5 Chic Sneakers for this Autumn/Winter

Sneakers, trainers, kicks -call them whatever you want but stemming from a background of sporting apparel for basketball players since Marquis Converse conceptualized it in 1917, they have indeed come a long way. Ditching their reputation of being a 12 year olds’ footwear and now that basketball shoes have reigned supreme in the basketball court, sneakers have finally found its calling. In mainstream, that is. These shoes have penetrated into all facets of life from everyday wear and tear to fashion statement. So if you’re looking to add another pair to your sneakers collection, we are at your service with the 5 chic sneakers of Autumn/Winter 2011.

1. Christian Louboutin Spacer Flat sneakers

Think Christian Louboutin and the mind goes to that signature glimpse of devil red soles that you get in a pair of heels that is of the fashion house’s creation. But, good news guys, Christian Louboutin is starting to expand its brilliance into mens footwear, starting with these sneakers. With straps and zippers details, these sneakers are truly the hottest pair that Autumn/Winter 2011 season has laid its eyes upon. In fact, there are plenty of great choices from the Christian Louboutin FW 2011 sneaker line like the Rantus Orlanto and Louis Flat collection.

Christian Louboutin Spacer Flat Sneakers

Source credited to: theshoebuff.com



2. Nike Air Ralston Mid Lite TZ

For those of you who wish for something with more of a simplified aesthetic that does not skimp on comfort and versatility, these Air Ralston Mid Lites from Nike Sportswear Fall 2011 collection are structured with you in mind. With a premium raw suede upper and Nike’s revolutionizing Air Unit in the sole, these sneakers with its up-to-date deconstructed flair are the epitome of timeless footwear appeal with a twist.

Nike Air Ralston Mid Lite TZ

Source credited to: slamxhype.com





3. CLAE’s Mobley and Wilder

You may not have heard of CLAE but it’s about time you pay attention to this new kid on the sneakers block. This LA based brand of bold sneaks with its classic sensibility and notes of unexpected colour accents has even been named as one of GQ’s crucial kicks. The Mobley and Wilder are specifically mentioned in this article as CLAE’s latest offering for FW 2011 but do visit their website for a consistently strong lineup of impressive designs for all seasons such as the Khan, the Russell, the Strayhorn and the Ellington.

CLAE Right: Wilder, Left: Mobley

Source credited to: clae.com



4. Creative Recreation’s Cicero

Another sneaker brand featured on GQ’s compilation of crucial kicks is Creative Recreation. Their take on fall sneakers and the colour stories behind it will leave sneaker-heads spinning. Most notable out of Creative Recreation’s fall releases is the military inspired Cicero. Focusing on a sneaker that will help you brave the rapidly approaching cold, the creative minds at Creative Recreation came up with a leather laced up collection with removable snow cuffs.

Creative Recreation Cicero sneakers

Source credited to: cr8rec.com





4. Missoni X Converse Chuck Taylor All Star





It would be wrong for us to talk about sneakers without paying tribute to the brand that started it all- all hail Converse! If you think the age old brand has been sitting comfortably on its reputation then you are clearly mistaken. With so many designer partnerships under its belt from Junya Watanabe to Schott NYC, Converse has been going non-stop at its revamp movement. One of the more successful collaboration is with the Italian fashion house Missoni. For this fall, they have done it again with what can only be described as space-dyed knit construction method on the classic Chuck Taylor.

Missoni X Converse Chuck Taylor All Star

Source credited to: solecollector.com

Ultimately, always look for good autumn/winter sneakers with good sole traction and insulation, water resistant that keep you comfortable with style.

Men Health: Why Good Trainer is so Important

Running shoes or trainers nowadays are stylish, comfortable, durable and protective of your feet, but it does make it a little harder to buy your perfect pair of shoes when there is a sea of shoes to choose from. So how can you be sure that you are putting out your hard earned money for a decent pair of running shoes? And why should you even bother? What is the importance of a good pair of trainers anyway?

Sadly, We have always thought that trainers are trainers; the difference seems to only ever be their vast difference in price. After all, what difference does it make by running in a typical cheap pair of shoes and one that costs more than 5 times its price? Running is still running, right? Wrong! So wrong!



In addition, it is not hard to see more than a few people wearing various types of sneakers ranging from football to basketball sneakers to a marathon run! These are the people that will suffer massive amounts of pain after the running exercise.

Different activities satisfy different needs as the biomechanics of these events is different. Good trainers are shoes that would not hurt your feet throughout any running exercise.



