Fat Laces, Tongue Up, So Crispy

Sneakers were initially designed to make you run faster, jump higher, and dunk harder. But when they started coming in colors like peach sorbet, alligator green, and canary yellow, they were bound to land in the fashion rotations of cool kids everywhere. Now it’s a culture — and sneaker heads everywhere converge on events such as today’s Dunk Xchange to get their fix. These conventions are known as the place to swap, buy, sell, and trade sick, exclusive kicks, and today the Xchange is taking over Metropolis.

You might find a pair of exclusive Air Forces at a steal for 20 bucks or some mint-condition huaraches for a stack (that’s a grand, nerd). Either way, take your freshest pair to the Mi Gente Clothing Suck My Kicks sneaker battle. “This whole scene is about exclusivity. It’s about what you have and the other person doesn’t have, and especially expressing yourself and getting fly,” says battle coordinator Static. So dust off those Saran-wrapped New Balances you’ve been dying to show off, and meet us at the battle. Thirstin Howl III will be performing, there’ll be dope prizes, and the vendors will be overflowing with must-have items. Admission is $15, and the magic happens from 1 to 6 p.m. Call 305-415-0000 or visit www.dunkxchange.com.

Sun., June 22, 2008