Regardless of fashion and sports there are shoes that were originally made to simply dress people’s feets. With time these shoes have become the symbol of a whole generation of youngsters seeking new ways to express their freedom and lifestyle throughout a new california-based sport : skateboard. Here is a short story of the Vans Authentic that is intimately mingled with the brand itself : Vans.

Back in the days, young Paul Van Doren decided against his parent’s will to quit school to dedicate his time to horse racing, his biggest passion. Facing diffulties to maintain a good relationship with his parents that summoned him to find a real job, he eventually ended up working for Randy’s, a footwear manufacturer based in Boston. After working 20 years for this company which Paul Van Doren finally became vice president, in 1966 he decided to quit so he could create his own company.

On march 16th of the same year, James Van Doren with his brother Paul set up a factory and opened a small shop at 704 E.Broadway in Anahein, southern California. Later, a private investor Serge d’Elia based in Japan joinded the team with Gordy Lee a business man from the footwear industry. Initially the idea was to make shoes in small quantities and sell them directly to the people to save up their margins.

Van Doren Rubber Company started producing only 3 models including the famous Authentic shoes, averaging the prices of $2.99 and 4.99$. Also there were only these 3 pairs of shoes in the store exposed on a pile of empty boxes. Le legend says, the first opening day, 12 customers came in the store to buy shoes. The rumor says the Van Dorens asked them all to come back later in the afternoon while the brothers rushed to the factory to produce the shoes. According to them, the 12 customers came back but Van Doren and Lee were in short of change…Unfortunately they had no choice but to ask them to come back again the day after and…And so they did!

Strengthening the relationship the company had with their customers, the following years became increasingly  profitable and Van Doren Rubber started to open many more stores in the country. Although the company’s name remained unchanged, a communauty of die-hard fans started to rename the shoes: Van’s. Yet, at this point the shoes sole made in gum showed quickly signs of defects, as a consequence the company developped a new gum that was more solid and reliable. The “Waffle” sole saw the day.

In the early 70′s, a new kind of Vans buyers began to grow up in the region among which most of them were skateboarders. They liked the Vans shoes because they perfectly fitted their skateboards. In these years the skateboard hysteria significantly helped the brand Van Doren Rubber to grow and expand nationwide. As the brand image was now attached to the skateboard mouvement, Van Doren wished to include skateboarders into the developping process of its shoes.

Today Vans shoes have become real icons of the urban and skateboarding culture. More than a shoe, it also carries skateboarding valutes such as coolness, liberty and going beyond your own limits. With a very simple, minimalistic design, and many available colorways, the Authentic has become a must-have in mens fashion from now on. I personally try to have a pair at hand permanently : sober, comfortable and matches everything!

PS: Vans authentic are largely shown “Lords of Dogtown” a movie about the orgins of skateboarding produced by Vans.

For SS12 Universal Works teams up with Spanish pimsoll maker Maians to release a pair of desert boots. Actually, Universal Works is one of our favorite clothing brands and we are glad to see their first shoe coming today. Maians is named after an aren of Barcelona where people live in a very cool, Mediterranean way. Somehow Maians intends to make us aware of this cosmopolitan way of living through their Spanish handmade shoes.

Again, the shoe is totally handmade in Spain featuring a vulcanized sole, a 100% cotton construction and few details such as a leather yoke at the heel or the use of waxed laces. In a word, we might have found our summer shoes with this very innovative pair of desert boots. Available in blue, sand and (both coton) and linen. Please fell free to match them with a pair of chinos, a glass of red wine at hand in a tapas restaurant night lost in the narrow streets of Barcelona’s city centre… a true picture of holidays !

£65 from Glassboutique in navy or sand, or linen

I have never made any secret of my liking for the Vans Authentic and Era. They definitely are an essential I renew each year before the hot season comes. The feeling is I absolutely have to keep a pair within reach when summertime is around the corner. Those shoes are comfortable, vintage as fashionable and matching everything that is not formal! As we’re totally into a 90′s revival, those washed canvas versions found at Urban Outfitters caught my eye. They really look eroded as if someone left them on the beach 20 years ago. New you can already imagine wearing them with a floral shirt (not a 20 years old one please :p) within the next few weeks.

$60 from Urban Outfitters (blue and black Era)
$70 from Urban Outfitters (green Authentic)

This Italian brand created in 1929 by Amedeo Testoni always proposes nice shoes like this pair of bown callf leather derbies with a slight cognac sheen. I really like those double stichings finely setting the shoes’ shape off. They are comfortable as well finished as you can see on the pictures below. What I like the most is their perforated cap toe, which has been glazed to give a contrast between matt and shining. Tested and approved!

