The Blucher, known in England as a ‘Derby’ shoe, is a classic open-laced plain toe shoe design, considered less formal than an ‘Oxford’ shoe. Alden’s Plain Toe Blucher is crafted from calfskin leather, atop a Goodyear welted double leather sole with a rubber ‘Foot Balance’ heel for enhanced comfort and durability. Available now at End Clothing.
Crafted with traditional wingtip details and closed stitching at the vamp, Paul Smith finishes these leather Oxford shoes with a modern burnished effect. The absorbing dark brown tone recedes at the toe and heel to reveal fiery red and yellow hues. Available now at Mr. Porter.
The Hamilton Shoe is constructed from superbly smooth and supple leather uppers, in a premium take on a casual moccasin. Hand made in Portugal, they are fully leather lined and feature a detail stitched double layer around the sole, where the leather uppers sit on tonal suede. Featuring the subtle yet satisfying design touches which Folk instill into everything they do, they are a great take on a classic piece of footwear. Available now at End Clothing.
Belgian designer Dries Van Noten introduces his take on the classic leather Derby shoe, injecting some flare with a minimal but eye-catching camouflage outsole. Made in Italy and lined with suede, these shoes are the height of designer luxury, despite having taken a subtle design cue from the military and streetwear cultures. With an extra set of leather laces and a custom dustbag, you can get these shoes now at Trés Bien Shop.
California-based Thorocraft has made a serious name for themselves, taking classic silhouettes and re-inventing them using emerging technological processes. Two shoes that are new for Spring 2013 are the ‘Ross’ and ‘Mercer’ silhouettes. The Mercer: an oxford that features camo uppers and a distinct laser-cut ventilation pattern is a standout for Spring. The Ross Shoe features a full-grain hand woven leather upper and EVA/foam soles . The uppers are finished off with a pigskin inner lining and a raw, undyed Vachetta leather heel detail. Both shoes are available now at the Hypebeast Online Shop.
Following up on a December release with Hiroshi Fujiwara‘s fragment design label, Cole Haan once again teams up with the Japanese brand to create one of the most interesting LunarGrand silhouettes to date: the Venetian Bit. The shoe releases on February 6 at Cole Haan SoHo in New York, and will retail for $298 USD.
Source: Hypebeast
The LunarGrand Saddle is refreshed for Spring 2013 with the use of high-contrast materials and an updated color-scheme in birch/black suede/orange pop. Cushioned with Nike Lunarlon Technology for ultimate comfort, the latest from Cole Haan can be purchased online at the Cole Haan for $248 USD.
Prince of darkness Rick Owens looks to lighter tones with the release of these men’s ‘Island Dunk’ shoes. Part of his light-aesthetic ‘Island’ collection these sneakers feature caramel-colored suede and details like a laceless vamp with concealed metal eyelets, zip fastening and padded collar, all atop a Vibram sole. Rick Owens’ Men’s Island Dunks are currently available for purchase now from retailer LN-CC.
For Spring/Summer 2013, The Generic Man continues with it’s spectacular collaborative effort with Comme des Garçons’ “SHIRT” offshoot. The collection combines “the carefree and fun with the starkly minimalist and utilitarian,” in three unique silhouettes. Making up the offering are Generic’s “Mohawk”, “Wellington” and “Wing Tip” models, rendered in soft pastels and some brighter patterned canvas. The Mohawk — a mid-top which features three color-blocked sections and moccasin details — marks the beginning of spring, while the Wellington, with its cartoony, whimsical patterns on canvas, embodies the middle of the season. Rounding out the collection, meanwhile, is the Wing Tip, a more traditional sneaker with a brighter overall look. This collection is available now at Comme des Garcons SHIRT retailers worldwide.
Dutch designer Eric Hullegie has approached shoe manufacturing in a new an interesting way as part of his latest project. Using vacuum molding technology to create the upper of the shoe the shoe, Hullegie reinterpreted various Camper silhouettes, creating a seamless and stylish end result. Although primarily an artistic excersize, Hullegie’s project makes an interesting point about re-imaginging current production methods to make them less impactful and more efficient.
