canvas Vegan shoe, and Village PM with one of our all-time faves. We also have some updates to our footwear archive :)

Vans Skateboarding

We’re getting a double pro shoe release from Vans Skateboarding this month – the much anticipated Rowan Z3 is out. This one is a little sportier looking than his previous pro models, and features their new ImpactWaffle sole. Check out the tread pattern :)

We’ve also got the re-release of the AVE Classic this month. The stitching on this one is a great conversation starter – it’s cool how something so simple can stand out so much when it’s done right. Look for these at VCU shops.

ASICS Skateboarding

ASICS has carved out a niche for understated colorways with a classic look – one need look no further than this month’s release of the Gel Vickka Pro Midnight + Ivory, and the Japan Pro in Carbon + Graphite Grey.

I-Path

I-Path is staying true to their roots with fully Vegan waxed canvas Taylor, as seen on team riders Evan Smith and Myles Willard as of late. We’ve also got the Poet in buttery brown suede, and, of course, the Dune sandal for summer beach adventures.

Village PM

Here’s another look at the 1PM in black leather – we ran these last month, but they’re so good we wanted to get them in again.

Village Archive

See for yourself, lots of updates to our Footwear Archive this month, including some classic Vans styles you’ll likely only find there.

Michael Morey has designed some of skateboarding’s most thoughtfully crafted footwear – he’s designed signature shoes for pros like Kevin “Spanky” Long and TJ Rogers (yes, THE TJ Rogers shoe) while working for Emerica and éS.

Given these successes, it may be hard to believe that only a few years ago Michael didn’t have much connection to the skate industry at all. He was looking at it from the outside, in Michigan, and wondering if there was even a place for him in it. It’s amazing how dramatically one or two experiences can change someone’s life direction.

In todays episode, we get into what it’s like to leave your hometown in search of something bigger, how the Detroit skate scene rules, networking without a real network, and the future of skate shoe design.

This may be an obvious statement, but work with me here: the New York Knicks historic championship win this month brings into mind the power of a team’s logo.
If you’ve been here in New York City, how many Knicks logos have you been exposed to in the past month? Adorning oneself with team’s logo can an exercise in unity – if I see someone wearing the same logo, I can assume we have at least one thing in common. However, a team’s logo can have so many different connotations based on who is wearing it and how they do so.

But, enough about the Knicks – let’s pivot a bit and keep talking about sports logos, but let’s talk about the other, (usually) even more popular New York sports team and it’s even more popular logo.

As obvious as it might be, it remains worth asking: what’s the deal with the Yankees logo? Why is it everywhere, and why does it seem to have so little to do with the team it represents, or even baseball itself? Perhaps the question most relevant to our current moment is this: why is this symbol, amongst all other sports logos (and logos in general) something that’s seen so frequently?

Enter the Village Psychic school of symbolic analysis. 

Similar to the much memed about Four Stages of Simulation from Jean Baudrillard, there’s an even more applicable philosophical framework that we can use to unpack this phenomenon, from an essay titled Theory of Symbols by Northrop Frye. This system was originally used for poetry, but I find it useful for visual symbols as well.

1. The Literal Phase (Symbol as Motif):
It’s a Baseball Team Logo, Dummy (or, at least it is now)

At first, it’s a logo for a baseball team. Wearing the logo means that you are a fan of the team. The symbol now emblazoned on apparel the world over, interestingly, has origins outside baseball. It was part of a police medal designed by Louis Comfort-Tiffany, and was likely adopted as a Yankees logo by team co-owner William “Big Bill” Devery, who was also the NYPD’s first chief. 

So, it gets used for a baseball team, but not just any baseball team For the uninitiated, this team went on to have the most World Series wins of any team (27), and please keep in mind that the team with next most is St. Louis with 11. The team has perrenially been a home for baseball’s name-band players –  Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Joe DiMaggio, Derk Jeter, and more recently in history, Alex Rodriguez and Aaron Judge. The team has long been a talent magnet, so it should come as no surprise that fans of the team would want to wear its logo proudly.

2. The Descriptive Phase (Symbol as Sign):
New York State of Mind Cultural Saturation

Next, wearing the logo means you might be a fan of the team, but wearing it becomes about being a fan of New York City, where the team is from. The popularity of the Yankees logo is partially due to the team’s success, but it’s likely more attributable to the place the team hails from, and those who support the team, fictional characters or not. It doesn’t take a giant leap for the symbol to transcend the team it represents - the city, and its inhabitants, i.e. Yankees fans, are constantly on  display to the entire world. Within America, media portrays life in New York City as a either a gold-standard of living or a struggle through hellish landscape of urban decay – both make for interesting stories. Whatever the angle, one of the USA’s chief cultural exports is media that’s about living in New York (Seinfeld, Sex in the City, Friends, Girls, Broad City). Because of this, the logo of the city’s local team gets considerably more mileage.  