€330 from Forzieri

Pointer Footwear and the hand-made bags & accessories brand Sandstorm Kenya teamed up this season to create a range of safari style quality products. Inspired from the beautiful wild landscape of Kenya, this adventurous collaboration yet brings a very chic and unique identity to this new collection.

Crago II & The short weekender

Using high-end materials and a skillful production, wildlife dangerousness and human sophistication make side by side a wonderful match. As you can see each pair of Pointer desert shoes, Crago II and Cyril II  gets along with a Sandstorm bag. Refined and detailed, all items feature a premium tan leather, canvas (olive or cream) and crepe sole for the shoes.

Cyril II & The fishing bag

Crago II shoes are available at Zalando for £150.
For more information please visit Pointer.com

These derbies are part of my winter sales purchases. They are surprisingly coming from Sperry which is better known as a boat shoes brand. I have been hunting for this kind of shoes for a few time, they looked cool and they were nicely discounted so I decided to take them!

Upper is made of tan suede leather with wingtip brogue details. Sole is rubber made with a cushioning system added from the heel, guaranteeing a certain comfort. And they also are non-slip, featuring the Sperry’s classic system called “Wave-Siping” for an “ultimate wet/dry traction”. Leather laces are the same usually used on Sperry’s boat shoes, reminding the brand’s core identity. I guess that is why they called the model Boat Oxford… ;)

Even at the very first outing I could walk during a whole day without any difficulty. The shoes are quite light (9oz) as you can even run with them! Then we’ve got: stylish, comfortable, light and affordable… enough reasons to justify such a purchase.

£70 (£104.95) from Zalando.co.uk

Here we go! 4 days at the Who’s next tradeshow. Today, we have focused ourselves on shoes, and we quickly noticed that hiking shapes are going to be a key trend of next winter. Same for lined shoes either declined in sneakers or boots. As for the fabrics, lots of brands are proposing a mix of plain and suede leather and plenty models using Harris Tweed (will those Scottish sheeps have enough wool to supply the demand?). We like: classic shapes lightened by colorful soles and laces. A last note with the olive green found from many brands.

From today, I am going to show you guys my purchases since the begining of the winter sales. There is a complete outfit starting with this pair of Veja.

It comes from the Indigenos collection resleased for AW10. I have picked the camel high version. Althought it might look a bit orange, their real color is tan. As you may know from our previous articles about Veja, their shoes are 100% organic. That is why they come without eyelets (because Veja cannot find an organic metal, so better worth not using some).

The Indigenos have a vegetable-tanned suede leather upper and a wild Amazonian rubber sole. I really like those details on the heels: a plain leather band in a contrasting brown also echoed on the tongue. One thing I like about Veja is: you do not have to wear them x times to feel comfortable during a whole day. You can even run a marathon as soon as you wear them the first time if you feel like. Theiy are both beautiful and comfortable and they match my navy trousers greately (I will introduce it you tomorow :x).

£90 from Coggles (I am not cheating you, they really were on sales when I bought them!)

Here is a pair of shoes I came across few weeks ago looking for some very smart loafers to dress-up for a cocktail party. Since 2009, Mr Hare, brings its fresh vision of shoesmaking mixing a British heritage, a French elegance and an Italian handmaking. Undoubtedly , Mr Hare has known how to make thinks extermely well with his first loafer: the ‘Genet’, named after Jean Genet, a famous French author (poet) and symbol or the Parisian Romantism.

One cannot deny the elegance of such a loafer with its velvet tassels and the use of a premium Italian calf-leather mixed with a soft suede upper. Fancy finishing touches and a thin shape is what gives these shoes their dandyish look. And this is all what you need to break up a classic partying outfit with a fanciful-romantic touch (and make the other guests envious, male and female).

£435 from Oki-ni

Today I would like to highlight this underrated steetwear brand called Alife (that we all know). It has actually been few weeks now that I came across those two new versions of their classic “Everybody” sneakers, and I loved them. Mainly because they are carrying the codes of a classic pair of hi-tops with a touch of extravagance. For this year the Everybody comes in a waxed leather rendering like they had just been shined, and mixed with a rubber sole. Any color you pick (black are nastier to me), the palette is well chosen and the model almost feature nothing ostentatious. Also have a look to the rest of Alife clothing at Size, I think that the whole collection worth it (the sweaters especially caught my eyes).

£130 from Size?