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Straight Outta Hong Kong...Cipher Footwear..."Trenchtown" preview


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Hello World, it's the Cipherman, coming to you by way of Hong Kong! I would like to show everyone my first shoe, of many, I have some very exciting things in the works so please stay tuned, stuff you've never seen from a sneaker brand.

The first thing that I can say about my brand is that the quality and the materials are TOP NOTCH, bar none. I'll defend that to the end. I don't use half grain leather, synthetics, or at least cheap ones, or patent leather. My style is a return to simple quality. I like shoes that are versatile and won't bust in 6 weeks. I've been a little apprehensive about posting my shit here because most of you can be pretty..hmm...declasse, but here goes. Introducing my first shoe the "Cipher" Trenchtown

This shoe was more a labour of love then a overt marketing ploy, I'm a huge Bob Marley, and Peter Tosh fan, as well my family is from the Carribean, anyway enough preamble:

Tobacco Brown

Brazillian Calfskin Upper, Lined in Lambskin from Argentina, 100% Thai silk ankle collar, 1/4 inch Poron insole footbed.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h256/cipherman/Ciphertobaccoside.jpg

Tobacco Brown "Dutty" Camo

Brazillian Calfskin Upper, Lined in Lambskin from Argentina, Canvas woodland Camoufalge side panel, 100% Thai silk ankle collar, 1/4 inch Poron insole footbed.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h256/cipherman/CipherTobaccoCamo.jpg

peace

www.myspace.com/cipherlife

anyone know how to get the damn pics to show up in the post...?

Edited by cipherman on May 3, 2006 at 01:39 PM

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They look to be of decent quality, and major props for starting your own footwear company, but honestly, chunky skate shoes as a fashion statement, rasta colors, and camo are so played it's not even funny..........

My recommendation would be to change the laces firstly; the shoes would look waaaay better with a different type of lace.

Edited by englandmj7 on May 3, 2006 at 05:58 PM

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word, respects man, I hear you, this was a design from last year, that finally got made properly. stay tuned I got some more relevant stuff coming up that in your view would be more inline with the times...what kind of shoes do you rock?

who said it was a skate shoe anyway....?

Edited by cipherman on May 3, 2006 at 08:31 PM

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Tobacco Brown

Brazillian Calfskin Upper, Lined in Lambskin from Argentina, 100% Thai silk ankle collar, 1/4 inch Poron insole footbed.

Ciphertobaccoside.jpg

Tobacco Brown "Dutty" Camo

Brazillian Calfskin Upper, Lined in Lambskin from Argentina, Canvas woodland Camoufalge side panel, 100% Thai silk ankle collar, 1/4 inch Poron insole footbed.

CipherTobaccoCamo.jpg

there you go

Wanted:money

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GEEZ.

WHAT A WASTE OF CONNECTS...

YOU NEED A NEW DESIGNER??

I'LL WORK FOR AN ANNUAL SIGNATURE SHOE AND 15 PAIRS A YEAR! (FOR LIFE)

IM NOT KIDDING..

YOUR COMPANY WILL BE THE SHIT!

GET AT ME DOGG.

GET SOME WEIGHT ON YOU LIKE THAT FAT BITCH DELLA REESE.

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so whatcha got for me, check your mail. You may not like it, and it's not for everyone, but the whole Wu-tang clan does.

like you said, I got connects, mad connects....you don't even know, but as i was saying this was more a personal thing then a: I'm gonna make the most amazing, super fashionable shoe in the world.

peace man, you got shoes, or do you design for someone?

Cipherman

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Quote: what kind of shoes do you rock?

who said it was a skate shoe anyway....?

It kinds of looks like a skate shoe, but then again, it is hard to tell how 'chunky' it is from the picture. And not that it matters, but other than Visvim, I only wear Oxfords/Loafers/Chelsea Boots....

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Looks like a dunk minus swoosh, possibly with a thicker sole... Not that I'm complaining, I'd very very happily rock those in a different colour scheme if the quality is up to scratch and it loses that weirdass ankle strap..

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looks like a pair of ipath... not like a pair of whatever your company is named. fix that and keep using the good materials and you should do good.

those would probably look good with a pair of baggy jeans tho.

If you've lost your faith in superfuture, Oh the end won't be long

Because if it's gone for you then I too may lose it, And that would be wrong

I've tried so hard to keep myself from falling

Back into my bad old ways

And it chars my heart to always hear you calling

Calling for the good old days

Because there were no good old days

These are the good old days

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hahahaha...i hear you...of anything, most people complain about the "flag", ankle strap...etc...like I said this was my first shoe, and it was a labour of love, but I do have this shoe in different colourways, and i will be making a plain one without the flag..."wierd-ass ankle strap"....lol

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what a pair of "Cipher" look like....cuz in this post, I've heard, Dunk, Skateboard shoe, and now I-path, which is cool that you guys see different things, and thanks to all for the feedback...

the materials are top notch...for real...and I wear them with some nice LVCs and the look good. the interesting thing is that you can't see the flag when you rock baggy jeans so they look real clean..kinda like a dress shoe sneaker.

peace

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interesting that you say Visvim, I am a huge fan of Visvim, the next shoes that i have coming out are a little more in line with that casual, yet luxurios feel of a company like visvim. I have a slip-on, similar to a "Wallabee", but inspired by vans "Slikka" I have a couple of styles dropping that are a take on a traditional Chinese Kung Fu slipper, a Shaolin Monk slipper, as well as a workboot/Sneaker, and a shoe called the "Floss" that is crazy...some colourways will have super shear mink, and others real chincilla...

thanks for the feedback

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What's the price point looking to be around? Also, judging by the stuff you're talking about, are one-off/custom options available? Because if it's at the right price, an all black non-leather shoe like the first two made of top notch materials would be right up my alley

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interesting man, i actually have colourway in this particular style, I know you're not down with the ankle strap, but....

this one is in Calfskin and Ballistic Cordura, the material they use for Bullet proof vests.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h256/cipherman/Cipherballistic.jpg

and this one is in straight Calfskin

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h256/cipherman/CipherBlackBlackside.jpg

I'm thinking about working with ballistic cordura more in the future. It's cool, better then canvas.

how do you get the pics in the window?