3. The Formal Phase (Symbol as Image):
For the Culture. No, Literally For the Culture.

What do people in New York City dress like? They probably wear Yankees gear. What kind of music do they make? Another chief cultural export of New York city, hip hop music, is key to adding a layer of meaning to our symbol of discussion. Throughout the late 1980s into the early 2000s, much of America’s most culturally significant (note that I didn’t say ‘popular’, that’s coming up) music was performed by people from New York City, often with a Yankees logo (or two) visible in music videos, live performances, or photo shoots.

From this point, the symbol becomes a shorthand for youth culture as whole, a shibboleth that to older generations was just a symbol for a baseball team, but to the more youthful encapsulated the energy harnessed by everyone from Run DMC to Nas to 50 Cent. Wearing it means some sort of connection to the culture of the place where the team is from.

4. The Mythical Phase (Symbol as Archetype)
For the…Vultures?

The symbol, in this next phase. becomes mythological.

Post-Fred Durst (yes, I’m ceiling the Ohio rap-rocker’s usage of the red Yankees hat as a key catalyst for this phenomenon) the symbol transcends itself once again into something that no longer has anything to do with baseball, or even New York.

Once the logo reaches this level of abstraction from its original meaning, one where its use is more about conveying the idea of being connected to a vague notion of coolness in general, all bets are off. Does it seem weird that Kendall Jenner, a living embodiment of Southern California culture, would wear a Yankees hat? Maybe, but when taking into consideration how many levels the logo has transcended from its initial meaning, it probably shouldn’t come as a shock. In this phase it’s transcended both baseball and New York.

5. The Anagogic Phase (Symbol as Monad:
Open to Interpretation

Once the symbol is freed from its original meaning,  it becomes something that's more of a template, something that can be played with. Much like how the advent of photography freed painting from being representational and allowed for artists to dive into abstraction, the freeing of the Yankees logo from any actual meaning allows it to be played with in ways that wouldn’t make sense for more load bearing symbols.

Once it can be presumed that (most) people have knowledge of the symbols multiple layers i.e. “I know you’re probably not a Yankees fan even though you’re wearing the logo”, the symbol can then be modified well beyond its original design and still be recognizable as the primary layer of a modified symbol.

You wouldn't see someone this with the San Diego Padres logo. I mean, maybe you would, but it wouldn’t carry nearly the same weight. Infinite versions of the symbol are allowed to exist. A few favorites below:

There’s a specific bond between people that can only be gained through time spent in a car together. I have a feeling that the listeners / readers of this platform have an idea of what I’m referring to – even if a full day of spot hunting with a friend or two is a bust, you each go back home with a better friendship than the one you started the day with.

Even if you don’t know what I’m talking about, Jersey Dave and Jon Mecca definitely do. During the filming of JP Blair’s latest (great!) video What Did You Expect?, Dave and Jon logged countless hours together in the car, driving from spot to spot to photograph Dave as he filmed his part with JP.

It’s no doubt a unique experience to document someone with a heavy history in skateboarding as they film a part, especially someone who isn’t pro (except in our hearts), is in his 40s, and appears in a video alongside several prominent pros, each of whom are at least several years younger. All this makes for a special type of energy, one that comes through crystal clear in Jon’s photos.

On today’s pod, we get into all that. No less importantly, we also talked about how kitty litter can help make a spot skateable, what skate activity warrants a trip to Applebees, and the extreme variations in topography that exist within New Jersey.

I won’t bury the lede here - today’s newsletter is about futsal (I explain what that is), and, more specifically, how the shoes made for it are also some of the best reference models for skate shoes. Do any of these skate well out of the box? Maybe, but they sure look like they do, and that’s enough for me to get interested.

The Game

Let’s start with the basics: Futsal - you probably haven’t heard of it. It’s basically just soccer, but with less players and played inside. Ever played 5-a-side soccer in a gym? That’s basically what futsal is.

The name comes from futebol de salão in Portugese and fútbol sala or fútbol de salón in Spanish, which all just translate to ‘indoor football’. The officially sanctioned rules specify the game as being played between two teams of five players (full-on team soccer has 11) each, played on a court with significantly smaller measurements.

Futsal was invented by a physical education teacher named Juan Carlos Ceriani in 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay, who aimed to create a version of indoor soccer for use at YMCAs, giving it an origin story surprisingly similar to that of basketball, also developed for use at a YMCA facility.

