FEATURE: The Skytop IV is SUPRA’s Very, Very Best

by Sandy Dover for Yahoo!

SUPRA’s Skytop line has, through the years, become one of the most celebrated sneaker lines in sport casual footwear. Dually a performance sneaker as well as a casual/lifestyle shoe, Skytop has become a kind of pseudo-brand under the SUPRA name, and with the new Skytop IV, there’s plenty to celebrate.

Combining elements of its skateboarding roots and purpose with basketball design, amidst trends of exotic-looking product, the SUPRA Skytop IV is a beauty. Specifically in its red suede Holiday edition, the Skytop IV first impresses with its materials. The aforementioned suede is truly smooth and has a soft, short nap that wears seemingly as well as it appears and feels.

(The full photo gallery of the Skytop IV is available here.) …

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Read more here.

BRIEF: Nike Introduces The Kobe Prelude Pack

by Sandy Dover for BMF of Complex Media

It’s hard to believe that future Hall of Famer and Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard Kobe Bryant is coming up on his ninth name signature shoe with Nike. He’s going 18 years into his career in the NBA, and having played in some of the most iconic shoes that anyone could ever thinking of seeing and wearing, Nike is releasing the previous eight name signature shoes leading up to his Nike Kobe 9 being released in February.

(I say “name signature shoes”, because Kobe has worn two shoes before his Kobe signature series that were technically his shoes, but didn’t have his name attached to them in the Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4 and Air Zoom Huarache 2K5, but which were designed specifically for Kobe.)

To commemorate the occasion, the first eight Kobe sneakers, The Kobe Prelude Pack, will feature distinct designs that call back to Kobe’s accomplishments and achievements throughout the course of the history of those shoes. …

PHOTO GALLERY: Under Armour Spine Venom

Photography by Sandy Dover

PHOTO GALLERY: Under Armour Spine Venom (Canelo Alvarez signature)

Photography by Sandy Dover

FEATURE: Nike Gets Indigenous With ‘Premium Woven’ Version of SolarSoft Moccasin

By Sandy Dover

As featured by Yahoo!

Sometimes, the best things don’t seem remarkable or stand out in any kind of way. Often, that’s the case with footwear, like sandals or even casual shoes, both of which a prime choice for people looking to feel good. Would you pick a moccasin to fulfill your needs or desires in comfort footwear? Many people do and others bypass them altogether, but in my case, I found one particular moccasin variant to be quite impressive: the Nike SolarSoft Moccasin Premium Woven.

Simply put, the SolarSoft Moccasin Premium Woven — pictured above, and in greater detail here and here — is a beauty to see and just as fulfilling to wear. It’s a utilitarian shoe that primarily meets the requirement of merging great comfort with an interesting and distinctive look, and the star of the show is at the sole of the SolarSoft Moccasin Premium Woven. …

FEATURE: L.A.-based 20JEANS, Creative Recreation Look to Make Fall Fashion Easier on the Eye, Wallet

By Sandy Dover

As featured by Yahoo!

What I appreciate most about 20JEANS is that they make the basics the stars of your show. As a man, it’s difficult to really get good quality basics that really have a bit of pizzazz and showmanship, but they can also be affordable. It’s usually a trade-off between price and quality, but you don’t have to make that choice with 20JEANS.

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With Creative Recreation’s shoes, particularly the ones aforementioned, they aren’t trying to be anything more or anything less than what they aim to be. Often, many sneakers are geared for doing many things that aren’t actually capitalized on, but I like that the Cesario and Cota are made for the casual moments exclusively, and it makes the design of those shoes even stronger, because there’s no half-stepping in what they’re made for — namely, relaxing. …

 

 

PHOTO GALLERY: Creative Recreation Cesario & Cota

Photography by Sandy Dover

PHOTO GALLERY: Nike SolarSoft Moccasin Premium Woven (Part 2)

Photography by Sandy Dover

RELEASE: Reebok Classic Kamikaze II “Letter of Intent”

Reebok Classic, for the first time ever has created a “what if” Kamikaze II Mid story sure to please….

Despite signing a national letter of intent to play basketball at the University of Kentucky, Shawn Kemp never laced up a pair of blue and white kicks for the Wildcats.

Kemp declared himself eligible for the 1989 NBA draft and soon became one of the greatest on-court, with a serious shoe game to match.  Kemp’s brief stop in Kentucky became a flash in the pan as electric as the lightning bolt design on his signature Kamikazes.

FEATURE: Versatility is the Name of New Balance NBGroove’s Training Game

by Sandy Dover for Yahoo!

In a sense, the 1157 is a throwback to simpler times, and that’s what makes it so great. Highly influenced by New Balance’s Minimus initiative, the 1157 is literally one of the most intuitive, yet simple shoes to train in – or at least that I’ve ever trained in – and that’s what makes it so great. …