From crazy cushioning to ludicrously lightweight fabrics, the science of running shoes has evolved well beyond pockets of air. Soon, runners looking for that elusive perfect fit could step into a pair of shoes made from a synthetic bio-material that would envelope their foot like a second skin. Reacting to pressure, impact and movement, the shoes would puff to provide extra cushion when needed and even repair themselves overnight.
Let’s face it: When it comes to sneakers, Nike has a fan base that other shoemakers can only drool over. That’s why the company can do ridiculous things like slap a $225 price tag on a celebrity-designed shoe, safe in the knowledge that sneakerheads will flock to it. The Kobe 9 Elite, named after Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, will hit shelves February 8. Made using Nike’s Flyknit technology, the high-tops have nine horizontal “stitches” above the heel–a nod to the sutures from surgery on Bryant’s torn Achilles earlier this year.
Luxury Los Angeles made-to-measure shoe-tique The Left Shoe Company will donate $5 to the Bob Woodruff Foundation for every man who gets his feet scanned between December 15 and Veterans Day 2014. Choosing a cause that’s near and dear to Co-Founder and Chairman Gordon W. Clune, the company sought out the New York-based charity for its dedication to helping the courageous men and women who have served the country. “As head of Klune Industries, we were very involved with the U.S. military,” Clune says.
Nike takes interactive design to the next level with a completely hands on approach to customization. As part of a one-off art installation at the Familia Skateshop in Minneapolis, the shoemaker created a set of fridge magnets that lets anyone be a sneaker designer. Sadly, Nike has no plans to produce the set of magnets but just because you can’t have your own collection doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the concept virtually.
As someone who suffers from chronic back pain, I’ve heard it all: walk more, rest more, lift weights, don’t exercise, DO excercise, never wear high heels, never wear flats. The list goes on. But today’s story from China really takes the biscuit. Zhang Fuxing, a factory worker, says walking in huge iron shoes weighing more than 440 pounds each can cure back pain.
If most of us were given the opportunity to create an inanimate object that would capture the spirit of an ex, chances are it wouldn’t be too flattering. Not so for artist-designer Sebastian Errazuiz. His latest exhibition, “12 Shoes for 12 Lovers,” which opened at Art Basel Miami last weekend, is a romantic look back at lost love. From Heart Breaker to GI Jane to Gold Digger, each stunning sculptural shoe reminisces a relationship in a poignant and touching way.
H.H. Brown Shoe Company celebrated its Season of Giving Holiday Event on Tuesday in association with Toys for Tots and The Food Bank for New York City. The company made a donation to each charity involved on behalf of each guest that attended. Members of the footwear industry and press mingled with celebrities such as New York Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara, actor Brendan Dooling of The Carrie Diaries, and Diane Guerrero and Alysia Reiner of Orange is the New Black, while enjoying light bites and getting a sneak peek at H. H. Brown’s brands’ Fall ’14 collections.
Mandy Cabot, co-founder, president and CEO of Dansko, is the 2013 recipient of the T. Kenyon Holly Memorial Award for outstanding human achievement. Presented by Two Two, the award is bestowed upon an individual in the footwear industry who exemplifies the philanthropic spirit and character of the late T. Kenyon Holly, past president of the foundation. “Mandy is the epitome of what Two Ten is about…an unconditional commitment to caring,” says Jim Salzano, Two Ten board chair.
A clothing store in Leeds, U.K., has come up with a unique way to let its customers know what’s coming up for spring/summer. The Chimp Store commissioned British artist Chris Anderson to recreate to-scale versions of the upcoming Adidas Originals collection using 100 percent recycled cardboard. Anderson’s eco-friendly versions of the Stan Smith, Campus, Superstar Shelltoe, ZX700 and ZX8000 feature the brand’s trademark parallel bars and perforations, logos whittled from masking tape and laces fashioned from jute twine.
The Drydock Footwear Group announced that it has hired Joe Salzano to serve as Senior Advisor to its North American sales organization. The move represents a reunion of sorts for Salzano and Bob Infantino, who started the Drydock Footwear Group in May 2011 as a joint venture with New Balance.
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