Category: Designer Canvas Shoes and Plimsolls

January 17, 2012

Big For 2012 – Flossy Shoes

Around 25 years ago in the Mediterranean Flossy plimsolls were first launched, offering an amazing range of canvas shoes to sailing enthusiasts and street artists in Spain and the Bealerics. These lightweight and inexpensive shoes were perfect daytime wear and the craze soon took off. Fastforward a few years to 2010 and Flossy really began to take off as it was adopted in Ibiza and was a popular choice among the club goers and nightlife. With over 2 million pairs sold that year the footwear brand soon began to expand across Europe and after a small appearance towards the end of 2011 Flossy is here in 2012 with the main aim of competing alongside the mighty Toms for the popular choice of summer canvas shoe. Much more basic than a bestselling Toms espadrille these slip on shoes have a thin brown rubber sole unit, elastic either side of the bridge of the foot to allow for movement and getting the foot in and out and a tab on the back to help the Flossy wearer get the shoe on. As seems customary with every canvas shoe at the moment they have a branded square on the back that shows the ‘Flossy Style’ branding.

Priced at around the £20 mark for adults canvas and denim plimsolls Flossy also have ranges of espadrilles and sandals, however if you’re looking for colour and something to slip on to be out and about in then the Flossy plimsolls are the choice for you in summer 2012. Mix and match these shoes with last years favourites such as chinos, cuff bottom or tapered jeans or shorts that include the denim, cotton or cargo designs. Either way you’ll be able to keep cool, and look casual this summer with a colourful pair of Flossy plimsolls. Check out your favourite retailers now, and maybe even drop them an e-mail to see who will be stocking Flossy plimsolls in 2012.

October 21, 2011

Sperry x Penfield – New England Collaboration For Fashion

I’ve been away from the whole blogging scene for a week or two again, and the whole time I’ve been reading about some of the hot topics of the time, and viewing some of the best footwear collections I think I’ve ever seen. Visits to some of the biggest shopping centres around the country has led me to amazing collections of winter boots, and for fear of being ignored, or having you leave I’ve been in search of something else. As a fashionable male, or a blogger that has an enthusiasm in shoes and footwear you can’t help but champion the boots and brogues for the winter months as the shift away from canvas or white trainers is a must due to the weather that we’re set to experience.

This may excite many of you, or bore you in equal measure, so for something a little different I’ve been window shopping, researching and even cheekily picking up the phone on occasion and trying to get through to the buyers of some of the best fashion sites and shops at the moment. Many failed or led to confused people hanging up on me, however a couple didn’t and we’re happy to pass a tip or two across. Possibly to get rid of me, but I’m hoping that it was because they saw the sheer enthusiasm I have for the gear that they buy – unfortunately I’ll never know!

One tip that I received from someone who prefers to remain anonymous is the amazing Sperry x Penfield footwear collaboration. Now I know that you’re scratching your head wondering how Penfield have become involved with this, and when you know its actually quite obvious and simple. Both Sperry Topsider and Penfield are brands from New England in America and are both enjoying something of a boom in the UK at the moment. Penfield are kitting out the fashionable male in a casual yet fashion led range of outdoor clothing and winter warmers while Sperry are fast becoming known for their quality lightweight deck shoes and their variations of this key design and sole unit such as their chukka boots, bahama shoes, loafers and rigger boots.

So for this amazing collaboration Sperry have given the sole unit and general design features while Penfield have delved into their fabric archive and provided an array of materials and fabrics that match key pieces of their outerwear ranges. So for example Penfield have launched a beautiful Stapleton camouflage padded gilet for the winter 11 range, and the collaboration sees a waxed canvas camouflage pair of Sperry soled penny loafers that sit perfectly with a pair of beige chinos. Another is Penfield’s Kasson jacket in tweed and polyester/cotton mix in black and grey. The jacket is matched with a pair of khaki green chinos and some chunky grey knitwear, and the chinos are tucked into a pair of the popular Sperry Topsider Shipyard Rigger boots in black herringbone. This means that across the range you can mix Penfield winter outwear with a limited edition pair of Sperry shoes – what more does the fashionable guy need for winter 2011?

