You know my art professor once told me that you can learn a lot about someone from their social media profiles…. iight he ain’t say that, but you know what, it’s true! Plus people typically believe you more when you mention someone of “importance” said it so you can’t blame a girl for dropping names.
One handle in particular, @jeffstaple, has taught me a couple of things this holiday season. Before I share with the class the knowledge this man bestowed upon me through 140 characters or less and a couple of images let me first introduce Jeff Ng, aka Jeff Staple, aka the Lower East Side, Pigeon Master aka El Jefe.
Here’s the thing though — Jeff’s bio is like my mother’s Facebook page, overflowing with updates. The man does it all, thus, it’ll take me more than this article to properly summarize who Jeff Staple is and what exactly he does. So I went ahead and copy and pasted his bio from his site: “Jeff is the Founder and Creative Director of Staple Design and Reed Space.” Ahhh wasn’t that short and sweet?
One clarification though. Reed Space, an innovative multi-brand boutique at the heart of New York’s LES fashion scene, closed down in 2016 after 16 years of service.
Jeff couldn’t keep his hand out the pot though and just moved a couple steps from 151 Orchard Street to 125 Orchard Street to become the Creative Director of Extra Butter.
What can I say — the guy likes the LES. Okay, I think I caught y’all up enough now back to @jeffstaple 101. Here are some things I learned from Jeff’s Twitter and Instagram:
1. He don’t play that when it comes to mean-spirited hypebeast plane passengers
Was just on a flight with the 2 most disrespectful ppl I have ever seen. They didn’t know each other but they both treated everyone like crap.
The guy was wearing Off White VaporMax. The lady was wearing White YZYs…— jeffstaple (@jeffstaple) December 30, 2018
2. He’s about this shmoney ju heard – he reps and promote his Staple Pigeon brand through 90% of his feed #FlockWithUs
The 🐦 was never intended for everyone to understand.
After all, who would rock a street vermin or a rat with wings?
That’s right…it was always meant for a select few. For those who know…
The @StaplePigeon is code for people who live & breathe in these streets.#FlockWithUs— jeffstaple (@jeffstaple) January 4, 2019
3. He obviously got the shmoney cause he’s eating some quality food
4. He thought Bird Box was basura (man’s got the plot 15mins in)
Am I the only person who thought #Birdbox sucked? Leaves, a breeze & bent trees? And if you just close your eyes, they can’t do anything to you? As zombie, monsters & ghost flicks, this was pretty lame. In the first 15 mins, I thought “so the blind will rule this new world.” 🤷🏻♂️
— jeffstaple (@jeffstaple) January 2, 2019
5. He’s dropping a new sneaker
That list may tell y’all different things but I know #5 caught the eyes of all sneakerheads and resellers reading (that’s why I put it last to make sure y’all ain’t grease me and stop reading).
When I saw the sneakers myself I had to do a double take. The last time I saw a post like that I was on the way back to the bricks from ComplexCon 2017…
Allow me to set the scene — It was me, my bro Nkosi, some unknowing travelers just minding they business and then basically all of 125ths resellers and token sneakerheads.
If you don’t know what a 125th reseller/sneakerhead is lemme help you — they are the dudes that find a way to skip (my bad, I mean loop) the line, come in herds, always know the bouncer (even at Supreme), and refer to the sneaker store as the “establishment.”
Most importantly they’re the ones that will do almost anything to secure the bag.
The bag, in this case, was Jeff’s “Black Pigeon Dunks” dropping for one day at a Reed Space pop-up hosted by Extra Butter on Nov 6th 2017, with camping starting at 6am and the store opening at 11. This release marked the 15th Anniversary of the SB Dunk AND the 20th Anniversary of Staple.
Now, I landed in JFK around 3am that day and yet somehow every reseller I met on that flight went to camp and copped. It was almost comedic to see people go from a red-eye straight to the sneaker line.
I know I sound a lil seasoned (ya girl don’t get salty) with my description of those Uptown resellers, but all in all, I respect they hustle. Cause that’s what it takes to secure some Pigeon Dunks instore on release day — hustle.
Ever since the OG drop and the mayhem that ensued… damn I forgot to mention that earlier with his bio… or did I? Can’t just tell y’all the whole story in the intro can I?
Let’s just say it isn’t Jeff’s first-time causing lines in the LES. His first run-in with crowds the size of blocks was in 2005 when the “OG Pigeon Dunks” released and made the cover of the New York Post because of the riots those kicks caused.
This time around Jeff and Nike have joined forces (again) to drop a “Panda Pigeon” dunk paying homage to Jeff’s Chinese heritage.
The black and white sample turned staple will be available exclusively for pre-order on Jimmy Iovine’s new worldwide mobile shopping experience, NTWRK on January 6 at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST.
Yes, y’all that’s this Sunday but that’s just the first known drop. The shoes well definitely see a wider release in the coming release — don’t mean they’ll be any easier to cop though.
**UPDATE** Jeff just posted more release information
In all seriousness, as an immigrant, and a self-proclaimed New Yorker through and through, I see this specific sneaker as a testament to Jeff’s journey.
From being the kid that explored Chinatown while his parents were working, to the man who can now combine two iconic animals that perfectly represent his heritage, he has created yet another classic.
I mean if that isn’t representation, I don’t know what more y’all want from the man. Sheesh! I for one can’t wait to be able to do the same for Trinidad and Brooklyn (Nike, hmu).
Iight that’s it, lemme get off my soapbox. Jeff if you reading, I’m a size 7 Men’s if you feeling generous. And to jog your memory a bit I’m the kid that ran up on you, Young MA, and my guy Rob Stone at The Fader panel to have you sign my black Dunks.