The sport is popular today in South America and has its own pro league. We don’t hear about it a ton in the US, mostly because…how much do you actually hear about soccer in the US?

The Shoes

So, what’s with the shoes? They’re like soccer shoes, but more skateable looking. Why is that? They’re constructed similar to indoor soccer shoes, but usually made with a lower profile, a thinner midsole, and more flexible construction – crucial for improved ball feel (I’m so used to saying ‘board feel’) for a higher touch and more precise game of soccer. Does that emphasis on ball feel translate to board feel? Probably!

One can certainly use indoor soccer shoes to play fustal, but there are many models made for exclusively for futsal, and the specific construction cited earlier makes for a very specific look. These shoes often have ‘sala’ in their name to denote their use for futbol de sala.

European brands that we don’t see a ton stateside such as Kelme, Joma, and Diadora all make futsal specific models. Some are rather elegant looking. Others, like the Joma model pictured above, are all business.

The adidas Predator Sala is an example of a futsal shoe that has been re-tooled for skate purposes – I mentioned this one in our previous soccer-centric newsletter. Really like the way this one looks.

Lastly, there are some classic models that have their own futsal-specific version, like the adidas Gazelle. I’m getting major skateability vibes from this one.

There’s this fuzzy green (or sometimes pink or orange - it varies a bit) character that I think most people have seen at some point, even if they don’t exactly know where they’ve seen it. Maybe on a bumper sticker, maybe on a T-shirt. He’s shaggy, cartoonish, and kind of cute in a grimy way — but almost always depicted either tauntingly displaying his his middle finger or paired with some aggressively hostile slogan. The version I always remember says something like: “Don’t like my attitude? Dial 1-800-EAT-SHIT.” Which is objectively pretty harsh for a fuzzball.

He’s been the *star* of several Supreme releases going back to 2002, from which many of you may know him, but I was certain his story went much deeper.

For years, I wondered: what is the deal with this guy?

He stuck in my head, not so much because of the bumper stickers themselves, but because of his (I’m assuming a gender here) unique place in culture. Specifically, it was Jason Dill wearing a shirt featuring the character in Habitat’s Mosaic that kept coming back to me. That image lodged itself somewhere in my brain, and the collective brain of skateboarding, years ago. Dill, especially in that era, had this way of making everything feel loaded with meaning — every graphic tee, every reference, every tiny aesthetic choice felt intentional, even if it probably wasn’t.

The shirt Dill was wearing is easy to find – it’s a Supreme graphic tee, one they’ve reissued fairly recently (F/W 23). However, searching for it yielded a clue regarding the character’s origin. As I searched Grailed and Depop listings, I kept finding a name associated with the character., one streetwear enthusiasts will likely already know : ‘Camacho.’

But Googling ‘Camacho monster’ didn’t really lead anywhere meaningful. Dead ends. Low-resolution reposts. Random auction listings. Internet archaeology. The kind of search where you start opening tabs faster than you close them.

Then, eventually, another name surfaced: “Holoubek.”

Not a definitive answer — more like a breadcrumb.

The more I searched, the more this weird little character started to feel connected to a much larger visual universe: 1970s iron-on graphics, truck stop decals, flea market patches, novelty Americana. Holoubek, a company out of Milwaukee, kept appearing around the edges of that world.

They specialized in iron-ons, decals, and novelty graphics during an era before online storefronts, before cheap custom screen-printing, before you could upload a PNG and have fifty shirts delivered three days later. Personal style worked differently then. You’d buy patches at flea markets, head shops, county fairs, gas stations. You’d iron them onto denim jackets or work shirts or the back pocket of your jeans.

And the graphics themselves all shared a certain energy: stoner humor, anti-authority sarcasm, weirdly hostile cartoon mascots, slightly off-color jokes. An entire ecosystem of pre-internet identity-building.

I didn’t suddenly uncover some pristine archive definitively explaining where the fuzzy green guy came from. Although, there is a good archive of vintage iron-ons here. In a way, I’m glad I didn’t. Part of what makes characters like this compelling is how they drift through culture without a clean origin story. They feel less invented than inherited.

But while digging through old resale listings and scans, I started noticing tiny clues. A familiar art style here. Similar typography there. Then eventually, the character started appearing consistently alongside old Holoubek graphics and transfers from the same era.

Just enough to place the character somewhere within that broader lineage of 1970s novelty graphics.

And honestly, that was more interesting to me anyway.

Because tracing something like this is less about identifying a single creator and more about understanding how culture actually moves. A strange little graphic appears somewhere in the American Midwest, survives through truck stops and flea markets and bootlegs, gets absorbed into skateboarding, passes through someone like Jason Dill, then eventually lands in modern streetwear. Decades of transmission for one fuzzy little guy flipping attitude at the world.