First of all, they can avoid blisters and other pains in the foot. If you are using a bad pair of trainers, coupled up with incorrect kind of socks, you would feel sore feet quickly. One of the biggest mistakes in picking socks is that most people go for cotton socks but they tend to cause friction against your skin.



Secondly, a good pair of trainers provides a snug fit to your foot as much as possible. It is also the reason why your foot feels lighter as you run. One of the problems you would encounter with a wrong pair of shoes during running is that you would have blisters. This comes from the friction of your heel against the wrong pair of shoes during running.

So in case you are looking for a new pair of trainers after coming to the end of this post, you might want to give the Nike Air Max 95 a chance. It is best known for being incredible lightweight that make you comfortable on feet and suitable for several sports, like running, climbing, rappelling and even daily walking. Alternately, you can find more Nike trainers at size.co.uk.

New Balance Act: Eco-Friendly Sneaker

Everyone know New Balance, but not sure whether you know their environmental theme? Based their initiative with the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, the company is introducing a fleece-like lace-up constructed from 95 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. The newSky, the shoe is part of New Balance's effort to incorporate sustainable practices into their long-term goals. It'll be available come October, with a streamlined design that yields minimal waste.

Because the recycled fabric behaved differently from typical footwear material, New Balance designers Christine Hall and Drew Spieth had to make adjustments to accommodate the material’s distinctive features. Besides whittling away any extraneous components, Hall and Spieth also borrowed elements from the NB Minimus by using the same pared-down outsole and last. “For the design intent of the upper, the same philosophies are applied—minimizing the amount of materials used so you’re not over-building the shoe, but making it as comfortable as possible,” Spieth says. By the way, it take about an average of eight recycled plastic bottles goes into each pair of newSky sneakers.

The recycled fabric, known commercially as Eco-fi, replaced parts of the shoe that previously utilized foam, leather, or virgin plastic, including the entire upper. Instead for conventional reinforcements such as plastic or leather, Hall and Spieth braced the heel with heavier-weight fabric and strategic stitching along the back seam. “The heel is where most of the reinforcing happens,” Hall says. “But when we doubled-up the material, you don’t need any reinforcement because the material is doing it itself.”

By exploiting the fabric’s unique characteristics through heating, molding, and pressing, the duo was able to strip away many traditional, non-recycled materials. The result is not only a shoe that’s gentler on the planet but also one that looks and feels good. “It was a big goal to keep it functional and looking stylish,” Spieth says. “At the end of the day, it looks like an interesting shoe and also looks great on the foot.”

Man Fashion News: Evisu and Common projects collaborate

Contributed by Charlie

Cult denim brand Evisu have revealed their first collaboration with mature menswear brand Common Projects; they have joined forces to create a range of low and high top leather sneakers.

The collection showcases simple trainers in classic monochrome colours; the simple colour palette lets their minimalist designs speak for themselves. 

The CP logo on the heel of the shoe has been replaced with Japanese characters as a way of interacting with the Japanese heritage of Evisu; the designs sum up the ultimate in male sportswear luxe, the shoes represent the style of the modern and experienced man. 

Available from fall 2010 the designs open the door for new customers to embrace both Evisu and common projects. The collection is priced from $165.

Sneaker of the Week: PUMA Mid Vulc

PUMA sportlifestyle introduces a new classic, with clean, simple and streetstyle in mind.

Aptly named the PUMA Mid Vulc; the style is inspired by the PUMA Archive’s original 1970s -1980’s PUMA Mid, yet refreshed on a vulcanized sole.

In true PUMA fashion, the Mid Vulc unifies on trend design, form and function. Especially created for those who like to make the street their playground, it is a durable, easy to wear and ride sneaker in leather, ripstop nylon and suede.



Accompanying this premium, clean looking style, is a limited run of PUMA custom laces featuring a metal aglet with silver cat detailing, which compliment the silver foil logos on the shoes. Each set of laces comprises of 1 x black set and 1 x white pair to give the wearer the choice to go tonal or add a pop of contrast.

Working in association with Goodone, (www.goodone.co.uk) both pairs of laces come in an authentic hand made bag made with recycled off cut PUMA Archive fabric. The bag is also an ideal size to be a digital camera/ipod/iphone case.



Not for sale there are just 250 special edition PUMA Mid Vulc laces and bags in circulation in the UK only.



In no doubt a desirable streetwear staple, the PUMA Mid Vulc in black and white colourways are currently available exclusively to select PUMA independent trainer boutiques nationwide, retailing at £55 rrp.

