New Balance USA 'Tall Tales' Pack

Another day another New Balance. The brand really are making even greater strides than the previous 2 years could have forecast, it seems everything coming out of the NB camp whichever side of the ocean seems to be gold. This trio of terrifically crafted 574's makes up the American Made 'Tall Tales' Pack. Each take their colorway inspiration from a male icon of US folklore and with rich suede and mesh uppers and as always with NB a high quality finish I really all three, tracking them down in the UK could be an issue though...


Johnny Appleseed

John Henry


Paul Bunyon

Kenzo x Vans Era Collection

I think its fair to say Kenzo are mounting a fairly aggressive assault on the industry since their first catwalk show back in January. With Opening Ceremony founders Humberto Leon and Carol Lim now at the helm don't expect this to be the last collaboration we see from the Parisian brand. But when they achieve results as good as this it is very much welcome. These neon, net patterned Era's are the first in a slated line of Vans collaborations. Given that Leon and Lim were both raised on the West Coast its probably not a surprise to see how such a collaboration was born. I can't wait to see what is next for this brand which seems to be moving a some pace in recent weeks, watch this space...

Nike HTM Flyknit

Primarily I created this blog to showcase my love of trainers, I have over the last couple of years steered towards other areas of fashion and lifestyle. But I still have a continued love of the creative process and innovation of footwear so it is nice when I am pulled back into the field that brought me to this point in the first place. And the Nike HTM Flyknit collection is just the project to do it, heralding a collision of old and new. By taking processes garnered from knitwear and the continuing innovation of flywire material Nike have been able to create a material which is super lightweight, breathable, superbly well fitting and comfortable. They are calling it the perfect running shoe which is probably a bit premature but it easy to see why there is alot of buzz surrounding this product line. They are easily my favourite looking shoe since the free runs and I love how the Flyknit adds a depth of texture that mesh cannot match, I cannot wait to see how this will be used across the rest of the Nike ranges and to get a pair onto my feet and out on the running trail...

Cole Haan x Nike Lunargrand Wingtip

Hybrids have always been a somewhat contentious subject in the sneaker world often due to the dismantling of a fan favourite, but when it comes to the above I have to say im converted. After Nike designer Jarrett Reynolds blog revealed his pair of custom lunar saddle shoes in late 2010 it must have got the creative cogs turning in the design kitchen. If like me you are wondering how exactly this collaboration came to fruition the story goes something like this. Founded by Trafton Cole and Eddie Haan in Chicago, Illinois, back in 1928, Cole Haan quickly became renowned for making fine quality shoes for men. In 1988 the company was acquired by Nike and began integrating parts of Nikes innovative technology into their own footwear, so with this in mind the Lunargrand Wingtip seems the inevitable next step in a seemingly organic partnership. Bearing in mind that a wingtip and a lunar running shoe are virtually polar opposites in ever way apart from being worn on the feet this shoe does not look wrong at all on the contrary in fact they grow on me more after every viewing. I do think however leather would have been a more appropriate upper material but i'm sure this is not the last we will see of this specimen...

Missoni x Converse Auckland Racer AW12

Many of you might have noticed the original version of this sneaker gracing my Top 10 of 2011, but to my dismay as with many collaborations they never saw release. But having garnered serious amounts of interest over the last 6 months their second iteration debued down the catwalk in Milan and will release this October and I simply cannot wait. It does however seem their may be a slightly more romantic scenario for the release of this shoe in 2012 the London Olympic year. The last time the games came to London in 1948, Ottavio “Tai” Missoni, an international athlete and track suit maker qualified for the finals of the 400m hurdle race and went on to meet Rosita Jelmini at Wembley. They married in April 1953, and five years later showed their first Missoni collection together. The rest is history. I love the woven wool upper against the pure white sole, it is a great contrast and as always the pattern is perfectly busy, this is definitely on my to buy list for 2012...

CLOT x Nike Tennis Classic

Off the back of their hugely popular Converse collaboration last year Hong Kong fashion brand CLOT bring a similar textural effort to the table for 2012. This time in the shape of a two-tone Nike Tennis Classic, with white suede making up the majority of the upper and premium red leather and red eyelet accenting the design is very simple but a great summer shoe and not sure if this is intentional but they do have a certain resemblance to the Marty McFly Bruins from Back to the Future which is never a bad thing...