It’s also a reminder that so much of skate culture has always functioned this way: pulling fragments out of obscurity and giving them a second life.

Skateboarding has always been less about inventing culture from scratch and more about recontextualizing things that already existed — often things most people overlooked.

Which, I guess, is why I kept thinking about that shirt in the first place. Not because the graphic itself was particularly profound, but because it felt like evidence of a larger lineage. A tiny artifact from a chain of influence that stretches from 1970s iron-on culture all the way to today, with a meaningful stop at Mosaic along the way.

We’re back with a big update to our footwear archive (made with the help of a good friend), and very spring-forward release from Vans Skateboarding. a new drop from Last Resort, the much-anticipated Late Nite Stars collab from ASICS Skateboarding, a new I-Path model, and a buttery update to a modern classic from Village PM.
Let’s go.

Vans Skateboarding

The era of the Era continues, this time with one of the best color names of all time - Mauve Mist Pink. Sprite pink like Easter.

Look out for these at your local shop, and look for them on the feet of the next SOTY.

ASICS Skateboarding

A GIANT congratulations is in order for our friends at Late Nite Stars as they launch their collaboration with ASICS skateboarding. Give Respectfully another watch. Models included are the Japan Pro MT Graphite Grey and Clay Grey (seen above), the Gel Flexkee Pro 2.0 in Graphite Grey/Black, and the Leggerezza FB in Oyster Grey/Black.

Last Resort

Drop 23 from Last Resort includes new colorways for the VM003-LO, including a Canvas + Ebony styling, as seen here. Love the stitch on these.

Also, this drop includes a very sick poplin shirt - 2008 really is back :)

I-Path

May is a big month for I-Path. They’ve launched the Ace in White leather & Blue, a follow up their release of this model that featured tennis ball felt.

We’ve also got a classic styling of the Grasshopper in light brown suede with and embossed heel & leather accents.

Lastly, we have I-Path’s newest animal friendly style, the Taylor, a favorite of team riders Evan Smith & Ben Raybourn. This model features a full waxed canvas upper with reinforced rubber toe.

Village PM

Village PM is dropping a 1PM in black leather – these look buttery smooth. We’ve been seeing this brand get a lot of attention in recent months, including the big dogs of fashion knocking them off.

Village Archive

We’ve included a (mostly) forgotten 90s skate staple, the Vans Valient to the archive with help from our friend Dan Watson AKA YouWillSoon.

There’s a burrito place on the corner of Graham and Metropolitan in Williamsburg that’s been there for a long time. I’m legitimately not even sure how long, but it’s one of those places that’s been quietly embedded into the neighborhood without ever becoming anyone’s favorite restaurant. The food is fine. It’s cheap, (which for this neighborhood is a blessing) and it’s reliable. A solid 6 out of 10. I don’t think I even knew that it was called El Loco Burrito until I saw a ‘For Lease’ sign in the window.

And, to state the painfully obvious, it’s closing.

Should I be sadder than I am? Maybe. However, the food wasn’t good enough for me to be truly sad. What always made this place interesting to me was the inside. Specifically, the walls.

The place is covered in remnants of an older Williamsburg — stickers, tags, scraps of skateboarding & general culture embedded in amber from somewhere around 2005 to 2010. This is from back when the neighborhood was in a strange transitional phase: rapidly gentrifying, but still unmistakably held together by artists, skaters, musicians, and people figuring things out in *much* cheaper apartments. Before the neighborhood became self-aware. I’m by no means a local, but I’ve been here long enough to see a lot of changes, and this place always brought me back in time.

Skateboarding, especially, felt central to the identity of that era. You can still see evidence of it in this burrito spot. Layers of stickers from skate companies, bands, and small businesses adorn the walls, stacked on top of each other like geological sediment. There are some heavy hitters - an OLD 5Boro logo, Baker team sharpie portraits, an Etnies sticker made for the strip club in Tampa - they really span the gamut. There’s one for Metrospective, NYC’s first skate website, and even one of the original Village Psychic stickers c. 2015.

That’s what I’ll miss about this place. Not the burritos. Not the tacos. Just the feeling of being able to walk in every now and then and briefly reconnect with a neighborhood that was weirder, cheaper, and more connected to skating as a cultural pillar. I’d order something out of obligation, sit there for a minute, and look at the walls.

This is less a eulogy for a restaurant and more an acknowledgment of a landmark. Not an institution in the traditional sense, maybe, but an institution nonetheless. A small, slightly grimy time capsule hiding in plain sight on Graham Avenue.

