crooked tongues magazine News Features

We're late with this one, but the Nike F.C.R.B. Rejuven8 Mid might be our favourite shoe of the year thus far. The New Balance Japan 1300 reissue is vying with it for top spot. Now that's two extremes right there. At the end of the year we tend to get criticism fired our way about top ranking pieces in the end of year review getting no shine here. In the case of the F.C.R.B, samples were scarce in the UK. We only just grabbed a pair to shoot because of a minimal UK release at the weekend. Rejuven8 Mids are a tremendous shoe that hasn't had the perfect colourway quite yet. Until now.

Lightweight, comfortable - provided you go half a size to a full size up, and a good palette to chuck a pattern, we knew we'd be all over a camo print version. All our favourite contemporary designs have had an army-inspired print on them at one time or another that's been confined to the Far East - Terra Humaras for example, flourished in Japan like that. Remember a few years back when there was so much coloured camo out there that someone had to turn out the lights all of a sudden and render the planet beige and black? Plaid slipped through the unspoken no-flamboyance rule. Now we've seen army patterning on the comeback trail.

looking at Nike Japan's release plans for later in the year, camo plays a major part - witness tastefully patterned-out the SFB mids that got a preview over the last couple of days. It's well and truly back, and everything looks better in it. Military surplus style should be timeless, but you can always rely on the internet to expedite our favourite things to breaking point. Anyway, looking at the recent Imam Thug and CNN video, camouflage never went away in Lefrak. Good enough for Musaliny? Good enough for you. Noreaga beats your favourite "influencer" e-celeb at any given time. That's fact kids.

Where were we? Oh yeah, SOPH and Nike's 'Write the Future' Rejuven8 Mids looked amazing - there's a good blend of infuriation and mystique to Japan-only product that benefits the brands and brings back the spirit of a decade ago, but this F.C.R.B. variation just takes it there on the design front - a solid balance of innovation and no-brainer equals a banger. The black/grey version is cool, but the desert camo style version just takes it there. Even that F.C.R.B. swoosh tongue branding is a killer. Sick. Especially with shorts. These are available at 1948 right now - or at least there was stock last time we looked - for £85. Good stuff.

On a related 1948 note, last night saw the opening of Zoltar's Nike Shamen x Project Zoltar contribution to the 'Stadiums' project - overseen by a decent video installation, amassed fashionistas, toffs, blog folk, buyers and free booze freeloaders were in the building. Props on the mini caesar salads served on lettuce. Nice touch. An installation features the Shamen repping for Nike-endorsed nations kitted out in remixed and recycled Nike gear. It's there until Monday at the Bateman's Row space. We thought there was no life for Zoltar post-Barnzley, but it's certainly an interesting interpretation of team spirit with a spot of spirituality in the mix...