Nike Sportswear Mayfly LT

Alas the Mayfly the insect with the shortest lifespan on earth seems to bear certain similarities to it's aptly named sneaker counterpart. As the new year approached we got the news to expect the release of the Mayfly LT a suped up version of the original Mayfly which was one of the best concept running shoes Nike ever produced. But the release has now been cut from UK release and looks to only see the light of day stateside if at all. It is such a shame to see Nike cutting really good releases based on commercial viability considering the size of their business model its hard to understand why they can't let something of such importance to lovers of trainers to slip through the net. Nevertheless this shoe is something special, keeping the insect wing patterning on the upper this time laser cut into a more premium upper than the paper thin originals, but in keeping with the first they still look fragile and are still one of the lightest and most comfortable models in existence getting your hands on these may be hard but will be worth it...

TOP 10 OF 2011

Firstly Happy New Year to all my readers, for many people I have spoken to it has been a hard year so we welcome you to 2012 and hopefully a much better year. Secondly as usual I have my Top 10 of 2011 albiet slightly late as the festive season for me has been more excessive than usual. It has been a year of huge releases and but also a huge amount of recycling. Only 1 of my top ten in a brand new model all the others are reimagined designs and colorways and retros, this was not a conscious effort on my part but more a sign of the nature of the current industry. That said there was a huge amount of innovation in materials in 2011 as we saw the introduction of hyperfuse and vacuum technology from Nike, Helium lightweight from Adidas and also a strong year for Reebok who although they didn't make the list have come on leaps and bounds and I expect to see them on the list in 2012. So lets get in there...


10. BEAUTY & YOUTH X VANS

Vans have had another huge year and they seem to get more popular by the day especially with the Vans Vault collections which are constantly reinventing the extensive Vans back catalogue in premium materials and also creating great new models in their own right. But my pick was not from the Vault series but a collaboration with Japanese brand Beauty & Youth, which gave the Era a trio of cord uppers. For classic comfort and wearability the Era is second to none and I love the idea of the cord wearing in like it does on trousers these will look better and better with age, I just love these...

 
9. NIKE SB 'STATUE OF LIBERTY DUNK'

Nike SB have definitely been accused in recent years of releasing colorways without any inspiration or originality. But the release of the 'Statue of Liberty Dunk' was a ray of hope along with Cheech&Chong colorway which was also another highlight. With a beautiful satin green leather upper with its ability to shed an outer layer of paint, revealing an unoxidized copper finish that mimics that of New York’s iconic landmark. This was a really genius sport specific idea, one of the best SB's in years...
8. NIKE AIR FLOW 2011 RETRO

The Nike Air Flow is a classic, it paved the way for the now commonplace minimal runner. Looking at it now in 2011 it is still very much a modern looking runner and with the Lunar Air Flow also dropping in 2011 it really showcased the successful design as the hyperfuse and lunar technology took effortlessly to the model. But it is on the foot where this model shines and in several eye popping colorways and with more to come in 2012 this is one that is well and truly out of the dark for the foreseeable future...
7. RONNIE FIEG X ASICS 'ULTRA MARINE' GT II

If you are a regular reader then you'll already be familiar with Ronnie Fieg and his now infamous Asics collaborations. Now with the opening of the Kith NYC store run with several other creatives their is now an outlet for his continually great catalogue. With buttery 'ultra marine' perforated suede on the upper and aqua/white highlights this is a powerhouse of a colorway, but don't be fooled into thinking this is easy this one has apparently been 3 years in the design kitchen, all that effort to look effortless...
6. NIKE FREE RUN+ 2 'CITY SERIES'

The Free Run+ 2 was without a doubt the best looking new release of the year, the overlays on the upper with the fine mesh underneath create brilliant texture and depth to the model with being too busy. And the fit is incredibly comfortable. I have such a huge array of people wearing these shoes on the street from kids to businessmen across the board this shoe delivered. The 'City Series' was my highlight of the colorways and the London Colorway although im biased was a simple triumph, the two tone colorway let the textures and design do the talking and it shouted...
5. MISSONI X CONVERSE 'AUCKLAND RACER'

Missoni's SS12 Collection was one of my highlights this year in Milan. Not least because of the above Auckland Racers. These will unfortunately not see a general release at least not yet anyway. I'm ever hopeful as these would be a serious addition to my summer wardrobe, their is nothing like these out there at the moment, with a knitted Missoni patterned wool upper and contrasting white sole these were always going to make the cut...
4. NEW BALANCE 996 'GREY/BLACK'

The New Balance 996 are one of the lesser known models in the NB arsenal but this colorway is without a doubt one of my favourites of 2012. I'm not quite sure how long these have been on the market as I showcased them here at the start of 2010 but have not seen them on the market till now. NB and grey colorways seem to go hand in hand and it is testament to their quality materials and construction that they still manage to keep us hooked with such a somber colour palette, I only have to look at the mesh on these to know they are special...
3. 2011 NIKE AIR MAG