So, as a tip that’s very unique and different to the rest of the footwear world that’s out there at the moment how do you think this fares? All I know is that I’m going to grab a piece of this amazing collaboration history the second that it’s launched, as after all that’s what owning limited edition footwear is all about surely? As of yet there aren’t many stockists that are listed as carrying this amazing collaboration, however after e-mailing Sperry Topsider I can tell you that Mainline Menswear, Triads and End Clothing are among the 8-10 stockists that will be carrying the four men’s designs of shoes that include boots, deck shoes and loafers.

July 7, 2011

Lyle and Scott – Footwear Brand or Trainer Sellers?

Everywhere I seem to have looked this summer I have seen at least one pair of Lyle and Scott canvas plimsoll trainers, or a pair of their deck shoes. The majority have been white, with the golden eagle logo on the tongue, and I have seen them matched with a large variety of outfits but the most common has to be the chinos or shorts on a warm day. These canvas plimsolls were a master stroke by the brand that now offers mid tops, desert boots and deck shoes not to mention the array of colours including white, black, grey, navy, brown and other seasonal eye catching colours. A master stroke they may be in the way that the golden eagle is seen on yet another piece of clothing in the UK but the question I had, that I wish i’d had the time to ask the lads i saw wearing the shoes was this – Are you wearing those shoes because a) They’re Lyle and Scott b) They’re on trend or c) because they’re comfortable and a great fit? I can’t say from personal experience much about answer C, but my guess is that they fit as well as any pair of canvas trainers, the one difference with these is the embroidered golden eagle on the tongue. So the question begs, is it because they L&S or because its the trend? Surely if its the trend they’d be looking at a proper pair such as a pair of Superga or another brand as to not max out the Lyle and Scott branding, however more than a couple of these lads were maxed out in the Scottish knitwear brands clothing so my guess is that they would answer A and the rest would swing somewhere between A & B.

There isn’t a problem with this at all, Lyle and Scott is a quality brand, that has done really well in the past few years to get to the top of the tree and stay there, avoiding the rocks thrown by their rivals from lower branches, and the footwear collection is just one of a few reasons that they have managed to sustain their position. This included with the ever growing range, Heritage collection, golf sponsorship and their moving into accessories. This means that more and people in the UK and Europe can access Lyle and Scott products without it just being a classic polo shirt or v neck knitted jumper. Lyle and Scott footwear will be around as long as the brand is performing well, however if the core of the brand begins to slip a branch or two then the footwear will also be the first to go. So when buying yourself a new pair of plimsolls shop around. If you want to wear Lyle and Scott to show your love for the brand then grab a polo shirt and divide your outfit between a range of brands, don’t look like Larry Lyle and Scott!

June 28, 2011

We Are Saints The New Toms?

Forgive me for banging on about the summer trends and what’s hot but if you haven’t already realised the importance of the espadrille to this seasons fashion then you have either not been reading, or don’t like the choice style of summer footwear. Now I have already covered the history of the espadrille and suggested what to wear with the 80s inspired shoes, however this was before I had encountered one of the newer espadrille brands to storm the British world of fashion. The latest brand is of course We Are Saints. Finding some history or origins of the brand on the internet is a bit sketchy but from what I can piece together they have been around for a little while selling some items of clothing such as polo shirts, t shirts and zip tops as well as some smarter trainers that were very reminiscent of the footwear brand Bamboo A if you have ever come across them, if you haven’t it’s probably because they’re not on the top websites or in the top high street stores (and for good reason!). But anyway, they have a small offering of this available on some websites, but now they have changed tactics and are going after the on trend footwear, and what could be more on trend than the Argentinian elpargata. Basically the espadrille however they have a signature ‘wrap’ effect to their canvas upper while offering a cut out elasticated V for comfort and a vulcanised rubber sole. Suede cushioned insoles finish the shoes perfectly and you have an on trend piece of footwear for a much cheaper price than its rivals. Admittedly an amount of every pair of Toms goes towards a pair of shoes for the needy, however not everyone wants to pay the difference and just wants a pair of shoes that look good, and fit in with what everyone else is wearing. I’m not saying that what Toms does isn’t good, but sometimes people need that little bit of difference and a choice in their life, otherwise we’d all still be barefoot and wearing the same clothes!

We Are Saints Kennedy shoes retail for around the £25 mark and are available in a variety of colours including red, navy, black, grey and beige not to mention the colour palettes that are being talked about for next summer when the weather returns to hot, dry and summery! We Are Saints don’t have a fully functioning (or even functioning) site at the moment, but they are available at a whole bunch of independent retailers such as Reem Clothing, Duffer and Mainline Menswear among many many others, so in my opinion – get shopping now!