More sticker examples below:

Soccer! It’s on trend, partly due to this year’s World Cup, which is expected to have viewership in the billions and around 5 million attending games in person. Bad Bunny is all about it, and brands of all types are making soccer gear.

So, needless to say, it’s a big deal, even though I know incredibly little about it.

There’s the undeniable fact that the beautiful game – I have learned that this is a term used by real soccer heads, who also call it ‘football’, even if they’re American (a little suss, but I digress) produces and inspires some beautiful garments.

It’s easy to see why. Look at how carefree, and yet, dialed in this bro looks. I have learned that his name is Diego Maradonna, and that he was a big deal in the 90’s. Does his steez with the ball elicit in me, a soccer know-nothing, an urge to search the Internet to find the exact jersey he’s wearing? Undoubtably.

Now, look at this bro. Same deal – he’s out here being a goof, but also locking the fuck in. Even though he’s not kitted in what purists would refer to as ‘appropriate soccer clothing’, his sweatshirt, jeans, and shoes take on a new dimension of glory via his actions with the ball, aided in no small part by the movements required to play the beautiful footy, or whatever the lads call it.

What if, and…get ready to be shocked, I told you that the above figure of grace and glory is none other than…

Dennis ‘Best run at Tampa Pro EVER’ Busentiz. That’s right. Soccer unlocks and heightens levels swag in all of us, even the already immensely talented.

So, what if we put the two together? What if, and again, hear me out on this, but what if someone were to skate…wearing soccer gear? I know that you (probably) already know this, but the levels of swag this combination unlocks is truly next level. Some key examples:

Why is the look of soccer so timeless, and yet, on trend? We’ll defer to Lucas Capozzi-Shanks of Scenes, an upstart brand selling vintage soccer gear as well as their own line, here in Brooklyn. According to Lucas:

On an entirely practical level, soccer gear—specifically vintage soccer gear—blends effortlessly into stylish ways of dressing because of the flattering fits. Short, sexy shorts. Boxy, oversized tops. Sometimes there’s a nice collar. Mid-calf crew training socks. Knee-high game day socks. On the pitch it looks sharp because soccer players are mostly trim, sample size athletes. Off the pitch, it’s sharp as hell on anyone because at its core the silhouette of football kit is just a cool outfit. Whereas American football jerseys, basketball jerseys, hockey jerseys… they look like silly, childish costumes. Baseball jerseys get a pass, on occasion ;)

But a bit deeper than that, soccer still feels like counter culture in this country, with the bigger, more “popular” sports feeling inherently “American” in their aesthetics, which is wack as hell right now. Soccer gear allows you to tap into more niche subcultures around the globe, and can shape your identity with more nuance and flair. With different expressions of the game throughout different countries, leagues, clubs and local communities throughout the world, soccer gives you endless “iykyk” ways of dressing, and if the people around you don’t know at all, it’s even cooler.

Examples of soccer’s influence on skate gear are many, especially when it comes to footwear. A couple of our all-time favorites:

It’s no secret that the line between skate shoe and indoor soccer shoe is a thin one, as evidenced here by one of our favorites, the adidas Copa Nationale. The style points on this bad boy are 11/10, and it skates pretty fantastically. You can find plenty of these for cheap on eBay. You’re welcome.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the Nike SB Zoom FC in this category. It’s a good time to find these before World Cup fever reaches its zenith. The proportions on this shoe look a little wild by today’s standards, but trust us, they‘re the best. Try finding a pair with intact outsoles, as many pairs of these are now of a vintage for which crumbling soles is sadly an issue.

There’s no time like the present (and, no present like the time), so what about more recent soccer-inspired skate gear? Here’s what I’m seeing now:

The Metalwood x adidas Predator Sala is an undeniable banger. It’s actually modeled on a Futsal shoe. WTF is futsal? More on that in the near future. For now, check out how sick this thing is.

In honor of the upcoming big deal that is the World Cup, adidas has released a World Cup editions of the Busentiz and the Busentiz vulc. The toe stitch on these things is very performance athletic inspired and so sick.

It’s an interesting sign of the times and a thorough endorsement of soccer’s ‘it’ factor in 2026 that brands like Polar and Dime are making soccer jerseys this season. Dime has run a few of these in the past, and while neither are soccer affiliated brands, their respective origins in Sweden and French Canada point to plenty of cultural affiliations with det vackra spelet / Le beau jeu.

Palace has, since its origin, had strong soccer affiliations. even going as far as to lend their brand to to one of footy’s most storied teams. Now that they’ve switched teams themselves, they’re back to making soccer styles. A true power move as part of their new-ish Nike partnership, we’ll likely see more of these even after World Cup fever has died down.