2011 was the year that we will never forget as the culmination of years of debating, petitions and prayers were answered as 2015 came to 2011. The 2011 Nike Air Mag came to fruition and although it was without the fabled self lacing system (see you in 2015) and the huge price tags this was without a doubt one of the best releases of the year. With all the proceeds going to the Michael J Fox foundation it was a brilliant cause and an amazing campaign all round. People well outside the industry were nattering about these and im still sore that I dont own a pair, when I finally perfect my time machine ill go back and get them...
2. BODEGA X NIKE AIR WOVEN FOOTSCAPE

The Nike Air Footscape seems to be one of the hardest shoes to get hold of these days. Despite tending to divide opinion wherever I go you will never see these making it to the sales shelf. They have a kind of mystic about them and despite my orinal reluctance to get onboard they have continually grown on me over the years and although I missed out on these, they will be a target for 2012 in some form. Released as one of a trio this earthy colorway from Bostons Bodega, who have done such stirling work with Saucony over the last 2 years, was much coveted and for good reason the colorway was epic and looked especially good against the woven uppers. They have a really native feel about them and it just works, these very nearly pipped the J's...
1. JORDAN III 'BLACK CEMENT' 2011 RETRO

What can you say about this icon other than with a shape closer to the original than any other retro and quarms about construction and materials aside (these could have been made from paper and I would still have bought a pair). The originals are probably one of the greatest sneakers ever created, their popularity is testament to their brilliant design and forward thinking. They are still without a doubt one of the best looking shoes and having worn mine virtually every other day since release they still get more than enough attention, my favourite release of the year...

Gourmet 'The Dignan'

Inspired by the final scene from the 2009 film 'The Departed' the Dignan is exactly the type of design idea you would expect from Gourmet and it's already firmly dividing opinion. Which in my opinion is exactly why I love this shoe already. It's probably not going to win prizes for looks but as a concept I think its brilliant. It definitely something that will turn heads and get the grey matter working. This is the kind of forward thinking footwear that the industry should be inviting after a 2011 of retros and reworks I think this is a promising look at some really brand new ideas for 2012. Great work Gourmet...

Patta x Asics Gel Saga II

Patta have built their reputation not only by a long standing love for sneakers and the culture but also in collaborations with absolutely sublime results and consistency which is arguably unrivalled by any other company. Its hard to find fault with any of their previous footwear efforts. With Asics steam rollering 2010/11 with their almightly Gel Lyte III it seems with a little help from RF and the Patta Boys the Gel Saga II will have its own days in the sunshine. These are very much a sequel to their original 2007 Gel Lytes with an almost identical palette but a multi tonal black upper this time sees minimal usage of the green/red highlights and allows the silhouette to be the star. This is very much a sign of the times but I though simple I can't help looking at the textures and accents and thinking they have nailed it again...

Nonnative x New Balance CM997

Nonnative are in my opinion one of the best brands out there right now you only need to look at their current collection to want to remortgage your house to buy it all. This preview of their upcoming collaboration with the mighty New Balance is absolutely beautiful. Taking inspiration from the shifting sand dunes of Morocco the multi tonal upper alone is epic but with the addition of the splash of persian blue on the outsole this really does take this colorway to a whole new level. Available in early January this will be my first purchase of 2012 for sure, this is a seriously top notch shoe and it deserves major appreciation...

Common Projects: New Editions

Common Projects without a doubt create the most understated but incredibly luxury sneakers on the market right now and news that they are to launch a diffusion line is music to my ears. By ditching the premium leather and using canvas for the outerskin CP have created a more casual collection but still very much in keeping with their previous works. But these are far from a simple downgrade. With the addition of Vibram soles and leather lining for comfort the New Editions line will not only be an affordable everyday sneaker but also still maintain the luxury feel and aesthetics which make CP products so continually desirable, expect these to release Spring 2012 at all CP stockists...

New Balance 996 Black/Grey

After the buzz of the Salmon Toe release what next for Ronnie Fieg and Kith NYC. Well with the official store opening only two days away are quickly building a formidable repertoire. Although the Kith Set are marking their launch with two custom New Balance colorways on the American made 574 model something else has caught my eye. I previewed these New Balance 996's back in May 2010, so i'm not sure where these have been hiding since but I have not seen them on offer anywhere else since. I love the use of the black leather on the upper which splits the purple suede and gives it the feeling of a saddle shoe, this coupled with the really good quality grey mesh which is one of my favourite features on any good New Balance these are the perfect winter colorway, and are available now via KithNYC online...