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which Visvims do you wear?...the FBT is fire, but alot of his joints are straight copies in high end materials, but definitely, to me the top dog in the game. Buckminster Chukka is fire, as well as the double d ring...that guy's got skills, but just like any company he's got some real misses.

C

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I humbly disagree; they are not copies, but reinterpretations......I could use the same argument in saying that your shoes copy DC shoes but in high-end materials; or possibly a slightly misshaped version of some FEITs. Aside from the obvious new Visvim Zahra shoe which is an EXACT Vans slip-on, virtually all Visvim models stand entirely on their own......every item is based on another, there is nothing entirely new as far as footwear goes, unless you start wearing cereal boxes on your feet......every Visvim shoe melds tennis shoes/luxury shoes/Native American styles together; all are unique if you ask me.

My personal favorites are the FBT Shaker, Duck Boot, Christo sandal, and Hockney

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as said, the materials are dope, but you need a little work on the design. keep it up though, i'd like to see your shit when i hit up HK.

icon_smile.gif

Edited by azad on May 5, 2006 at 12:53 PM

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hey england, where do you get most of your visvims? i've only seen the pair with the detachable flap, which I think is hideous. Save that, I've heard some great things about other models...

toma açaí

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^^ I buy my Visvims mostly at UNDFTD here in Los Angeles, but I have gotten a couple pairs on E-bay, and also two at one of the many Chapterworlds in Japan.......

If you want to see some various models, check out:

My post on the Visvim 06 Catalog -

http://superfuture.com/city/supertalk/index.cfm?page=topic&topicID=9995&start=1

Chapterworld -

http://www.chapterworld.com/visvim/index.html

Some pics of rarer/unreleased ones (hit the tiny arrow in the corner) -

http://www.beinghunted.com/v40/features/2004/visvim/

Webstores -

http://www.napsize.com

https://www.hideoutstore.com/catalog/product_listing.php?manufacturers_id=13

http://www.grandism.com/index.php?inp=31

http://www.vintagekicks.com

http://www.slamjamstore.it/index.php?cPath=54_69

Visvims look WAY better in person since the materials/construction are phenomenal, if you tell me where you live I can let you know a store near you that may carry them

If you are in L.A., Union is having a warehouse sale tomorrow and are rumoured to be selling various Visvim models at $100 a pop.

icon_smile.gif

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To add to your statement, I would say that many of his shoes are reinterpretations, but many are, I would say "modern extensions" of an existing shoe...the eg, Sierra hiker, or the Double D rings, have been done in the distant past, but i agree that the way the he does re-interpret those shoes is ingenius. My favourite re-invention of his is the Buckminster Chukka, the outsole made from two different styles is genios, a modern spin, on a classic shoe. in this post modern age you're right....everything has been done...now we're re-doing...

copy of DC....?I have had people say my shoe looks like an Ipath, an AF1, a dress skateshoe, but a DC is a first. it's so funny when you create something, how it gets "interpreted" by different eyes.To me it fuses many elements of different shoe genres into one image eg traditional hand stitching for one, plus the material selection is quite unusual if I do say so myself.

I really thank you Englandmjy, you are exactly the reason why i came on here...I know if i can satisfy a discerning customer like you then, I'm on my way. Thanks for your thoughtful, honest, and relevant comments.

Edited by cipherman on May 6, 2006 at 03:35 AM

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well...when you get here i should have more stuff...

my new stuff is much better, like I said...this was a personal thing, it's funny....you can really tell the differences in customers here....I show these shoes to people who are not as discerning as super future people and they flip out...! they love them, but here I get more of a critical eye which was what I was hoping for....sometimes you get surrounded by people who tell you your shit is wicked, just because they're your friend or don't want to hurt your feelings.

which design elements would you like to see me bring out more of.

I was thinking...you're right guys...Camo is palyed...I love it though...

but, interesting patterns seem to catch peoples attention....

I'm thinking of using cashmere houndstoot on my next shoes as well as Chinese brocade silk with Pheasants and Dragons and shit... any thoughts?

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Got any Ideas, I'm heading to Sham Shui Po, nest week, to source some materials. Chinese brocade silk is Beautiful, I was thi9nking maybe Kwan Kung if I can find something, maybe the Monkey King. it's just the most readily available stuff is the dragons and pheasants and shit...

C

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Quote: but a DC is a first

Yeah, I didn't literally mean that, the materials, etc. are far nicer than a pair of regular DCs; I just meant that they could be seen as "skate-shoe" like, and DC is seen, by some, as the quintessential modern skate shoe.........

Definitely like the use of the ballistics material....props

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  • 2 years later...

http://www.cipherism.com/

i dunno about this shit. what happened to the reggay themes and shit? not hating that much...anything to make a buck i guess. alittle disapointed is all.

c1-2008-sed-001.jpg

c1-2008-sed-002.jpg

c1-2008-sed-004.jpg

c1-2008-sed-005.jpg

c2-2008-sub-001.jpg

the descriptions/model inspirations are pretty embarassing to read. then again, if the targetted consumer for this shit are just some bottom of the barrel-like wackness purveyors shit don't matter...

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