Fashion circles not related to skateboarding (yeah, they weirdly do exist) have as well sensed soccer’s ascendence and, probably, its permanent status in the zeitgeist and are reacting accordingly. A few efforts of note on my radar:

Samuel Falzone seems to be at the center of a soccer specific dialogue that’s emerged over the past couple years around the resoling soccer shoes and making them street-wearable by adding dress or lug soles. Love to see it.

Eleven Football is a new-ish soccer shoe brand I’m excited about. It’s founder is taking a building-in-public approach, providing near daily updates on product development, factory visits, and sales. Highly recommend a follow.

Scenes, as referenced earlier, is brand out of Brooklyn selling vintage soccer gear (amazing concept) and producing a line of highly swag-filled gear of their own. Who’s going to be the first skater to clip up in Scenes gear?

Lastly, I’m calling out thus Kids of Immigrants collaborative Nike Total 90 mule as an example of the versitility unlocked by embracing soccer styles. We’ll no doubt see more like this in the months, and, most likely, years to come.

Trigger Warning: Drugs are referenced

Today’s episode is a BIG one, and if you’re familiar with today’s guest, multidisciplinary artist Travis Spinks, you’ll know why. He’s a stunningly bright guy with a shining personality and lot to say.

Originally from Houston, TX, Spinks has been living in Brooklyn, NY for the last decade, after stints in Austin and the Bay Area.

His journey as an artist has taken him from doing graffiti, to working in the art world in various ways.

He’s truly developed his own unique (and popular!) style, which has led to doing client work and brand collaborations and, most importantly, making art just to make art.

We had a great time talking about the realities of art world, his post-college lifestyle, a church youth group that REALLY wanted him to join, personal relationships with early internet celebrities, the merits and pitfalls of brand collabs, and his big reasons on why he makes art.

Enjoy.

New York or Portland?!? What happens when you get arrested wearing Half Cabs and miss a test at school?!? What the hell is Bosco and why is that your nickname?!? These questions and so many more are answered in today’s installment of This or That™.

YouTube link is here for the visual learners among us.

Today we’re talking with Alexis ‘Bosco’ Picard, an artist designer whose work truly comes through as authentic in our current era of cookie-cutter visual media.

His style lives in that interesting space between art and design—you can tell it’s grounded in a serious painting practice. He’s also spent about a decade working at Nike, along with doing graphics for Allitmers and Palace. So yeah, he skates.

Bosco grew up in New York City and did a brief stint in suburban Maryland, but New York clearly left a mark—he ended up coming back for college and got pulled into a really special era in NYC skating, hanging out at Autumn Skate Shop and being part of the Green Diamond crew.

Our conversation gets into how all of that—painting, design, skating—comes together in how he works and thinks. There’s also a lot about what art school teaches you, and the (major) mindset shift that comes with entering the working world. Creative and professional growth get talked about, as they should.

This or That with Bosco coming later this week as a separate post :)

We’re wrapping up Q1 of 2026 and jumping right into Q2 with some big moves: a new website, an updated footwear archive, and new releases from Vans Skateboarding. Last Resort, ASICS Skateboarding, I-Path and Village PM, plus a look at offerings from Japanese label AREth and current day casual mainstay Tarvas via skater-owned San Francisco shop of note Understory. Let’s go.

Vans Skateboarding

As referenced in our footwear-centered thinkpiece last week, Vans Skateboarding is going back to it’s roots with a retooled Era shoe, the latest in the Vans Skate line to get the brand’s signature Wafflecup treatment. The Wafflecup sole combines the support and structure of a cupsole shoe with the board feel of a vulc. We’re big fans of the Waffelcup on previous models such as the cult classic Wayvee and it’s recent upgraded version, the 2 Wayvee, so seeing this treatment get rolled out onto Vans perennially stylish mainstays like the Era is a big win in our eyes.

Additionally, seeing these put to use by absolute rippers like Diego Todd and Dick Rizzo doesn’t hurt.

ASICS Skateboarding

ASICS Skateboarding deserves a special mention for their color selection this month – we’re getting three models updated with truly solid colorways that show a highly considered approach to color selection from the brand. Feel free to wear the Japan Pro in cream and Independence blue, the Japan Pro MT in feather grey and cream, or the Leggerezza FB in Raw Indigo and White to any and all spring functions you have on your calendar. Egg hunts included 🐣

Last Resort

The second delivery of Drop 22 from Last Resort underscores the brand’s commitment to making understated bangers – check out the CM002 in Hibis orange, tan, and camel (ok, this one might not be understated), the VM001 Lo Suede in brick red, off white, and white, the VM004 Milic in red clay, grey with an on-trend black sole and the VM005 Loafer (also very on trend) in brown stone sequoia, and black.

