The word luxury gets thrown around quite a bit these days, it seems as if everyone is looking for luxury, is luxury, or wants to be luxury. Cipher has seemingly been lumped into that group as a luxury sneaker brand, or a premium sneaker brand, which to me as the founder is very ironic.

We have this incessant desire to categorize, segment, and define our music, movies, clothes, and cultures. Now, we aren’t a company that shys away from defining ourselves, in fact we relish the opportunity to talk to people about our culture and worldview.

Are we a premium sneaker brand: yes. Premium as defined as: of high-quality construction and design; but to us, quality and design are a given. It should be the quest of any firm trying to make relevant products for thier customers. Is Cipher a luxury brand? Yes! if you define luxury as an indulgence that satisfies a personal desire that is not a necessity. We like to make products that have intrinsic elements that strike an emotional cord in our customers, do you really NEED satin sneakers, not really, but if you’re a collector of cultural products like fashion, or indie music, indie films, or art; you appreciate the details and the indulgence that enhances your spirit and surroundings.

Sneakers have a special place within our generation and culture, we haven’t quite pinned it down yet, but their is something rebellious, something relaxed and functional about the contemporary sneaker. Our view is that the sneaker, like denim, has become an intrinsic part of our lifestyle; used for more then just sports, worn for more then just performance. In the same way that denim and “jeans” have morphed from men’s work wear, to worldwide cultural staple, sneakers to us, have the same pervasive charm. No longer are we trying to run faster, jump higher. Sometimes you want something for the club, for a casual drink after work, when you’re walking to work and don’t wanna wear your heels on the subway.

The problem that our generation finds with traditional shoes, or luxury shoes, is that they look like your grandfathers hand-me-downs. Luxury as commonly defined especially in fashion; means some 300 year old family business who used to make handmade products for some monarch. Many of those houses make great products, but their is something very aristocratical even bourgeoisie about their prices, their aesthetic, taste and opinion about what is, and what is not style. Most of the time their idea of a generational cultural phenomenon like the sneaker; is old and out-dated, and out of touch with what is relevant to our generation.

Cipher started as a casual skateboard inspired footwear company, but as we evolved, we were then inspired by the streetwear movement of the early 2000, and now as we continue to grow have found more of our inspiration coming from artists, architects.

The old luxury is a categorical mis evaluation of Cipher and our products, but if you have an open mind, want products that sustain our environment, stimulate your mind, and connect you to a community of people, Cipher creates products for urban sophisticates, some call them “hipsters”, then Cipher is a luxury brand for a new generation