Hip-hop nuisance Kanye West’s one-man war on the footwear industry continues . The latest victim of his rants: Nike. West, who designed a range of kicks for the athletic powerhouse, had a monumental falling-out with the brand over their marketing of the Air Yeezy. His revenge? A $10 million deal with Adidas.
When Airwalk’s Vic hit the scene in 1987, it made an indelible mark on the industry as one of the most iconic skate styles of all time. With an all-suede upper, extra ankle padding, a reinforced toe area and a Velcro flap designed to help skaters from blowing out laces during aggressive sessions, the Vic was the most technical skate shoe available then. Just as important was the marketing campaign featuring the fictional upper class champion of the sports world, Victor Novettipolae.
In an interview with Details, Mario Batali has revealed that Crocs is discontinuing the bright-orange clogs which have become the chef’s signature footwear. “They’re gonna stop the Mario Batali orange! It’s preposterous!” he exclaimed, adding that he has placed a final order for 200 pairs. And while Crocs is indeed discontinuing the bright-orange clog beloved by Batali, the chef’s namesake line of Bistro Mario Batali Vent Clogs will still be available, and additional designs are in the works.
Major Lazer enlisted heritage boot brand Palladium for its music video for the track “Sweat,” featuring Laidback Luke and Miss Dynamite. Filmed in black light and featuring LA-based dance crew The Underground Street Chronicles, the eye-popping video is inspired by organic movement and uses neon paint to artistically represent the song’s namesake. With each beat, neon “sweat” drips from the dancers’ bodies and instruments to fill the frame.
Online behemoth Zappos was the latest victim of a Kanye West rant on Monday when the rapper let loose on a Bret Easton Ellis podcast, calling out the e-tailer for selling “s**t product.” “I got into a giant argument with the head of Zappos that he’s trying to tell me what I need to focus on,” West said. “Meanwhile, he sells all this s**t product to everybody, his whole thing is based off of selling s**t product.”
In response to the horrific destruction in the Philippines, comfort shoe brand Dansko is sending 2,200 pairs of children’s shoes to southeast Asian island nation. “For us, giving back to the local and global community is a guiding principle and our relief effort for the Philippines is part of our ongoing partnership with Soles4Souls,” says Founder, President and CEO Mandy Cabot.
Dress for Sucess is turning #GivingTuesday into #GivingShoesDay on Tuesday, Dec. 3, by encouraging women across the United States to donate their professional shoes to one of more than 50 Dress for Success affiliates. The top 10 shoe donors will receive a complimentary pair of fire-engine red Palace heels from the Brown Shoe Company-owned Fergie Footwear. “Because this is such a special design, I thought it only appropriate to share them as a gift with inspiring women across the country,” says the eight-time Garmmy award-winning artist, Fergie Duhamel.
Rocky Brands and non-profit Soles 4 Souls has fit residents of a Boston homeless shelter with 150 donated pairs of boots from its brands Rocky, Georgia Boot and Durango. The event is the fourth annual for the charity and the National Shoe Retailers Association in an effort to get footwear on the nation’s needy before the harsh winter cold kicks in. “As a footwear company, we are keenly aware of how important a pair of warm boots can be during the wintertime,” says Liz Horn, vice president of marketing at Rocky Brands.
Nine West released a stop motion video on its YouTube channel today featuring two shoes on a mission to find love through online dating. Inspired by Tinder, “Sole Finder” centers on Martina, a Nine West stiletto pump, and Jake, a men’s oxford, scrolling through potential romantic matches via a social media dating app and agreeing to meet for a blind date. The video was shot over the course of three days at the Nine West flagship store in New York and a downtown apartment using more than 4,000 still images.
Outdoor company Patagonia has teamed up with New Belgium Brewing to mark its 40th year in business with a limited edition organic beer. Dubbed California Route Lager, the brand claims the brew is “canned for adventure” and takes its name from the route on Patagonia’s Mount Fitz Roy, first climbed in 1968 by the compay’s founder Yvon Chouinard and friends. The 12-ounce cans will only be available in select markets in the U.S. including Boston, New York City and Chicago.
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