Cultivating Cool

  • Home
  • Cultivating Cool

Cultivating Cool Sneakers. Storytelling. Culture in motion. A visual journey through style, wellness, and creativity built đŸ§± by đŸ§±.

Follow for BTS, cinematic content, and the details that make sneakers unforgettable.
📾 IG: | đŸ§” Threads: cultivatingcool

 digging in the crates a little with this one.The Air Max Waffle SP 2 might be one of the most slept-on designs Nike’s d...
16/11/2025

digging in the crates a little with this one.

The Air Max Waffle SP 2 might be one of the most slept-on designs Nike’s dropped in a minute. The whole idea started with Bill Bowerman pouring rubber into a waffle iron back in the ‘70s — literally engineering traction on a breakfast table just to make his runners faster.

This pair has grown on me heavy. The design is so unique
 way more comfortable than I expected, and the way they blended Air Max DNA with the TN system and a rugged waffle bottom was beautifully done.

Shot it the way I felt the shoe deserved — textured, warm, and honest.

More sneakers should tell a story like this.










Penny’s era, Eric Avar’s molded shell, that carbon-fiber spine—built different on purpose.I just wasn’t the guy wearing ...
07/11/2025

Penny’s era, Eric Avar’s molded shell, that carbon-fiber spine—built different on purpose.
I just wasn’t the guy wearing them back then.

Now the silhouette hits the way it should: tough, sculpted, unapologetic.
DMV been championing these since ’97—salute.
For me, it’s the function that sells it: the way the Posite holds shape, wipes clean, and just works in winter. Heavy in a good way. Present, not loud.

I’m not a “Foam head.” I’m a fan of a design that aged into my taste—futuristic then, still sensible now.

Early look at the Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Chicago.”Dropping November 15.It doesn’t matter how many times we see this blocki...
05/11/2025

Early look at the Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Chicago.”
Dropping November 15.
It doesn’t matter how many times we see this blocking — a Chicago is a Chicago.
Always earns its spot.

Shoutout for the early assist.
November’s looking strong.

Gifted by the good people  &  đŸ€Appreciate y’all sending this my way.What means the most to me isn’t just the product it’...
05/11/2025

Gifted by the good people & đŸ€
Appreciate y’all sending this my way.

What means the most to me isn’t just the product it’s the intention behind it.
Handwritten notes, real words, real acknowledgement.
That goes a long way.

Thank you for seeing the work I put into this space. I’m just trying to do things with purpose
 tell stories in a way that makes people feel something, and help the culture move with intention.

I’ll keep building.
I’ll keep letting my passion show.
And I appreciate everyone who sees it and supports it.

Much love.
– Steven

29/10/2025

November is my month, and Jordan Brand came correct this year.
Early look at the Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Chicago”, set to drop November 15.
I don’t care how many times we see this blocking
 a Chicago is a Chicago.
It always earns its place.

Huge shoutout to for the early alley.
This is just the start — November is about to be a very strong month in sneakers.

Everybody’s talking Sneaker of the Year right now, and it still blows my mind that the Air Jordan 4 x Nike SB didn’t eve...
29/10/2025

Everybody’s talking Sneaker of the Year right now, and it still blows my mind that the Air Jordan 4 x Nike SB didn’t even get a look this year. Especially when just last year, the Pine Green SB 4s were the one.

What changed?
Accessibility.
They made this colorway more available, prices came down, and suddenly people acted like it didn’t matter anymore.

But that’s the funny part:
This pair still has the same shape, tech, and feel that made the SB 4s special in the first place. The only difference is more people got to actually enjoy them instead of fighting resale hell.

And honestly? I love that.
A good sneaker shouldn’t need exclusivity to be appreciated.

If you can’t tell the pair I’ve been shooting here is worn. Like actually worn. Loved. Skated. Laced and unlaced. Enough that I’m thinking about grabbing a second pair while the prices are still low.

Sometimes the best sneaker of the year

is the one that actually got to live real life with you.

And honestly? That’s a win.



















Been a couple weeks off here handling the gym, the business, the family. Sometimes you gotta step away to make sure the ...
13/10/2025

Been a couple weeks off here handling the gym, the business, the family. Sometimes you gotta step away to make sure the real world stays grounded.

But in that time off, I realized how much the sneaker space itself has shifted.

