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Cultivating Cool A display of lifestyle, health and hobbies: all in one place.

Never needed hype to stand tall.The Grape 5s been iconic since ’90—back when MJ didn’t even wear ’em in a game and Will ...
29/06/2025

Never needed hype to stand tall.

The Grape 5s been iconic since ’90—back when MJ didn’t even wear ’em in a game and Will Smith made ’em legendary with no laces and max confidence. Wheaties box, sitcom screens, streetwear timelines… they floated through it all.

This 2025 pair? Finally got the shape right. Nike Air on the heel. Feels like they respected the original this time.

I’ve shot a lot of sneakers, but this one deserved to be on a pedestal. Literally.

Some folks said they’ll sit… others say they’re already gone. I don’t care. I just wanted to shoot ’em right.

🍇 Hit or skip?

20/06/2025

I grew up on Gladys Drive in Spring Valley. A cul-de-sac packed with kids from every borough—Bronx, Queens, Harlem, Brooklyn.

That summer, my older brother got crossed in a game of 21. Timbs on. Broken ankle. Came back that night with a cast and crutches—still the flyest on the block.

On my feet? His hand-me-downs: ’98 Jerome Bettis sneakers. That was the moment I fell in love with sneakers. And with storytelling.

📍Gladys Drive.
🧩 That’s what the block built.

You can call it a collection, but to me — it’s a conversation across silhouettes. A Ma Maniére never just drops sneakers...
19/06/2025

You can call it a collection, but to me — it’s a conversation across silhouettes. A Ma Maniére never just drops sneakers — they drop perspective. Texture. Tone. Thought.
Every pair here has something to say, and together?
They tell a bigger story — about restraint, purpose, and what luxury looks like when it speaks softly.

Lately, there’s been public outcry for AMM to “make more noise.” But to me, that feels like people aren’t really paying attention. If you’re listening close enough, the stories are already loud — they’re just layered, intentional, and rooted in more than hype.

🟤
This week wasn’t just about photography — it was about honoring a creative language that doesn’t yell, but still commands presence. Salute to James Whitner and the whole AMM team for showing us what narrative-driven design really looks like.

📍Shot in studio — natural diffusion, soft shadows, and just enough negative space to let the story breathe.

Everyone moved on.The algorithms got quiet. The hashtags dried up.But this pair? Still one of the best AJ1s in years.📸 I...
18/06/2025

Everyone moved on.

The algorithms got quiet. The hashtags dried up.
But this pair? Still one of the best AJ1s in years.

📸 I shot this set after being without my computer for a week. A good reminder that creativity doesn’t stop when the tools do. And honestly, it felt good to revisit a pair after the hype settled.

Resale? Almost back to retail.
That’s a win if you actually wanted the pair and not just the clout.
Forget the resale charts. This one still talks loud in person.

From the outsole to the stitching, Union laced a story into every panel.
And I think I’m gonna go with the gold laces on this one. They just hit.

Also finally picked up a lightly used pair of Lost & Founds. Can’t wait to get them in and shoot. You already know the lace play is coming.

Still one of them ones.

Which pair are you still rocking after the buzz wore off?

👟: Air Jordan 1 Union (2025)
📷: Shot in-studio w/ Sony A7III + 50mm f/1.4
🎯: Focus-stacked, styled, and laced with intention


🛍️ Support the page — Nike link’s in my bio.
If you’re grabbing a pair or browsing, tapping that helps more than you know.

Didn’t sell out. Didn’t need to.The Air Jordan 3 “Seoul 2.0” speaks quietly — but if you know the story, it says everyth...
28/05/2025

Didn’t sell out. Didn’t need to.

The Air Jordan 3 “Seoul 2.0” speaks quietly — but if you know the story, it says everything. 🇰🇷

Behind the tongues:
“꿈” (Dream) and “정” (Discipline).
A reminder that this isn’t just a retro — it’s a tribute.

The Taegeuk flag on the tongue. The cloud print box. And yeah — even that yellow midsole.

Most people didn’t realize it, but the yellow actually represents one of Korea’s five traditional colors from Obangsaek:
🔵 Blue is East/wood
🔴 Red is South/fire
⚪️ White is West/metal
⚫️ Black is North/water
🟡 And Yellow — the one that gets the most hate — represents center/earth.

That’s not just aging. That’s placement, balance, culture.

So I shot it with that same kind of intention.
Laces styled like wind. Box floated. Colors framed like they mean something — because they do.

Not every pair gets this kind of treatment. But this one earned it.

Shot, styled, and laced by me. Appreciate the support:
🏷️ Affiliate: [Nike link in bio]
💧 Cleaner: – code “cultivatingcool”


22/05/2025

Your vision will exceed your current skills and that’s OK consistency breeds growth.

The ideology of a sneaker needing to sell out to be great? That’s cooked.Hype doesn’t age well. But design does.That’s w...
21/05/2025

The ideology of a sneaker needing to sell out to be great? That’s cooked.

Hype doesn’t age well. But design does.

That’s why I approached this UNC Reimagined shoot with patience, texture, and intent. Cracked leather. Yellowed midsole. That iconic Carolina blue. It’s not trying to win a drop — it’s telling a story.

And in a weird twist of fate, I ended up telling that story while bouncing back and forth to North Carolina all month. Kinda poetic when you think about it — shooting a sneaker that honors MJ’s Tar Heel days while literally moving through the same state.

Truth is, I lost the original SD card while traveling. Had to re-shoot everything fast just to get this out while the conversation was still fresh. No perfect setup. No extra polish. Just light, lace, and a little urgency.

Shoutout to — your words set the tone. This is my visual response. Let’s keep giving this pair the space it deserves.

⸻

The focus is love -Mr. Unloved1’s
08/01/2025

The focus is love -Mr. Unloved1’s

2025 starting off strong for me in the Sneaker space as a page ( on instagram ) with 1.2 million followers, thought my s...
08/01/2025

2025 starting off strong for me in the Sneaker space as a page ( on instagram ) with 1.2 million followers, thought my shots of Air Jordan e retro “black cat” were good enough to share with their followers.

19/10/2024

I’ll always watch a good ninja assassin movie.

That Air Jordan 4 'Oxidized Green' leather quality is crazy. Definitely couldn't pass that up!
12/10/2024

That Air Jordan 4 'Oxidized Green' leather quality is crazy. Definitely couldn't pass that up!

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