June 13, 2011

Superga – The Peoples Shoes of Italy

Superga is one of the great unknown brands that are currently doing the rounds in the fashion world. Much like Toms a couple of years ago the Superga brand name is on the verge of breaking into the UK and can currently boast Alexa Chung as an official Superga shoe wearer. The brand is HUGE in Italy and they are dubbed the ‘Peoples Shoes of Italy’ as they cater for men and women of all ages and offer some comfortable, hardwearing, quality canvas and leather shoes that are always on trend in one of the most fashion conscious countries in the world. The signature ‘S’ logo will surely soon become a common sight in England with the fashion world enjoying an 80s vintage revivial that has seen canvas shoes rocket to the top of bestselling charts everywhere. A little bit more pricey than some of the competition from Lyle and Scott, Luke 1977, Fred Perry, Original Penguin, Adidas Originals, Nicholas Deakins and Toms but for the little jump in price you are investing in quality and comfort. The large rubber sole is barely even noticeable when wearing the plimolls and they look amazing with shorts, chinos or jeans so the versatile shoe for the summer just fitted with pretty much every outfit that you can muster from your wardrobe.

At some point the Superga footwear range is going to hit the big time outside of Italy, and i’m hoping that the UK will be one of the main places that the trainers are found as they look and feel great. Well worth sniffing a pair or two out now and being the first to say that you owned a pair of Superga trainers for the summer of 2011, as if a new brand doesn’t hit the streets in a big way soon everyone will be wearing Lacoste, Toms, Lyle and Scott and some of the other big footwear names, and we really all want some diversity in the brands on show! So get shopping now!

April 18, 2011

80s Fashion Gone Mad! Espadrilles

Designed and created in the 14th Century, made commercial and popular in the 80s and now back again as a key trend for summer 2011 and beyond. In the words of Rolph Harris, “can you tell what it is yet?” you guessed it, its the espadrille.

I have to admit the history of the espadrille was lost on me, twenty minute read up on wikipedia and a few forums and blogs later I can tell you that espadrilles were first worn in the 14th century and is a French term derived from the Catalan word for shoes. Espadrilles are commonly made from canvas with a rope sole and stitched together with the tough rope, however the new 2011 ranges have seen a thin rubber sole being used below a jute rope sole, this is much more funtional, hardwearing a provides much more flexibility in the sole unit and is much more eco friendly than any other options. The espadrille got its big break in the 1980s as one of the lead characters in Miami Vice wore a pair of espadrilles with his outfit. This saw popularity sky rocket until the show finished in the late 80s and the espadrille was replaced by the next big fad (unfortunately I was too young to remember the next big footwear choice!). The espadrille has returned in 2011 on the back of a couple of really successful years of canvas plimsolls and deck shoes. This return has paved the way for tapered jeans to be matched with espadrilles or plimsolls or the timeless classic flip flop.

Toms were the first to really see an increase in the sales of their espadrilles, with business going through the roof almost overnight. After what seemed like an eternity of Toms ruling the world (or at least the espadrille world) a handful of other top mens designer brands have thrown their offering into the ring the flip flop makers Havaianas being the latest. The Brazilian rubber flip flop kings have decided to expand their collection and have ventured into fantastically priced espadrilles for the summer and wellies for the winter, which will be perfect in a designer world where only hunters really offer anything, but thats a different tale for when then sunshine has disappeared! Alongside Toms and Havaianas other top brands Nicholas Deakins, Lacoste and Diesel have also added a style or two to their collections and have a branded canvas espadrille alongside their canvas plimsolls and either canvas or leather deck shoes. If you’re looking for on trend you can’t really avoid or go wrong with any form of footwear made from canvas. If you are espadrille mad and the charitable sort then you need to be looking at Toms. Slightly more pricey but Toms give a pair of espadrilles to a child in need, which is a worthy cause. If not then try any major designer footwear or clothing retailer such as Schuh, Shoes.co.uk or Mainline Menswear and you’re sure to find an outfit to suit.