Top 25 Sneakers in 2009 - Part II

Continue from earlier post last week, here are the next 8 pairs of coolest sneakers designs ranked by Sneaker Freaker in 2009. Do give your comments whether these are also your choice.



Nike Supreme Bruin

After previously working with Nike on some successful, high-profile collaborations, New York-based retailer Supreme put its spin on the Bruin, Nike's first low-top basketball shoe, which debuted in 1972. The line comes in four basic colors, but the ultra-white model with metallic red pops is the one that ascends to the top 25.



Vans HUF Old Skool LX

Too often, classic is just another word for boring in the sneaker world. These kicks avoid that rap. Although the shoes are plain, intriguing details such as bricolage canvas, a suede upper, an embroidered Vans stripe, and repeating triangles on the foxing made the Old Skool one of the year's best.



Adidas Jeremy Scott Collection

Sometimes the sneaker lovin' community lacks humor, but no one would say that about designer Jeremy Scott. His collaboration with adidas this year (one in a long history) is a stunning four-model ensemble of lunacy and silliness. One shoe has three tongues; another, giant golden wings, while others have tassles, studs, and snakeskin.



Nike Presto

The '09 Presto remained true to its stylish roots, with the plastic-spined lace system once again taking center stage. Unlike its eye-popping, multitoned predecessors, the shoe's solid color schemes caught people's attention this go-around.



Converse UNDFTD Poorman's Weapon

Los Angeles store Undefeated has consistently styled sneakers with panache using a touch of military flavor. Released as part of its War Is Business campaign, the Poorman's Weapon featured a flight-jacket nylon upper, property tags, and removable Velcro logo patches. The black edition sold out in minutes, and the green wasn't around much longer.



Nike ACG Ashiko Boot

Named after a ninja's favorite weapon, the ACG Ashiko boot is made with Flywire, Nike's proprietary lightweight yet sturdy thread. Sneaker Freaker's editors were so impressed with the shoe after taking a pair hiking, they quickly plastered it on the magazine's cover.



Reebok Proper Dual Pump Runner

This pair of kicks represents the joint efforts of Reebok and Proper, a boutique in Long Beach, Calif. With PlayDry lining, memory foam, and a 100% synthetic upper, they are one of the world's first vegan runners. Even the glue was free of animal innards.



Adidas Kazuki ObyO Collection

Japan's Kazuki Kuraishi had worked for style dons such as clothing line A Bathing Ape and Fragment Design, a design house that has collaborated with such heavyweights as Rolex and Disney (DIS:US), but it was his adidas line that brought him international recognition. The line's KBALL mid-tops in rich black leather with eggplant laces are understated. Also, the slender Kazuki branding on the tongue is a tip-top top-off.



So again, stay tune with the last part of Top Sneakers in 2009 - Part III. 

Shoe of the Month: Nike Sneaker Air Max 97

The Nike Air Max 97 Mens Running Shoes is as classic a shoe as it could possibly get. This is a really nice colorway of the Air Max 97 which most sneaker heads will jump on. These feature a white base with red and green accents throughout the shoe. Red is placed on the Nike swoosh and out sole while green is seen on the inner lining and tongue tag. If you really feeling these you can pick them up now at City Sole.

Sneakers of the Week: ALIFE

From sneaker heads to celebrities, men love ALIFE for kicks that range from pop color trainer to tumbled leather chukka boots. Bold and fun, these kicks are all about eye-catching color and fresh design.







Over years, Alife has transformed themselves from being a premier apparel brand into a full fledged clothing and sneaker line. The sneakers feature basic silhouettes, taking quality into mind and focusing on differentiating their shoes through use of materials and colors.

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Man Fashion: Sneaker of the Day

Adidas Samba for Men's. The most popular indoor football shoe, established for high performance and leisure use for more than 30 years.  

Upper: K-leather for excellent ball feel and fit.  

Lining: Synthetic.

Outsole: Non-marking outsole for use on polished indoor surfaces.

Man Fashion: Adidas Y3 Sneakers

Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas are back at it with one of my favorite collaborative collections of the year! Once again, Yamamoto has added his own inventive touch to a fully comprehensive collection of sport and style-fused sneakers alike, as we see a great mix of textures, fabrics, heights and potential uses. As always, the Adidas Y-3 collection can be found in select higher-end menswear accounts and they can often teeter well over the $200 pricing tier.

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Technorati Tags: Man Fashion, Mens Sneakers, Adidas Y-3 Sneakers, Yohji Yamamoto, Men Sneakers