shoes

On artisan sneakers and the repair and re-wear movement



Drake's Doek sneaker

While I was picking up Mr DRG’s birthday present from Drake’s last month (excellent service if I may say so), I was instantly attracted to these Doek canvas sneakers (above). In an array of primary colours, these Japanese beauties (particularly the blue) have the elegant almond toe and easy demeanour of a 60s Vans, but with a slightly chunkier sole and a cork footbed. (more…)



Lemaire SS23 highlights



Lemaire ss23

What a week it’s been in the UK. If you’re craving calm and serenity after the last few days of chaos, please join me in appreciating the SS23 collection from Lemaire. Ahhhhh that feels better.

There was quite a bit of model-audience interaction at last weeks’ menswear shows. Lemaire also had an element of this with the models posing as everyday people just hanging out doing not very much, while the press and visitors mingled among them wondering which were the models and which were the guests. (In a case of role reversal, the peacocks were the watchers and the understated androgynes were the watched.) (more…)



Shop the post: Summer flats



Mari Giudicelli summer flats

I think we can all agree that an after-effect of The Pandemic is a shift towards more stylish, comfort-conscious footwear. While I managed to swerve the pool slides craze and Crocs mania, I’m happy to see so much more choice in footbed sandals, fisherman sandals (like Mari Giudicelli’s above) and dressy summer flats.

This summer, Birkenstocks* and Tevas* are still going strong but pretty much every other brand has embraced its inner gorpcore hippie (more…)



Gentlewoman style: Hereu shoes



Hereu loafer sandals

Fugly shoes. I ran a mile from the Ugg, I swerved the Croc, I’ve never embraced the Balenciaga Triple S, so why am I invested in the Hereu hybrid sandal-loafer?

This shoe* is part classic Ivy style, part Start-Rite, but there’s something in its wrongness that’s kind of right. I think it’s because with my wardrobe of vintage Bass Weejuns and Church’s Derbys, I’m craving something a bit unpredictable. (more…)