I-Path

Firs things first when it comes to I-Path this month: make sure to check out Drake Johnson’s ‘Welcome to I-Path' part. Wow. I-Path is also hitting us with a black wax hemp and synthetic Cricket this month – glad to see more hemp from these guys. We also get a Reed Low in brown suede and cream, as well as a Grasshopper in white perforated leather.

Village PM

It’s a big month for Village PM – not only are they releasing updated colorways of their 1PM and 1:30PM models, they’re also releasing a midtop version of the 1PM, as well as canvas versions of the 1:30PM.

Accompanied by deliberately un-precious product photos by Basile Fournier and Jean Reynaud, we’re looking forward to seeing this brand show up in interesting places – like GQ :) .

Understory

Multi-brand boutique stores will always have a special place in our hearts, so this month we’re dedicating some space to offerings from Understory, an immaculately merchandised and skater-owned shop in Oakland, California.

Understory carries under-the-radar Japanese brand AREth, who not only make skate shoes…

but happen to make some amazing hiking shoes, like the Kloud, which is available from Understory.

We asked Understory’s proprietor, Wes Allen, about why he stocks AREth. His answer:

“We sell AREth in the shop as a casual daily footwear option because the clean, minimal designs compliment the clothing on the racks. They’re sturdy, well-made, and have a sort of wholesome Birkenstock-y shape to them.

Skating wise, it’s just refreshing to see something independent that looks and feels unique compared to all the other options out there. In clothing there’s a long history of Japan taking influence from American designs and tweaking them in interesting ways, often improving on the originals. It feels like there’s a bit of that dynamic at play with AREth – they definitely have the mid-late 90’s skate influence but also feel modern. The soles hold up forever and are comfortable enough to be out street skating all day. I’m also a big fan of Zach Chamberlin’s whole body of work and the team so the video offerings get me hyped to skate in them. Plus they look great with oversized, earth toned clothing.”

Understory also did an amazing collaboration with Tarvas in the form of the now legendary Mosss Wanderer - too bad it’s sold out :(

Village Archive

As referenced at the beginning of this newsletter, we’re excited for you to check out what we’re building - an encyclopedia of skate footwear. There are some legendary finds in there now, and many, many more come.

This first Gonz pro model from adidas’ early foray into skate footwear in the late 90’s is a pretty amazing example - see for yourself. Thanks for reading :)

A Dispatch by Mike from Village Psychic

There’s been no shortage of talk about a post-sneaker world amongst Vogue and other fashion world thought leaders. This all tracks – the sneaker fetishist trope has had middle-of-the mall energy for a while now, and Hypebeast culture is, in 2026, synonomous with unc culture.

The K-shaped economy is pointing (a shrinking number of) folks who can afford it toward the baroque - the utilitarian, sterile, millennial-coded gray floor / white wall combo (part of Operation B.E.I.G.E ?) look is to be avoided, flourish instead is to be celebrated. Media culture is tilted toward excess, or at least the exploration of it – Saltburn and Industry come up in conversations about our era’s defining media. Everything is just more expensive than it has been in years past - see the increasing price of the McDonald’s menu for reference.

Skating in a white oxford shirt doesn’t look that weird in 2026.

What’s going on in skate shops, you ask? “Kids either get something designer new or buy something designer used. They buy less skate brand gear, even the nicer stuff.” says Dennis Burdick, General Manager of Familia Skate Shop in Minneapolis.

So, let’s get down to what really matters: what does this have to do with skate shoes?

1. The Post-Sneaker discourse is real, but it’s mostly a psy-op
   Yes, more technical sneakers have been in the limelight for a while, and people are moving toward more traditional styles. However, there will be athletic shoes (we have to skate / run / hoop in something), and loafers / loafer-esque sneakers aren’t for every occasion.

   

   We’ll likely see less air bubbles, less over-the-top technical models, and less shoes designed with a sweatpants & baggy tee wearer in mind. TJ Rogers, although immensely talented, is unc energy incarnate.

   

2. Brands will leverage existing, more minimal or traditional models - and make some new ones.
   The Vans Era is enjoying a well-timed comeback. Last Resort’s GM001 is definitively post-sneaker. Village PM gets it. People will be skating more Blazers.
   

   

   
   Outside of skate, Jonathan Anderson is making waves at Dior by making $1000+ Era knockoffs - embodying both the immense wealth stratification and aesthetic movement toward tradition of our current era.

