Back To School Rapper Sneakers

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.

BeastieBoys&RUNDMCtogetherForever

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. 

nycBeastieBoys&RUNDMCwtc

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
Adidas

Pittsburgh emcee Wiz Khalifa has a whole new collection of Wizzed-out All-Stars with Converse (Nike).

Converse
Converse

What about these Maison Martin Margiela pony-hair high tops for Kanye West– maybe inspired by Luke Skywalker’s Tauntaun ?

Yo PETA
Yo PETA…

Kid Cudi got with Giuseppe Zanotti and coming out are these:

KidCudiGiuseppeZanotti

Rap girl Iggy Azalea is 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
Reuters

 ” I sport New Balance sneakers to avoid a narrow path”– Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Buggin’ Out’

Left Shoe & Rollasole: Two Ways About It

Say hello to footwear vending machines. 

Image: instagram.com/rollasoleusa
Image: instagram.com/rollasoleusa

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.

Image: rollasole.comCheck the repertoire at Rollasole.com 

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.

LeftfootScanning

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.

LeftShoe3DimagingOfFeetGuys 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.

The Rocco by Left Shoe Company
The Rocco by Left Shoe Company

Ironlace: A Shoelace Review

What’s to review about a shoelace? You loop them through your eyelets, tie them, and forget about them right?

Ironlace&Box2

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.  

IronlaceCloseUpI 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
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.

IronlaceTiedUpIronlace 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.

Shoetooth Guidance and Heels For Yori

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
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
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
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
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
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