April 1, 2011

Product Review – Luke 1977 Trainers

This season i’ve seen a rather large increase in the exposure of Luke 1977 footwear and trainers, with the standard canvas plimsolls appearing across the top retailers and high street shops. The kind people at Mainline Menswear have provided me with a pair of the Luke 1977 Peru plimsolls in white. These are really nice canvas trainers that are relatively comfy, eye catchingly white (for now) and have the Luke 1977 logo in the right place to be seen easily. The logo and branding on any footwear is important, especially when the brand may not be well known for their footwear, trainer or shoe collections. Lyle and Scott are a great example of this, in my opinion the golden eagle is in the wrong place, even though the trainers sell really well. No one can see the branding on the tongue, so for it to be on the outstep or the heel of the Luke 1977 trainers is absolutely fantastic.

The trainers are really well priced for an introductory ‘toe in the water’ collection with the canvas appearing around the £50 mark and this is helping the brand to get the trainers on their feet. The white canvas looks really well with shorts and jeans and as an added design feature there are small bursts of colour such as the red stitching on the outstep (shaped in an L), as well as the lion logo and the red lace eye at the top of the lace stand as well as the black, gold and red panel on the tongue and heel. The vulcanised rubber sole looks ‘sturdy’ if that’s the word, and doesn’t look like it will be wearing through any time soon. In terms of presentation of the trainers when they arrive they’re beautifully packaged in Luke 1977 branded tissue paper, and then in a simple white shoe box with the signature logo on the top.

Luke 1977 footwear and clothing really are made for the ‘Dresslexic Resistant’ and are in the process of becoming one of the top brands in Britain, and also one of the most on trend young fashion brands available at the moment. The future is looking bright for Luke Roper and I can honestly recommend that you buy a pair of these fantastic trainers, canvas shoes and footwear complete with the Luke 1977 logo.

March 14, 2011

What to do with your Canvas Shoes?

Canvas shoes, plimsolls, pumps, call them what you like but at the moment these flimsy pieces of footwear are topping sales at most trend orientated clothes shops and can be seen on many a mans feet around your local area. Plimsolls came back with a bang two years ago and really haven’t looked back since, this is mainly due to the versatility and accessibility that the shoes currently have. Here at Designer Shoes and Trainers we’re going to have a look at the footwear that is floating everyone’s boat at the moment and suggest which brands, which outfits and where to buy the designer plimsolls from.

Looking into the history of the plimsoll shoe isn’t too glamorous, with a short passage on the all knowing Wikipedia explaining that the plimsole or sand shoe was developed as beachwear in the 1830s with the name being taken from one of two meanings, either 1) the join between the canvas upper and rubber sole resembled a ships plimsoll line or 2) much like the plimsoll line if water was to rise above it people, or feet, would get wet. After this there really is very little to say about its heritage apart from the compulsory use of plimsolls as school P.E. kits (yes i remember the cheap rubber black shoes) and that it appears the plimsole carries a different name dependent on area and dialect. For example the plimsol in Scotland were referred to as sannies while in reference to the Dunlop Athletic Plimsolls they were called daps or dappers. North America calls them sneakers or just tennis shoes. Everyone else called them gym shoes, athletics shoes or just plain and simple plimsolls.

With the summer months in front of us and hopefully a good bit of warm weather the plimsol will be used more than likely as an additional option to flip flops and will be worn with or without socks and matched with a pair of shorts, chinos or jeans. The cut of chinos or jeans currently most popular with the plimsoll has to be the tapered look that brings them in tighter at the ankles, but they can be worn with loose or straight leg jeans. In terms of colours of your canvas shoe white is the traditional choice of many men around the UK and Europe however with the colour splashes that are beginning to creep in there is room for black, navy and grey as basic colours while sky blues, reds, beiges and purples add a dash of colour to an outfit but obviously carry much less versatility then their white and black counterparts.

With so many mens designer brands now turning their attentions towards a canvas shoe there are a few that have been around for a lot longer than the ‘spur of the moment’ additions. If you’re looking for a canvas trainer with heritage try Superga and Keds first as they are the ‘experts’ in effect. Other good brands that are proving popular at the moment include Lyle and Scott, Lacoste, Original Penguin, Converse and Fred Perry which are all available at leading designer clothing and footwear retailers. I’ve been doing a bit of browsing and consider the following six to be my favourite canvas shoes.

So if you’re looking for a pair of canvas shoes then take my advice – pair with shorts or chinos in warm weather, buy white to be versatile or colours to be daring and eye catching, wear without socks and do your research on the designer footwear brands first and remember to look for the brands with good history to avoid poor quality or design and you’ll have a really good summer!