   

   
   New models might look more along the lines of the Huf Austyn Gillette pro model, the legendary Gravis Dylan shoe (see below), or maybe even the Ali Boulala Osiris shoe. Creepers are, indeed, back.

   
   Which begs the question: has Globe’s recent vibe shift made them…valid? Or do they just make male wife shoes to skate in?
   

3. Gravis is poised for a comeback (even though it still exists).
   Yes, they still make them - however it’s a Japan-only brand. GQ et al. have been telling us the Hedi boy look is, once again a big deal – therefore the Dylan look is poised for a resurgence.

   

   

   
   For proof, look no further than to hype band du jour, Hellp. They’re are drawing attention by bringing back (or never leaving behind) the late 2000s skinny jeans, leather jacket, and substance abuse look. These guys would look great in the Dylan Rieder Gravis shoe - any version of it.

   
   Sneak preview for the real heads: we’re bringing our footwear archive back, and we’re building a Gravis section :)
   

   

4. Post-pandemic culture is more varied - don’t expect anything too dramatic.
   Media diets are more segmented than they’ve ever been, so everyone is looking to a different source of inspiration for how they dress (and, less fun way, what they believe in their souls). There isn’t just one look anymore - uncs will probably keep uncing (as long as their algorithim stays unc), and there will be more space for whatever look you gravitate toward.
   

We like talking to shoe designers (see our past episodes), so it should come as no surprise that today we’re talking to Richard Stickney, the designer behind some of the biggest shoes of the past few years – the Alexis Sablone AS-1 Pro and the Louie Lopez Pro from Converse. Even more exciting is that he’s launching his own shoe brand, HRMNY Footwear.

He’s also an amazing manny skater. See for yourself.

Today we’re posting our chat with Richard, where we talk all things Boston, getting good at giving feedback, local videos, lesser known Coliseum videos, and how being a size 9 can lead to having a career. Of course, we play a round of This or That™ as well :)

Greetings! We took a month off to let the releases stack up, and stack they did :)

We’re here with new models from Vans Skateboarding. Last Resort, and adidas Skateboarding (not new to you if you’ve been paying attention), the launch of Greasers brand, and new heat from ASICS Skateboarding, and,I-Path.

Vans Skateboarding

Vans is coming out of the gate swinging with three (!!!) big releases, the first of which (and the one we’re most hyped on) is a new model made in conjunction with the masterminds at Palace – the Vans Low 2.

Playing off of the Safe Low model that was released a couple years back, these are right up our alley – minimal, bur structured and featuring an additional layer of support via a stitched in bootie, featuring a PopCush insole. Also, they feature a clever nod to the Cab dragon on the tongue 🐉 :)

Available via Palace online and at their flagship stores on February 27th (UK/EU/US) and February 28th (APAC).

As Vans has been adding their updated Wafflefcup to more of their signature models, it’s no surprise that we’re getting a Skate Old Skool Wafflecup. Peep Elijah Berle’s usage as proof that the concept translates nicely.

Last, but certainly not least from Vans, the Skate Era is back! One of the simplest and most classic silhouettes is back - these can be styled with just about anything and look solid.

Last Resort

Our feed has been blowing up with images of the GM001 from Last Resort, and for good reason. It’s not often that a skate brand drops something this versatile and stylish. You probably won’t catch us skating in these, but they’re perfect for pretty much everything else. Both colorways being released are gems.

But wait, there’s more: Last Resort has pulled out the big guns this month and is releasing a very skateable model as well - the CM003. We’re excited to see this one become a mainstay.

adidas Skateboarding

We got a chance to try out the Glenburn (proof here), a brand-new model from adidas. It’s a really nice mix of a simple, low profile shoe, combined with a more soccer-orieneted shape and sole. We’re showing our favorite colorways here, look out for more soon.

ASICS Skateboarding

Wear-away exteriors have proven to be a hit in recent years, so it’s no surprise that ASICS has thrown their hat in the ring with two new wear-away editions of the Gel Vickka Pro in White & Electric Red and a Japan Pro in White & Illusion Blue. Brent Atchley makes the Gel Vickkas look extra special.

I-Path

I-Path is hitting us with a couple waxed fabric models – a waxed hemp Cricket, and a Waxed canvas Grasshopper. as well as a white short suede Poet. Look for these in skate shops soon.

Greasers

It’s exciting to announce the launch of a new brand, and this one is extra special - introducing Greasers, with their first model, fittingly titled the Trouble. The Trouble is a cupsole skate shoe based on a 1950s Creeper. Cut and sewn by hand in Italy, these will no doubt break in nicely. Send us clips of any tricks you get in these.