Footwear Plus

World Industies announced that it will create a limited-edition "I Love Boobies" skate footwear collection in support of the Keep A Breast Foundation, a non-profit breast cancer organization dedicated to educating youth about prevention, early detection and cancer-causing toxins in the environment.

Anthony L&S Footwear, makers of FUBU, Levis and Phat Farm labels among others, in partnership with the Weisfeld Group, has aquired the Etonic brand from Lotto Sport Italia. Meridian Capital, a Seattle-based investment bank, served as Lotto's exclusive financial and strategic advisor on the transaction.

How do you celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of the world's most iconic basketball sneakers-one that changed the game of footwear design? Reebok answered with a party in New York for its product team, sneakerheads and fans, all of whom were counting down to midnight on Nov. 20, when the latest (and very limited) editions of The Original Pump-designed by 20 of the world's leading sneaker boutiques-dropped across the globe. .

A quarter-century after the Air Jordan appeared on the court, Michael Jordan’s name still carries weight. And his basketball shoes still have die-hard fans.

In celebration of the Air Jordan’s 25th year, Jordan Brand, a division of Beaverton, OR-based Nike Inc., has unveiled the Air Jordan 2010 shoe, which will debut on the feet of today’s basketball phenom—and Team Jordan athlete—Dwayne Wade. . .

Saucony unveiled its brand-new ViZiPRO collection of running gear at a panel discussion in New York last week, detailing how the highly reflective microfiber apparel and accessories are designed to keep runners seen and safe in any season, day or night. The ViZiPRO collection includes jackets, vests, sport tops, headgear and hand gear for men and women in the trademark fluorescent orange color meant for maintaining an eye-opening luminescent and reflective surface for increased visibility of athletes. .

As New York City prepared to host runners from all over the world last weekend, Asics hosted a pre-marathon run through Central Park on Friday, led by Olympian marathoner and U.S. record-holder Deena Kastor and her coach Terrence Mahon.

After a light three-mile loop around the park, runners were treated to a breakfast pep talk with Mahon and Kastor, along with fellow Olympian Ryan Hall, who opted to stay off his feet that morning to rest up for Sunday’s 26.2 miles. . .

Rockport professes its dress and dress-casual shoes are made to stand up to the daily marathon, and to prove the point, the Canton, MA-based company sent a team of eight runners—led by Dr. Andy Baldwin of “The Bachelor” fame, a naval officer and Ironman competitor—to power through the ING New York City Marathon wearing its new men’s DresSports 2s.

Buoyed by lightweight Adidas performance technology, all eight men crossed the finish line with times ranging from 3:16:56 to 4:33:26. . .

Asics unveiled its first U.S. retail location today at 51 West 42nd Street in New York.

Company chairman Kiyomi Wada was on hand to cut the ribbon along with other executives, including Rich Bourne, president and CFO of Irvine, Calif.-based Asics America, and Gary Muhrcke, owner of nine Super Runners Shop stores, who will run the Asics flagship. . .

Approximately 500 University of Southern California students donned red togas for a 0.9 mile run to kick off awareness of the second annual Nike+ Human Race—a worldwide, multi-city event (slated for Oct. 24) celebrating the sport of running by giving runners everywhere the opportunity to run together.

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Seventeen-year-old Melanie Oudin of Georgia is making waves at the U.S. Open in New York, and the Internet is afire with searches not just on her tennis stats but her unmissable footwear. .