The OeTZI3300 shoe brand is inspired by a prehistoric man named “Oetzi” who has been carbon dated all the way back to 3300 B.C. His mummified body was unveiled from it’s frozen state during “global warming” and he was wearing nothing more than the basic essentials he needed for survival– good gear for protection and warmth, as well as a unique pair of bad ass shoes.

These shoes above (more color-ways after the jump) are inspired by the simple yet functional design of Oetzi’s shoes, our need to be environmentally responsible, and the need to better promote the art of well being. The collection features a pair made of napa leathers and oiled suede, both with an insulating yet breathable stretch inner sock liner– and a cork footbed designed for comfort (it also gradually molds to your footscape as you wear them).

Proceeds of every sale go to the Arthritis Foundation, as it was discovered by tattoo’s found on Oetzi’s body that he too had symptoms of joint disease and was probably treated with a very primitive form of acupunture. The brands logo is inspired by these tattoos.

These shoes were designed by the same guy behind one of my all the favorites for comfort, the Royal Elastics Grata.  Congrats Ludovic!

READ MORE…

What will I be rocking all summer? The Zuriick Ake Slip Ons ($55). More pictures after the jump. They’re fantastic– available in a handful of colors like Cub Red, Bronx (blue) Charcoal Night and Wrigley (shown here). More pictures after the jump…

READ MORE…

The String Republic is at it again, this time with an artist collaboration series with awesome folks like eBoy and Ryan Cox (shown above). Some more of my favorite shots of the other collaborations shown after the jump– shoes are for sale on their website for $40. Summer has officially arrived!

READ MORE…

Last November, Nike put out a line of high top vandals in three solid colors red, white and black. Every square millimeter of the shoe was red, white or black. The overdrive of one tone of color was definitely a head turner. All three original colors were in a very limited run (hint: flightclub still has some). Nylon (the magazine) took notice and has now paired with Nike to put out five new Nylon colors. I can tell right now, these are going to be controversial. But if you can pull off shoes like these, it’s amazing, but it definitely isn’t easy. I still have a soft spot for the original red shoe, but I’m curious to see someone wearing these new Nylon colors. 

via Highsnobiety

I might catch some flack for this but anytime I see lo-top canvas shoes with a simple silhouette, I immediately think of Chucks. They may not be the first, but the are definitely the most recognizable; the standard that others follow. When I saw the Sumfun model that PF Flyers was bringing back from 1947, I was incredibly surprised. Here was a shoe with incredibly clean lines and crisp edges and it does all this while managing to not look like a Converse copy. Recrafted by PF Japan, the reintroduction of this tennis shoe classic from the archives is a welcomed addition to my wardrobe.

Via Hypebeast

I was minding my own business, working away, when the most bizarre care package of the week (if not the month, or year so far) arrived on my desk. I’ve known about the giveaway for the new Coraline movie Nike Dunks, but this was just bizarre. Check the pictures out below…

READ MORE…

It’s a safe bet that any travel bag the folks at Seattle’s Blackbird packed would prepare you better than one you prepared yourself — regardless of destination. Between the Opening Ceremony vests and rain parkas from Nom de Guerre, it’s clear that their new online store’s collection is more structured and cohesive than your own. The “clothing and effects” retailer has been blogging religiously about men’s outerwear and trends, and finally (on “Cyber-Monday”) we won’t have to fly into Sea-Tac to grab a nice pair of moccasins.

Their fashion is your rubbish. Using seat belts, tires, prison blankets, parachutes and fireman’s uniforms the design team Worn Again creates bags and shoes. Relying soly on recylced and resued goods, they are a kick in the butt for sustainable lifestyles. Virgin Atlantic has just teamed up with the eco line providing their old seats as material. Worn Again has created a special ‘Virgin‘ line of bags. The products are available in the U.K. at select stores and their online store.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, the creations by Romika Sport shoes ruled over the German sneaker-scape with a stylish, relaxed, and supportive grip. While recent times have brought the influx of a bevy of international brands, Romika’s influence has never completely faded. Hipsters and sneaker enthusiasts alike have been scouring the world wide web and second hand stores for their favorite sneaks of yore. Thanks to the urging of the folks at German trend blog Nodeland, these footwear aficionados can stop searching high and low for the subject of their shoe fetish. In order to remedy the lack of availability of some of their more classic models, Romika Sport is relaunching their collection. Classic models such as the Super Tennisana, Oxford, Laser, and Bolero have gone through a slight re-design and are now available for those looking to relive their glory days… or maybe even create some new ones.

