October 23

Sneaker Culture and the Essence of Sole

Posted by Karlo Samson on October 23, 2015 in Style | Leave a comment

The Capital concept store opens in UP Town Center.

If you’re anything like us, you get a manic thrill whenever you unbox a new pair of sneakers. And, why not? Shoes are a personal choice, an intimate statement that identifies our allegiances and expresses our individual taste. More Filipinos are realizing and embracing this, demonstrating that Sneaker Culture is alive and well in this country. Proof of this is the existence of Capital, a new concept store that doesn’t just sell shoes but a vibrant and exciting lifestyle.

Located in the middle of the Katipunan university belt at the UP Town Center, Capital is a church to the people who live, breathe and love their kicks. It’s a multibrand store that doesn’t just sell the latest stock but provides a welcoming atmosphere for sneaker supplicants. Here, shoes aren’t just displayed; they are venerated.

A church open to all sneakerheads of all persuasions and brand allegiances.

You won’t find the full Fall/Winter range of Nikes or the complete lineup of ASICS Gels here. The astute buyers of The Outlet People, mothership of stores like Capital, Nike Forum and Center of Gravity, have a mainline to the pulse of the market. Instead of employing a retail shotgun approach, they carefully curate what you see on the shelves, mixing up evergreen classics such as Adidas Stan Smiths with current favorites like this year’s Puma BWGH. Capital’s brand portfolio includes Nike, Adidas, ASICS, New Balance, Puma and Fred Perry, and no doubt you’ll be seeing some limited editions on store shelves from time to time. We’re also pretty sure that Capital will be holding special sneaker release events in the future (Nike Mags, please?).

Full line up of Capital’s brand ambassadors (left to right) Neil Dy, Marky Mercado, Jarell Lim, Ria Atayde, Capital’s Managing Partner, Mae V. Cu Unjieng, Bada La O’, Lia Cruz, Carly Laurel, Gino Aganon, Nico Cu Unjieng.

The choice of location is deliberate and strategic. Capital identifies the millennial as its primary target customer, and this school town is full of them. It is the younger crowd, after all, who are the most conscious about what they wear. The store’s brand endorsers are all shining examples of the generation, young influencers who set trends and amplify styles.

That’s not to say that the older set won’t enjoy the store. Who says there’s an expiration date for taste? The styles and colorways available are pretty extensive and it shouldn’t be much of a challenge to find a pair of sneaks that fits both in size and personality to the wearer.

To further reinforce Sneaker Culture, Capital offers backpacks from popular European street brands Hype and MiPac, and lids from Cayler & Sons. They also provide a premium shoe cleaning service in partnership with shoe care experts Clyde. Each new shoe purchase gets you a cleaning coupon free of charge, which should come in handy when you wear your kicks more than you ogle them (as you should!).

Sneaker care courtesy of Capital and Clyde.

The Capital store at U.P. Town Center is just the first branch envisioned by its partners Mae V. Cu Unjieng, Robin Cu Unjieng and Nikki La O’. Two more stores will be opening later this year at prime locations in Circuit Makati and the Uptown Mall in Bonifacio Global City. That’s good news especially for the sneakerheads of the south who may find the drive to Katipunan on a school day too much to bear, even for a pair of Nike Huaraches. But if you’re a true sneaker devotee, we don’t think traffic’s going to stop you. Don’t forget, shoes are made for walking.

Follow Capital on Facebook and Instagram.

More shots from the Capital launch.