NO.LIFE 011

Welcome to issue 11 of our weekly newsletter, straight from Cal and Rocky.

Arsenal for the title (Cal’s putting £1k on it), scientists “rewinding” a second on a quantum computer, Seoul back on beast mode, a hush-hush Guangzhou archive, double-lace chaos, factory-floor lessons, and the AI video tool we’re actually using.

Let’s get into it.


CALLUX FIRST >

Eze to spurs? Lmao nope.

Arsenal are being incredibly ruthless this year, and I am loving it. Yes we might have got a little lucky against Man U, but a win’s a win. I am so confident that Arsenal will lift the league trophy this year I’m willing to put a bet on it. If they don’t, I’ll send someone who replies to this email £1000. If they do, you buy another pair of NTW? ;)


Scientists managed to go one second back in time using a quantum computer?


What does that mean? I have no idea.


Apparently, they arranged qubits in a stable state, scrambled them into chaos, then applied a special algorithm to rewind the system back to its original state, like pressing rewind on a video. 2026 bingo defo includes time travel, doesn’t it.

Perspective matters


Been trying to shift some of my own personal views recently. I used to be the king of manifestation but I think I’ve been slacking recently.


Here’s a great video for all of you that are maybe feeling the same way.

Higgsfield AI


Always here to put you guys and girls on. Again purely vibes, not being paid for this.

I came across this seriously good AI platform called Higgsfield, it’s the best quality picture-to-video model I’ve played with.


They’ve made it super easy to use by just having templates ready to use. I slapped a photo of KSI into the ‘get punched’ template and wow, it’s insane. What’s funny is that he recently spent a good amount of time getting a real punch for a thumbnail. No more brain damage though after I showed him this!

NEXT UP, ROCKY >

Back in Seoul. Back in Sync.

Took a quick 36-hour trip to Seoul recently. Fast-paced, no sleep - but worth every minute. I’ve spoken before (Issue 007) about South Korea’s growing influence on global culture. Now I’ve seen it again up close, it’s not just growing - it’s leading.

Seoul is operating on a different frequency. The energy, the execution, the foresight - it’s easily one of the most exciting and relevant places on the planet right now for what’s next.

Plus, while there, I linked up with an old friend - we went to uni together, seven years ago. Everyday for 4 years. Now he’s a professor at a top fashion university and fully tapped into the Seoul footwear scene. I’ve got my own brand. We sat for hours sharing ideas, projects, contacts, connecting dots we didn’t even know we had - it was awesome.

Quick side note: apps like KREAM are part of what makes this culture so fast-moving - live trend updates with shoppable links, every single day. Real-time influence in the palm of your hand. It’s not in English, but yes, it works in the UK!

It hit us how much has changed - and how fast. But more than anything, it reminded us: your past connections don’t lose value - they gain it. The challenge is maintaining them and making them flourish. That’s the real art.

Seoul sparked a lot this weekend. We’re cooking. And it’s only the beginning.


ps. I spotted an M1. Unreal.

The Archive They Don’t Talk About

Footwear’s best gate-kept secret lives in Guangzhou - and last night, I got inside.
Buried in an unassuming corner of the city sits a 3,000+ volume archive: a production library documenting every shoe in the pipeline, both forward and back. One book, every month. Categorised by footwear type.

No photos allowed. But what I saw?
Nostalgic unreleased samples from the past and years into the future - clear as day.
Unseen Adidas Jellyfish, LV Buttersoft colourways, some collabs I definitely shouldn’t name.
And yes - some NTW is in there too. Mad.

I was in two minds about the whole thing. Part of me thought: how does this even exist?
The other part? Grateful I got to see it.
It's equal parts wild and methodical - like if the fashion calendar had a secret hard drive. One thing’s for sure, this archive is shaping the industry more than any runway and I am definitely not the first to see it.

But what hit me hardest: never did I think NTW’s working just 4–6 months ahead could actually play in our favour.
And seeing what’s locked in for 2026 and beyond, it became clear - agility is power. Knowing what’s coming gives you the freedom to pivot, to surprise, to move fast while others play it safe. Some of the future’s already printed. Most just haven’t read it yet.

I walked in curious. Walked out charged up, full of information I probably wasn’t meant to have - and I’m keeping it. I’ll be back.

Flop or Fire: Double Laces

Let’s talk about the quiet trend taking over: two sets of laces on one shoe. Not for everyone, but worth a mention.
It started with New Balance x Miu Miu, spread to the adidas SL72, then the Ghost Spirit lit up the streets of London more recently. Even Arigato dropped a tutorial on it on their chunky Eris sneaker.  Stacked laces. 2-sets of colours. It’s also everywhere in Asia. In truth, Anta’s Kai Hela - I call it ‘over-lacing’ - disrupts it in a fun way. I would say that most brands now have at least one product category focused on the trend. It’s pretty comical.

It looks cool - until you try walking in them. Or even buying the laces for them. As most releases don’t even come with the correct shoelaces. What.
I get the appeal: we’ve reached saturation. Everyone owns the base model. Doubling the laces or adding a charm adds just enough personality to feel new again. But, this one specifically. It won’t last. But while it’s here, it’s loud. And I love it. Just don’t trip.

Footwear is a language of its own.

Another Asia trip complete. Another quality control. Another chance to get my hands in the production process.

I went deep into the shoebox production - a detail most skip past. Ours? Not so simple. Built mostly by machines, but the final step - folding, gluing, finishing - is done by hand. Manual. Precise. Human.

Logos upside down, misaligned prints, subtle structure flaws - the smallest errors show up fast when the product demands more. And with our boxes, they do.
We’re not just spectators in the production line - we’re in it. On the floor. Problem-solving alongside skilled workers and artisans. That’s rare. Most brands never step foot past the showroom. NTW’s the outlier. At these factories, we’re one of few teams allowed into the production line - let alone the QC process. Having earned their trust and knowing how to make a pair of shoes has its advantages.

Sometimes we don’t even share a spoken language. But it doesn’t matter. Footwear is the language. Sustainability, efficiency and success is the mission. We point, we nod, we adjust, we learn, we compromise - we get it. And when you connect through the product, the process becomes personal. That’s what I love most.

Shared knowledge, shared obsession, zero ego.
This is the part no one posts - but to me, it’s everything.