We’re in a strange era right now.
The resale market has taken hit after hit shady acquisitions, questionable business ethics, stolen sneakers, and influencers chasing clout over craft. Whether it’s the Shoe Surgeon controversies or Cool Kicks headlines, the whole ecosystem feels like it’s in flux.

Yet, that’s the irony sneaker culture was built on creativity, community, and storytelling. The money came later.

People say “Jordans are dead.” But I disagree they’re just resting while the culture resets. The Air Jordan 4 White Cement is proof that legacy never dies. It just matures.

In today’s economy, grabbing a $200 pair every week isn’t realistic for most of us. So maybe the real flex now isn’t consumption it’s perspective.

Creating. Shooting. Styling. Learning the roots.
Finding ways to enjoy the hobby without letting the hype own you.

That’s what this shoot represents — sneakers as storytelling, not status.

— Cultivating Cool | House of Valor

📾 AJ4 “White Cement”
👕 “Be Free / Stay Aware” tee by Aware Brand

Some pairs just age better than people expected. When the Travis Scott Velvet Brown lows first dropped, they didn’t get ...
28/09/2025

Some pairs just age better than people expected. When the Travis Scott Velvet Brown lows first dropped, they didn’t get the same love as his other releases. But time tells the story these have turned into one of his nicest in my opinion.

I doubled up when I had the chance (this was actually the first time I ever hit on SNKRS for a Travis Scott pair). Hopefully the streak keeps rolling, but I’m not stressing if it doesn’t. Sometimes it’s not about chasing every release — it’s about letting the right ones speak for themselves.

Shot these alongside a custom Jackie Robinson jersey from sneakers, history, and legacy all stitched together. #42

2025 has been a strong year for the 5s. đŸ‘ŸđŸ”„Outside of the Black Metallic Reimagined, these Fire Reds are easily the secon...
21/09/2025

2025 has been a strong year for the 5s. đŸ‘ŸđŸ”„
Outside of the Black Metallic Reimagined, these Fire Reds are easily the second-best AJ5 release so far. The shape, the details, the way Nike stitched the 23 on the side — they’ve really brought this model back to form.

Had to capture them from every angle: pedestal, reflection, on-foot, and even paired with the “GOAT” tee. This run the AJ5 is on right now feels special.

Which release has been your favorite AJ5 this year?

Early release vibes. đŸżđŸ”„Me and my daughter got in through  early access and caught the new Demon Slayer movie on opening ...
16/09/2025

Early release vibes. đŸżđŸ”„
Me and my daughter got in through early access and caught the new Demon Slayer movie on opening night. Japanese audio, English subs — and man, it delivered. The theater energy, the visuals, the storytelling
 everything was fire. Can’t wait to go back and run it again with the English dub.

Pulled up in the Nike Air More Uptempo ’95 “Mystic Teal” and the Demon Slayer tee anime and sneakers, two worlds built on legacy and detail.

đŸ‘‰đŸœ Which slide goes harder for you — the Uptempos or the Slayer tee?

Seth Fowler did a blind leather test on the 2015 vs. 2025 AJ1 Shattered Backboards, and even the leather expert picked 2...
10/09/2025

Seth Fowler did a blind leather test on the 2015 vs. 2025 AJ1 Shattered Backboards, and even the leather expert picked 2015 as the better cut. No surprise there — that pair’s been crowned for years. But honestly, I’m just happy to finally have these in the collection. Quality debates come and go, but the story never changes. đŸ§ĄđŸ–€

Also gotta show love to for sending me this 1985 Shattered Backboard tee. The embroidery, the weight, the details — premium quality all the way through. Their pieces feel intentional, built to last, and they fit right into the story I’m telling with these sneakers.

đŸ§© Sneakers | Storytelling | Culture

There’s something about Mystic Green on a 90’s sneaker that just feels right.The Nike Air Diamond Turf ‘93 takes me stra...
04/09/2025

There’s something about Mystic Green on a 90’s sneaker that just feels right.
The Nike Air Diamond Turf ‘93 takes me straight back to an era where attitude, straps, and speed defined the game.
One of my personal favorites from the archives. 🏆

Address


Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cultivating Cool posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Cultivating Cool:

  • Want your business to be the top-listed Media Company?

Share