TOMS shoes — y’know the minimalist designed shoes that look like Argentinean foot wraps. We love them, but if the simple fact of wearing comfortable, colorful, slipper-like shoes in the summer isn’t enough for you, TOMS has an additional incentive. For each pair purchased, a needy child from an impoverished country will get the same shoes. (Their ads juxtapose kids running around Soho and kids running down a muddy path in Ethiopia in TOMS.) Why wouldn’t you do good and look good at the same time?

It looks way unconventional, but this clever Walking Bike by Max Night “kicks” at an impressive pace. The enterprising designer outfitted an ordinary bike with eight pairs of sneakers for his pal at Intersection magazine, and it truly does run — albeit at a jogger-with-a-cramp speed. And a word to potential bikejackers: making off with the wheels on this one are likely to earn more on eBay than at the used bike store. Watch the foot pedaling action here.

Matt Bernson’s Dad’s Slouchy Boot: Read JS Review | Buy It (POA; shown as 1)

A commenter put it best when he said, “With this boot and the right alley stride you should be able to pull off just about anything.” We’re trying to keep our pair scratch free, so we’ve stuck to small scale bank robberies, but the man is right — you could probably hop a train or two with these shoes.

Wood Wood Repetition Scarf: Read JS Review | Buy It ($105; shown as 3)

We’ll take anything from Wood Wood, but if you gift the Repetition Scarf you’ll be wrapping up a little slice of history. Video game monsters, tapes, pitchforks; assuming the recipient has little hipsters of their own one day, said recipient will also win the title of “Vintage Daddy of the Block” come 2028. It just keeps on giving, you know?

Nau Sweaters: Read JS Review | Buy It ($87-$103; shown as 2)

Girls and Boys can get extra cozy with sweaters from Nau thanks to their killer blend of eco and body consciousness. We like the cuddly feeling we get from Nau’s Partner’s for Change association, too (it allows for 5% of your gifting dollars to go towards a humanitarian, environmental, or social group of your choosing).

retrosuperfuture: Read JS Review | Buy It ($129; shown as 5)

Retrosuperfuture sunnies seem to run a little bigger than the other eighties throwbacks we’ve been seeing these days… so of course we like them a little better. The Zeiss lenses don’t hurt one bit, either.

Gargyle: Read JS Review | Buy It ($88; shown as 4)

I like the holiday gifting rule that states, “Buy them things they’d never buy for themselves,” which is exactly why I like the accessories collection at Gargyle. Would he buy a railroad cuff bracelet for himself? (Probably not.) Would he think it was f&%#@!* badass? (Only if he can recognize the handiwork of God.)

As the saying goes, “into every life, a little rain must fall.” What the saying doesn’t go on to tell you though is how often and that if you’re not wearing the right shoes for the occasion, your socks get wet and you have to trudge around with damp digits all day. Sure, you could put on those big, embarrassing rubber galoshes, but they kind of cramp your style and wearing them means you’re not able to show off your sweet new kicks.

Newsflash: dampness is known to decrease the sweetness of said kicks so you better cover them up, but have no fear, SWIMS are here. The winner of the Norwegian Design Excellence award, SWIMS reintroduces the rubber overshoe in style by adding the “element of timeless design, playfulness and improved functionality,” all the while allowing you to keep your non-trainers clean, dry and on your feet. Raindrops may keep falling on your head, but at least they won’t ruin your sneaks.

If the thought of wearing Frye boots makes you squirm like sticking your hand in a bowl of eyeballs (okay, melodramatic — but it was Halloween yesterday, and the thought of popped-collar d-bags in bulky leather is a fair comparison), but you still need a pair of weather-ready boots, you’d do well to check out Matt Bernson’s Fall 2007 line of Brazilian-made shoes. Primarily known for his larger, beautifully made women’s line, Bernson’s men’s collection features all the things I’ve come to find guys look for in a shoe: comfort, style, versatility, and leather that’s as buttery as a French croissant. My favorite pair in the line is the Roper Boot — it looks like a shoe with a vision for a man on a mission, but in the least Texas oil-man/Aspen tourist way possible. I’m getting the impression that the men’s collection is a new launch (?) so keep an eye out for more even more cowhide tastiness in 2008’s upcoming seasons.

JB Classics is at it again, this time with Mdot’s Malta model entitled Ashes to Ashes. This is the start to their newly developed “cross gender range”, all designed by Miss Mdot (great interview with her here). Details include tumble full-grain nubuck, genuine leather quarteres, quilted leather lining, speckle sidewall and of course, the tantalizing 10 color swirls on the outsole. Also, JB Classics will be at Bread and Butter in Barcelona July 4th to 7th — the first trade show they’ve been in in over 6 years.