Sneaker Shopping

It’s a New Year, 2017 is finally upon us and for most of us a New Year means a multitude of things. For me personally I tend to look at things from a different perspective, depending upon reflection how productive the previous year was in correlation to my goals. 2016 on the whole was a very positive year for me I travelled, made strides career wise, but most importantly I SAVED MONEY. Before we get ahead of ourselves this isn’t going to be one of those post where I outline exactly how I went about it, but more focussing on a specific area.

For those that know me can tell you about my obsession with Japanese Denim and Footwear! Over the years I’ve amassed a decent collection of Trainers. From an early age up sneakers were something that always interested me. I remember vividly trying on my first pair of Nike Air Max 90s in 1990, better still the fascination other people had wanting to press the basketball on my Reebok Pumps.

I would sketch my favourite trainers and experiment with alternate colourways, sometimes even going to the extent of making papier-mache replicas to paint. My growth as an individual was always expressed by my choice of footwear and that has continued until present. I’ve gone from the strictly Air Force Phase, to queuing up at 8am for Jordan releases to a more complex and sophisticated look now approaching 30.

With the emergence of luxury brands producing sneakers, the change in sneaker culture hasn’t died however there has been a shift in styles. For example Yeezy’s and Flyknit’s are both very dope and original but the stray from what is deemed a more conventional Trainer. So what do you do if you’re looking for a sneaker that is acceptable to wear as casual office attire but also sleek enough to go to a bar straight after work?

The logical way forward is to go designer sneaker, right? I’d agree in part. Now don’t get me wrong I’m a fan of Valentino, Balenciaga, Zanotti and some Louboutin’s, however I wanted to focus on some lesser known Brands that have the same luxury look and feel but for a fraction of the price. (see the way I linked that back, *winks*) SO here are my top picks of sneaker brands you should have a look at.

Mason Garments; Has emerged as one of the more prominent brands in the last 6-12 months with a number of really dope capsule collections, including the “Omar Classic”. Founded in 2012 by Rendi Aditia, Mason Garments has concentrated on a classic styled silhouette. They are hand made with the finest Italian full grain calf leather. Aditia and his small team of designers in Amsterdam have placed the construction process at the forefront and focus on both comfort and quality. The brand is stocked in Europe, Dubai, Japan and South Korea at the moment and the average price of their range varies between 250-270 euros.

Axel Arigato; Formed in the Summer of 2014 by Albin Johnson and creative director Max Svardh have made great strides in a very short space of time. Axel Arigato has an unusual business model which has allowed the Brand to grow to a point where it now sells in over 100 countries worldwide. The brand set out not to limit themselves as a street wear brand or a luxury sneaker, but strictly concentrate on creating a luxury product. In addition to this they have a "Drop of the Week" which enables them to forge a unique relationship with their client base. I purchased a couple of pairs early in 2015 and can say they are very comfortable and represent great value. They opened a store in Soho in recently which is a big step for such a new company, better still these overheads have not affected the quality and the price. Your average pair of Axel Arigato will cost you in the region £130-£150.

Android Homme; Founded in 2008 by Chief designer and creative director Javier Laval the men’s only footwear label has established itself as one of the leaders outside of your major fashion houses and the likes of Lanvin, Mason Martin Margiela and Valentino. Originating in Los Angeles and made in Italy Android Homme footwear have a very distinctive look. Velvet uppers and grained leather are a major feature on a number of their designs, a motif that a number of other brands often borrow from. Recently Android has branched out as now produces their own version of the increasingly popular Runner, which Balenciaga has become synonymous for. When it comes to variety Android tick a lot of boxes in terms Low, Mid and High silhouettes however they will cost a little bit more than the others on my list with the average pair retailing at approximately £300 or there about depending on how saucy and daring you are.

ETQ; Probably the surprise out of my choices however I choose them not strictly on the appearances of their footwear but the overall package. They for me have managed to encapsulate the idea of what buying a luxury sneaker is all about. You can tell that a lot of thought has gone into the branding and conceptualisation from the minimal and simplistic look of their footwear to how easy it is to navigate their site. The company started in 2010 was purposely grown slowly now to the point where their SS16 range had over 30 different sneakers. The vision behind ETQ is to set themselves apart from other brands by creating aesthetically pleasing yet functional footwear. Their range is priced in the region of £200-220.

Filling Pieces; Is an Amsterdam based brand founded in 2009 by Guillaume Philibert who set out to bridge the gap between high street and high fashion footwear. Out of the brands on my list filling pieces are probably the most popular and easily recognisable, due to their affordable pricing. £150-180 can land pretty much any of their designs. Establishing themselves globally has been a key focus and they now ship to pretty much every country in the world besides Russia, China and Mexico. The sneakers are had made in Portugal using the finest Italian materials, and the design team have managed to consistently create very eye-catching designs in a number of different colours and silhouettes.

This was my first fashion post, I hope you enjoyed reading here are some of my top picks from these brands: