You heard about the Killer Heels exhibit taking place at the Brooklyn museum- “The Art of The High-Heeled Shoe”. Along with shoes like these…
Bamboo Heel w/plastic zip ties by Winde Rienstra
Eamz by Rem D. Koolhaas
Old Italian Chopine from Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
there are some original short films running alongside the exhibit that use the heel as a conceptual starting point. Check out this teaser of SMASH by Marilyn Minter:
What about guys who want to wear something killer? We need to look in the direction of boots…
like these Salomon S-Lab X Alp Carbon GTX waterproof mountaineering boots- shown here with optional crampons.
For more formal situations, Allen Edmonds just released some new boot models. This leather mid caught my eye.
AE Odenwald Boot
The Allen Edmonds website is using this “see with pants” feature, which allows you to visuallyaudition the look of their shoe with different pairs of pants.
Nice. While the online revolution continues to make it easier for us to avoid brick and mortar shops, a company in New York City happily invites you to their place in the East Village to try on some select handmade footwear called Sabahs.
sabah.am
Sabahs are a new school take on traditional footwear worn 1000 years ago in southeastern Turkey/Syria (think: mellowed-out genie slippers). An American exposed to the style in Istanbul sought out old school cobblers in Gaziantep Turkey to recreate modern versions of this ancient loafer in which high quality leather uppers are handstitched to rubber soles.
sabah.am
The makers of Sabahs encourage the wearing of their footwear sockless, with no fear of swampfoot. The leather bootie shapes around the foot after a few wears as they become more ‘you’. If you can’t pop-up at their base in NYC, Keep an eye on their IG to catch where they might be travelling next. For more check Sabah.com
Happy September. It’s time for one of these liquid posts.
No need to remind me.
Shout Out to Four Seasons Hotel Slippers
I had a great time at Afropunk in Brooklyn last month. Besides music coming from 3 stages and a sound-truck, there was BMX freestyle, and a little section of pop-up shops. I don’t know too much about these sandals, but I snapped a quick pic when I was strolling through. They were being sold by Jawdroppers Jewelry. Pony was one of the sponsors of the fest. I’m not sure how I feel about their “Product Of New York” marketing slogan. They had a try-on booth in effect.
Product of a screenshot from Pony’s Instagram account
Maybe someone got the idea blazing to the Capone-N-Noreaga song T.O.N.Y. (Top Of New York). It has to be tough to stand out from the Nike-Puma-Asics-didas world order. I’m sure the people who work at Pony are fine folks, but the slogan seems to be insinuating that Pony Sneakers are made in New York– which they are not. I understand Bronx & Harlem fashion culture of the late 70s-early 80s produced an environment where sneakers pushed shoes aside as the choice for city dwellers on-the-move, but Product of New York is a very misleading statement. I’ll leave it at that.
Just this weekend I swung through the Bushwick Vendors Market held at Silent Barn In Brooklyn. This high-heel shaped ring holder caught my eye being sold by Sanai Essentials.
I love my Dynomighty Tyvek wallet. Ever since I got my first bank account card sheathed in an everlasting Tyvek sleeve, I’ve been fascinated by DuPont’s durable, long-lasting super paper. I was even surprised when I read thisNew York Times articleabout a couple companies based in New Jersey that use Tyvek in their shoe designs.
Papes
Civic Duty (Secaucus) and Unstitched Utilities (East Brunswick, pictured above) use the Tyvek selective barrier technology in most or some of their Keds/Vans-like steppers. P.O.N.J.
As a Red Sox fan (Go PawSox!), I’d pretend I didn’t see this at Bob’s Store in Randolph, MA., but here’s a picture. Definitely not handmade, definitely not real diamonds- this is a high heel shaped wine bottle holder made of metal. You’d have to be buzzed to buy it.
I caught this patient on the operating table at the hospital they callEast Village Shoe Repair in Brooklyn. I’m sure our patient is back on the streets in good spirits as I hit post on the September Pop Gallery.
There’s no way I can knock when a shoe company partners with the stars. I’d have to make fun of myself because when I was a kid I idolized the Beastie Boys and RUN DMC and wanted to get the same kicks they had.
I never did get a pair of the Patrick Ewing Conductors- at $160ish, that was like a thousand teenager bucks. I did have some shelltoes and Stan Smiths though.
That was the late 80s. A quarter-decade later companies collaborate directly with entertainers to come up with a signature product that they hope will get you (or your parents) to open the wallet- especially as the classrooms of September loom over the waning summer calendar. It is virtually raining rapper sneakers. Let’s see:
Detroit Rapper Big Sean has some new Adidas high-tops inspired by the Hawaiian Islands.
Adidas
Pittsburgh emcee Wiz Khalifa has a whole new collection of Wizzed-out All-Stars with Converse (Nike).
Converse
What about these Maison Martin Margiela pony-hair high tops for Kanye West– maybe inspired by Luke Skywalker’s Tauntaun ?
Yo PETA…
Kid Cudi got with Giuseppe Zanotti and coming out are these:
Rap girl Iggy Azaleais reportedly launching a footwear collection via Steve Madden next year. Madden recently scooped up Dolce Vita for a cool 60 mil last week.
He holds a tennis rod instead of a mic. Tennis pro Roger Federer now has his own Jordan (Nike) branded tennis kicks.
Reuters
” I sport New Balance sneakers to avoid a narrow path”– Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Buggin’ Out’
The company is Rollasole. Their line of ballet flats, also available at select brick & mortar spots, now come rolled up plastic cans along with cloth a protective bag ($20- $40) out of a pink swirly machine. They’re perfectly aimed at the “My feet are killing in these heels” demos that roam areas like Vegas, SoCal, and beyond.
Over at 8473 Melrose Avenue in L.A., a man is standing on a circular surface wearing socks that look like something Spiderman would sport to an Oakland A’s game. A state-of-the-art 3D scanner orbits around his feet and takes over 150 detailed pictures from the ankles down.
Said man is taking the first step in getting a pair of custom dress shoes made in Portugal by an American-based company called the Left Shoe . A 3D image of his foot is processed through proprietary software and becomes the foundation (the last) on which the pair will be built.
Guys can pick the color combinations, and even get a custom message laser-etched into the insole of the right shoe.Check out their website(where I got these images)to view all of the styles available.
What’s to review about a shoelace? You loop them through your eyelets, tie them, and forget about them right?
The Ironlace company sells shoelaces which they guarantee to be the strongest in the world- unbreakable in fact! I bought a box of 54″ black ones from Amazon. The laces are rated for a 1,500 pound breaking strength, and are heat-resistant up to 630 degrees Fahrenheit. They’re made in the USA, and are resistant to fire, corrosion, various chemicals, and probably zombie eye-lasers.
I ordered them to wear, so my apologies if you wanted a see a true trial by fire. The measurement equipment to test the weight claims are beyond my capabilities, and I’m not going to throw acid on, or light them on fire today. The package says they are black, but out of the box they were more of a machine-like gray. They have a unique feel, much like waxed laces, but something heavier. Imagine a fabric version of aircraft cable.
Zamberlan Trekker laced up with Ironlace
You need to give them a good pull to get a secure knot, as the laces are coated. They even lightened further around the tying area and where the laces were stressed around the eyelets. I had no occurrence of them becoming untied. I bought them for some black boots, but they ended up looking better on a pair of hikers that I had. I called the toll-free number on the Ironlace box and was instantaneously connected to a knowledgeable rep from the company. He was aware of the color issue. Turns out dyes do not take well to the material used for Ironlace, and the company is keeping that in mind for future designs and product descriptions. No one- not even the ruthless Amazon commenters- doubts the strength and durability of the lace. They clearly market these for boots, so for something dressy you could look elsewhere.
Ironlace will be releasing some athletic style (flat) laces soon, and also a line of heavy-duty socks. I spent my own dough on these rounds that ended up looking cool for different boots than I imagined. That I was able to call the company and immediately speak to a rep, who took the time to have an honest discussion about the company and its products, earned my respect from a consumer standpoint. I’ll surely be keeping an eye(let) out for Ironlace and their survivalist, hard-to-kill products, so keep Popdiatry.com on your browser for the latest.
Did you know that the Oakland A’s are the only major league baseball team that wears white shoes all of the time?
Did you know the Red Wing shoe company launched its own print paper- the Red Wing Post– in Europe last month?
instagram.com/redwingheritage
Ducere Technologies’ Lechal brand “smart” shoes were all in the news cycle this week, but did you know you can get some Lechal Bluetooth-enabled insoles that can make almost any pair smarter?
www.lechal.com
Do you know why someone would want Bluetooth-enabled footwear? Haptic technology can create a vibrating effect on the left or right sole to guide you on walks and rides, eliminating the need to glance at anything (Hells Angels hate looking at smartphones). This makes the Lechals a potential breakthrough for the blind community. Along with counting steps and calories, you can also share fitness goals with other Lehcal users using the connected app (Android, iOS, and Windows Mobile). Check out Lecahl.com .
Hey Ladies! Would you try on this platform heel that was created using a 3D printer?
www.continuumfashion.com
Part art sculpture, part shoe- this kick is generated by a company called Continuum– ran by Mary Huang from Brooklyn, New York.
The above Continuum “Daphne” shoe being printed
Huang’s Continuum was an early adopter of software-based fashion items. Her pieces have been shown in museums, and this footwear- inspired by trees, the Apollo statue, and Tron*- are sure to show up in upcoming fashion photoshoots. They also print dresses and bikinis. Check out ContinuumFashion.com .
* Yori was Tron’s female sidekick in the first movie.
Have you heard about Paul Evans shoes? A couple fellas from NYC are sorta doing for shoe-shopping what Harry’s razors are doing for shaving. They believe they’ve created an affordable product for guys that can match the quality of popular brands we’d normally buy. Think hundreds, not thousands.
Paul Evans Cognac Chukkas
They scouted a factory in Italy to create their designs, and launched a website to sell them direct to consumer. The shoes are very conservative business-guy style, but it might be time you got your suit together and entered the business world proper, bro. With belts and bags to match, you might attain that extra edge to close that deal, increase your EBITDA, or at least get her number. Check PaulEvansNY.com .
Speaking of the Oakland A’s… I mean… the Boston Red Sox- it’s Baseball time- C-ya
POPDIATRY TALKS SHOES WITH COMEDIAN HAYWOOD TURNIPSEED JR.
P. Adidas is supposed to be coming out with an app/service where users can put a custom photo on a pair of sneakers. Can you think of anything that could go wrong with that?
Haywood: Boobs. You’re going to see people putting boobs on their sneakers. If you can upload any picture you want, unless they have some type of guidelines… but I didn’t see that when I was looking at it.
P. That has to be a tough call for Adidas- choosing whether to say yea or nay- like what if you did that but had pasties on them?
Haywood: Remember when Nike started doing the customized sneakers? It was okay for a minute. You could make it your own color, you could put your birthyear on there- but nobody really took advantage of it. My brother made a pair, I know another kid that made a pair, but nobody really took advantage of it until the last few years when people started getting custom Air Force 1s and what not.
P. Sneaker Con was just in New York City last week. What’s your take on sneakerhead culture in general?
Haywood: I’m torn- I shouldn’t say torn- that comes from the hip-hop generation- it really does. Hip-hop heads- sneakers are part of the culture, part of the gear, part of the outfit that we wear. It’s taken on a life of its own. My cousin has a booth- he sells sneakers- the kiosk at the mall with custom sneakers. He went to Sneaker Con and he was just telling me how ridiculously good it was. There were people from all over- Japan, Europe, and they had limited editions. They’re talking about thousand dollar- ten thousand dollar sneakers. I was like “Are you serious?”, and he’s like “Yes”.
P. They’re investments to some people..
Haywood: Yeah, exactly. Cats like Fat Joe will put them in glass boxes to keep them. They had a pair of Jordans that had 24 karat gold eyelets, and all I could think of was cars- like when people used to get cars customized- when they first started putting on gold hood ornaments. They don’t have those anymore, so sneakers have become the new ornaments for this entire culture. On one level I dig it- it’s great- but please save some money (laughter). It’s like comic book culture, it will ebb and flow. Right now it’s really good, but in four, five years what are you going to do with those gold-plated Jordans?
P. Yeah, it’s like- do you like to read comics, or with sneakers- wear them? A lot of materials in sneakers aren’t meant to last a long time. I’ve heard stories about people unboxing unworn Jordans from the 90s and the glue has come unattached, and they just fell apart. The pressure of your foot actually serves to mush the entire product and keep everything in place.
Haywood: Jordans, that’s kind of what changed the culture- Jordan getting his own sneaker deal. When they started having automotive guys engineer the sneaker based on the foot- it’s like- Jordan used to wear a different sneaker every game because they would break down and wear down. If you’re wearing it on a regular basis it’s gonna break down, but if you don’t, it’s still going to do the same thing. Like you said, it’s not designed to be put up, they’re designed to be worn. That Foamposite thing- that stuff cracks in dry heat. Now we’re talking about it like a cigar. You gotta keep ‘em in a humidifier.
P. I’m sure there’s someone out there with a special climate controlled chamber just for their sneakers
Haywood: I know- an oxygen chamber for their sneaks…
P. A giant freezer or something…
Haywood: I would like to know cuz I have a couple pairs I would like to put in there.
#ShellToes “…a pair of (Star Wars) Stormtroopers that I’m rocking the wheels off of… “ -HTJP. Do you have any observations on kid’s shoes today? When I was a kid, the concept of big brands was more low-key. Now kids have on Adidas and Nikes before they can even walk.
Haywood: When I was growing up the brands were Stride Rite, or Kangaroos- with the pouch on the side so you could put your money in there, and you had the Hush Puppies if you wanted to get dressed up…
P. Or Buster Browns.
Haywood:Exactly, and now it’s like- part of the sneaker culture bleeding over. One of my neighbors- she bought her kid some Jordans. I’m like “You know he’s going to grow out of those in two to three months.”. You want something that they can grow into, not something to shape their foot, but to just house their foot. Personally I still go to Stride Rite for my kids. They’ve got on a pair of Stride Rites right now!
P. Out and about in DC, have you noticed any blatant footwear fashion violations lately where you’re like “What the hell…”
Haywood: We were talking Adidas and sneaker culture- I see a lot of kids these days- they’ll rock an Adidas track suit- not just the jacket, but the full track suit and then a pair of Jordans just because they match with the color scheme…. No! That’s a hip-hop faux pas. You don’t do that. You don’t just throw stuff together. Skateboard culture can get away with that. Hip-hop culture can’t get away with that.
P. Where I went to high school in Brockton Massachusetts, you could get bullied for wearing mismatched brands- like Reebok shoes with Puma socks. It was known as perpetration..
Haywood: Exactly- you’re perpetrating. Now cats just do it like it’s okay. A couple of my buddies who rap- they’re actually hip-hop heads- call people out on twitter for that, and Instagram. The old hip-hop guard is paying attention (laughter). They gotta rep the culture right.
A couple of imaginative designers have come up with a system that’ll create a pair of kicks faster than an orthodontist can mold a dental retainer.
The system is called Don’t Run, and is the beta design project of Eugenia Morpurgo and Juan Montero from Europe. A laser cutting machine and some 3D printing guided by computer numerical control lets a creative person participate in making their own shoes like never before.
A single cut piece of leather is folded over over a sandwich of custom cut sole materials connected by small pegs that resemble board game pieces.
The whole enchilada is then secured by a shoelace, which also serves as stitching for key points on the upper. No glueing or machine sewing is involved.
Example of some finished Don’t Runs
The mobile “factory” resembles more of a print shop, with leather instead of paper, ethylene vinyl acetate instead of cardboard, and spools of lace instead of staples.
http://www.dontrun-beta.com/
The system has been travelling around in the mode of an art exhibit, with accomplished designers taking a swing with their own blueprints. It’s certainly the beginning of an interesting experiment. I can’t picture your jogging sneakers of hiking boots being replaced by what is more of a beefed up slipper, but the Don’t Run model shows what is possible using fresh technology. Along with showcasing a streamlined model of production (therefore consumption), it may make going to brick and mortar shoe shops exciting to a new-school consumer who would just assume click “buy” on a Zappos app.
I saw their bootwith a protrusionthat kept your pant legs fromfraying, then I saw some of their prototypes that were made in Brooklyn, NY:
I was therefore stoked to have a chance to talk with Mr. J Artola himself, creator and designer of the brand. I learned a lot, not only about his vision for Artola, but about shoemaking itself- manufacturing, and factory knowledge he gained while personally visiting manufacturing plants in China, India, and Mexico while working for Frye, Guess and other biggies.
A Shoe Artola had custom made for rapper Flo Rida
He was of course wearing a one-of-a-kind pair of Artola casual boots, carrying a sturdy new leather Artola bag filled with exclusive and prototypical Artola shoes- a pair manufactured in Arkansas and a couple made right here in Brooklyn, New York. While the multinational brands we know and love rain a seemingly infinite amount of styles and colors on us, Artola takes more of an indie route, creating smaller batches of thoughtfully designed shoes with unique features that pick up where the pant-leg protectors left off: Inside-out blossomy lace eyelets, reinforced heel-sole corners. flavorful buckles and such…
I snapped a few pics of these unreleased made in Brooklyn Artolas. With respect to the Italian shoemaking tradition, Artola believes a product of equal quality can one day be manufactured in New York City in substantive quantities. Reshoring, and the rise of maker-culture are turning up the heat on this concept, along with a more discerning consumer, who may look at shoes as an investment more than a disposable commodity.
A shoe company grows in Brooklyn
It took a couple old-world artisans two months to craft just twelve pairs of the Brooklyns. You’re not going to see ’em on the clearance rack at Marshalls any time soon. Artola’s current retail line is manufactured in León Mexico- a post NAFTA shoemaking capital of sorts, where the company can deal with packages on trucks rather than containers on boats. Artola can keep a ma and pa type operation going while achieving their designs in a high quality fashion without having to fly across the globe every month.
Artola DREXEL
Nordstrom has Artolas in stock and you can check out this roster of where else to find them. Special thanks to Jury and Olga!
Check out Artola in real time (booth 5019) at Project Sole this July 20th – 22nd at the Javits Convention Center in NYC
There’s a flatland BMX freestyle contest going down in southeastern Massachusetts this Sunday.
Flatland freestyle, as you may gather, is done on flat land, and often involves intricate footwork where the rider dances with the bike while trying to avoid touching their feet to the ground. I chatted with the manager of the Flatland Fracas contest series- my old BMX chum- Rick Macdonald, about the shoe angle:
P. What type of footwear do you recommend for riders when flatlanding?
Rick: Mostly low or mid top skateboarding shoes like Vans, Etnies, etc… Some older guys who need the support are using full hightop basketball shoes, but those are getting hard to find with a flat sole, or no devices implanted into them. I don’t know how some of these riders do it with low-top canvas shoes. I would break a metatarsal or something within minutes.
P. Remember those “bear-trap” style pedals? Does anyone use those flatlanding, or were those more for BMX racing?
Rick: Nobody uses those for flatland- one false move and you are talking a few hundred stitches! Actually, flatlanders prefer a plastic pedal. Some even use a flat, grip tape surfaced pedal that looks like a mini-skateboard.
Moto Bicycles pedalP. Do you ever put extra grip tape on your bike?
Rick:Sometimes I will put a small piece at the base of my seat post (where the platform used to be) for a little assurance on certain tricks, but today’s most progressive riders don’t touch the frame much with their feet, or even scuff their shoes on the tires… it’s all fast rolling and pumping for momentum! It’s pretty crazy to see the evolution of what is possible on these bikes after so long.
P. Do you still have any of those Kool-Stop Vans brake shoes?
Rick: Kool-Stop actually sent us a ton of brake shoes to give out at the Fracas last year! They still make the Vans shoes today, even though many BMX riders use no brakes at all. That trend comes and goes, but brakes will always be part of riding. No brakes equals quicker worn-out shoes.
P. I find a lot of shoes these days come with really long laces. When I BMX freestyled, my worst dread was having the shoelace get caught in the chainwheel. Have you ever laced your shoes “bicycle” style?Image: Lacing Shoes app
Rick: No, that’s an excellent idea though. I sometimes cut them shorter and melt the ends with a lighter- a “do it yourself” aglet.
P. You are running this event, and you also still ride. What’s your current stunt peg scheme? platforms, fork-stands, etc…
Rick:Years ago, standing platforms pretty much disappeared from freestyle bikes, as balance tricks and any frame-standing moves were pretty much phased out. Riding styles change and that drives the design of the bikes, but axle pegs in varying quantities will always be found on freestyle BMX bikes.
P. Do any good foot-plants lately?
Rick: I love foot-planting and boosting over a planter or curb, and it seems like a good footplant or fastplant can always fit into street riding, all you need is the right loading dock! Some things will never go out of style in BMX.
like these Salomon S-Lab X Alp Carbon GTX waterproof mountaineering boots- shown here with optional crampons.
