Mateen Zar on Social Studies: the go-to for die hard sneaker-heads

Social Studies is the new go-to brand for sneakers. In the sneakerhead world, collectors seek out the most distinguished shoes of all-time. Innovative founder, and long-time sneaker fanatic himself, Mateen Zar, behind Social Studies realized that the pursuit for these everlasting looks was causing stagnation in style and set off on a mission to shake things up.

Mateen’s realization marks the birth of Social Studies in the year 2020. He says that the Los Angeles based footwear company “focuses on intertwining realms of fashion into the modern footwear space.” His vision for the company is to fill a gap in the market.

Fashion trends never stop evolving. With each era, year, or even week, new styles are introduced to society and take on a life of their own. They become fads that die off almost as quickly as they became popular or get inducted into the hall of fame of fashion and become classic looks that live on forever.

Social Studies is the sneaker brand that seeks challenges the idea that styles have to either live on forever or exist as a trend just temporarily. It’s a unique brand that integrates the coolest and newest trends with the most iconic styles from the past.“I’ve been in the sneaker collecting world for practically my entire life. As fashion trends changed and became more “street,” I saw the footwear industry, primarily sneakers, evolve with it. But at the same time, I saw a lot of brands pushing the same product as 20 years ago, just in different color ways. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s actually really satisfying to relive the nostalgia of getting a pair of shoes in your adult years that you couldn’t get when you were younger. But by doing that, nothing new is introduced. There’s an opportunity to give the consumer more options. So, people have the ability to simultaneously collect those nostalgic sneakers while also picking up new looks,” says Mateen.

When Mateen launched Social Studies, his first line was dedicated to improving the popular “sock-shoe”. The high-top Social Experiment release is in high demand and was also Mateen’s favorite shoe to work on. He says, “It’s a very versatile shoe that can practically be worn with anything. I also love the interactive aspect of being able to lace the shoes and wear the chain in so many different ways. You can wear the same shoe as a high top or fold the collar for a lower cut look.” For people like Mateen, who like to change up their looks, the shoe comes in several color options.

It’s true that stylistic genius is rare. So, it’s no wonder that brands simply re-release their best with nuanced color schemes and minor changes. What sets Social Studies aside from other companies is its ability to take the most sought out elements of popular styles and completely revamp them and update them with the latest trends.

With Social Studies, people don’t have to choose between wearing classic or fresh new-age sneakers – they can wear both styles with one pair of shoes.

The name “Social Studies” is more than just a cute play on words or a catchy combination of words that’s eye catching (even though it is). It’s a name that embodies the brand to a perfect t. The Social Studies team studies the history of fashion and evolution of style & people. Each shoe carefully and intentionally designed to bring people the styles they love the most with a twist.

Each shoe release is almost a social experiment that challenges industry standards and pleasantly surprises sneaker junkies. Social Studies is a link from the past to the present and an innovative combination of different genres. It’s a brand that tests fashion and pushes its boundaries with sophistication.

When asked about what Social Studies means to him, Mateen says, “I look at it as a culmination of research depicted into product. So, we study the past to create the future. Through a nonconformist approach to design and manufacturing, we push the boundaries of previous works to build the future of footwear.”

Though the brand is still young, it’s gathered a huge base of loyal shoppers. Mateen attributes his brand’s success to determination and passion. I hope to grow tremendously more than this, but what has gotten me here so far and what will get me to where I want to be is pure passion and determination. I am genuinely passionate about sneakers and the footwear industry, so I put that passion to work and am determined to make it happen,” he says.

Sneaker fans have a lot to look forward to when it comes to Social Studies releases. The brand is constantly working on original lines. “What I’m focusing on a lot right now is blending jewelry into footwear. So, the design process is a lot of research on ways hardware has been used on shoes before, and to transition that into both an on-foot function and aesthetic, and an on-body function and aesthetic. In terms of production, I like to physically sample ideas and test them out myself to see what works and what doesn’t,” says Mateen about designs that are currently in the works.

SHARE ON FACEBOOK SHARE ON TWITTER