Isle looks poised to fit nicely alongside the abundance of smaller European Brands making a splash internationally at the moment. Where previously speaking brand’s of that size with as individual an art direction and vision would have struggled to gain any real traction within the international skateboard community. It’s difficult to put your finger on exactly why people are suddenly seemingly ready to embrace left of centre brands but there has certainly been some sort of change within the mindset of skaters globally. Brands like Pontus Alv’s Polar and of course the Rihanna endorsed Palace seem to be everywhere nowadays without having to “sell out”. There is no small amount of irony to this rise in offbeat European brands when viewed in light of the demise of “OG” blueprint.
Many would argue Blueprint’s undoing was a preoccupation with breaking America like some sort of tragic skateboarding Robbie Williams and where these Yankee preoccupations spelled Blueprint’s undoing their newly founded European equivalents seem to use their old world otherness as an advantage in terms of marketing. Between their small but perfectly formed team and their genuinely fantastic looking first run of product (the multimedia style art boards are worthy of particular praise) Isle looks poised to do well for it’s self.
So, what to make of the dissolution of Blueprint as we all knew and loved it seems pretty black and white then, right? The good guys left and started their own exciting new venture and left the “fat cats” with a worthless shell of a company. Alls well that ends well. Sadly, it’s not quite that simple. The X factor to this whole thing that I think it’s fair to say nobody saw coming was the announcement that the big name amongst the roster of unknowns propping up the new Blueprint is none other than the undisputed king of the mid-nineties mesh jerseys and swishy trackie bottoms ledge technicality, Mike York. The good people at Quatersnacks recently penned a great little piece about York that encapsulates the man’s legacy better than I ever could but to men of a certain vintage, weaned on Girl videos York’s name carries a gravitas that is hard to fully explain. Not to take away from his undeniable skills but York was one of a breed of proud everydudes that traditionally fleshed out the girl/chocolate roster along side the incredi-talented skate deities so closely associated with the brand.
York holds a special place in the hearts of a certain branch of skaters the world over and seeing a man like York who was assumed to have kind of gone into retirement of sorts after the seeming disappearance of his brand “Turf” taking place as the banner pro on this new incarnation of Blueprint has an air of a sad desperation on both his part and on that of the new owners. York’s introduction can’t help but strike you as the new Blueprint owners making a half arsed stab at creating some sort of air of legitimacy in the most cack handed way possible.
It’s really hard to take issue with York’s desire to want to keep getting paid for skating. He is part of a generation of Pros who’s future looks very unsure at the moment. The vast majority of guys his age who have remained relevant within the industry have done so by heading up their own brand (Paul Shier and Isle to take the obvious example) and since Turf seems to have dropped off the radar there are very few options for a man like York. One can only wish York luck but that’s hard to do when to some extent he is endorsing the people that for want of a better word ruined one of the most popular and significant brands from this neck of the woods. It would seem that the route to success for a new European brand at the moment to embrace your separation from the industry as a whole in the way Isle has and Blueprint once did as opposed to turning to American pro’s like York who much as it pains me to say would be considered by many to be washed up.
That of course is without even considering the absurdity of trying to align the brand with somebody like York who’s principle fan base are probably the very same people who would take such umbrage with what happened over at Blueprint. It’s great news to see York back in the fold, just a shame it had to be under such unpleasant circumstances. Aside from that all new developments with Isle are very exciting indeed and the news that the team are all filming for a promo video being released through the excellent Grey Magazine is the cherry on top. With so many established brands supposedly feeling the pinch and rumours circulating that pay for riders is being slashed behind the scenes at even some of skating’s most recognizable brands one can’t help but wonder how long this new golden age of European brands can last but lets hope that we have lots more good stuff to look forward to from the lads at Isle.
