We’re seeing a huge influx of red, white and blue sneakers for the Olympic summer, designs referencing both the United States and its past glories, as well as those designs inspired by this year’s host nation. The first from Off the Wall is this 430 BMX x Vans Japan capsule leaning more on the latter side, a couple of Far East action sports concerns coming together to craft a trio of London-flavored red-and-white-accented navy blue silos. The Vans Sk8-Mid, Chukka Low and what’s likely a San Lucas slide have been blocked identically and each feature 430 branding on the footbed; do any of these stand out enough to warrant importing them upon next month’s release? via Unbar
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In order to survive in today’s heavily populated lifestyle sneaker market, you’ve got to have a keen eye for what’s going on in the sneakerhead scene. Not only do you need standout designs to make a name, but having the self-awareness to adjust your strategy to make things work is a key skill we’ve seen separate the contenders from the has-beens. Amsterdam’s Filling Pieces has that kind of laser focus, its very name implying the middle ground designer Guillaume Philibert found between haute couture and street-level luxury. His spring 2012 collection can be seen as heavily influenced by Vans’ own pioneering moves to make skate aesthetics a casual standard, designs ranging from vulc-soled wingtips to chukka-derived sneakers and a standout black horsehair lowtop you’ll see in greater detail below. Let us know which of these designs most appeals to your tastes and find them at Kith in New York.
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If you were to look at the name of this latest Three Stripes drop and compare it to recent output from adidas Originals, a well-intentioned guess would have you imagining something entirely different. In a sort of ‘What the Land’ move, adidas surprises us with a new design that despite its glancing connection to the vulc-soled Hardland, opts for a different kind of classic basketball bottom. And that’s not all that makes the adidas Blue Hikelander Snow stand out from the pack, this bubble-quilted, nylon and suede design secured with a wildly inventive elastic cord system. This new silo hits the scene in one of the cleanest yet most attention-grabbing red, white and blue sneakers we’ve seen during this Olympic summer offering more of that palette than any other style. adidas once again proves it’s at its best when breaking new ground, and you can see more of the unique Hikelander Snow when you click the jump below. via Sneaker Freaker
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The Vans OTW Collection continues to provide a smart blend of traditional California skate aesthetics and premium lifestyle sneaker construction, its latest revelation the series first ‘sequel’. The Vans OTW Piercy is a new silhouette whose wavy side panel lines will immediately remind those familiar with the Bedford of that midtop’s year-plus run, both models finding themselves in the Half Cab neighborhood without outright copying Caballero’s classics. Brown full grain leather, black suede and ripstop, grey wool and suede and a chlorine blue canvas pair make up the fall 2012 collection, and you can see all four pairs of Vans Piercys after the jump below. via FNG
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While brands like Converse and Vans are altering their classic hightop silhouettes in a variety of ways, Nike Sportswear has opted to take one of the latest trends and make it an entirely new model unto itself. The Nike All Court 3 High is an update on a 1975-born classic whose key differences are hidden on the medial sides: a notch on the midsole revealing a color contrast, which also happens to point your eye upward at the zipper that’s really this shoe’s signature feature. These Tier Zero drops come with premium canvas uppers in navy and heathered grey, both of which rock caramel leather sockliners, white soles and laces, and are available now at shops like Limited Edt.
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During this Olympic summer, we can expect countless red, white and blue sneakers thanks to memories of past USAB glories in addition to the host nation and all the others who have those three on their flags. This latest drop from adidas Originals predates a 40th anniversary celebration by a year, which means the model they’re celebrating is also a senior to the vast majority of the other brands’ basketball shoes, including the entirety of Nike Basketball. The adidas Americana Pack reminds us of the basketball shoe created in 1971 in colors to match the high-energy ABA, a model that by the mid/late-’70s had seen its leather toecap turned to rubber. Fitting, then, that the adidas Originals Superstar is center stage here with three new colorways joining a couple of adiRise 2.0s with the patriotic vibe. These five will arrive at Foot Locker later this week and you can see more images of each pair after the jump.
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Their signature injected foam sandals that are so popular they’ll move units on impulse at your local grocery store, but Crocs aren’t exactly your typical sneakerhead fare. Even without a direct street-level endorsement, the overwhelming popularity of the various Croslite designs has influenced major brands including Nike and Puma. And today we can add a company that’s right in the middle of those two majors: a German company who also happens to be Nike’s biggest competitor. So with the Solar Soft and Injex well in our rear view, it’s somewhat surprising that it took this long to see something like the adidas Originals Beachstar. A shotgun-perfed EVA upper hides a comfy neoprene sock that makes these an easy off and on for those activity-filled summer days, and you’ll find a variety of vibrant colors available later this month. via EK
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Nike’s Lunaracer sole was one of the enduring images from the last year in which a Summer Olympiad was held, its pronounced waves and wide platform a visual can’t-miss that helped to spur LunarLite and its -Lon update to great success in the intervening years. And as we approach the London Games, you can be sure there are even more technological advancements in this space age foam cushioning, but one division of Nike, Inc. will be sticking with what works. Combining a time-tested boot design with that unmistakable cushion, the Cole Haan LunarGrand Chukka is a look into the evolution of footwear, specifically how traditional styles are blending with modern technology with increasing frequency. Longtime Nike collaborator Hiroshi Fujiwara had a few words of praise along with a couple new photos on his blog; were you able to find the exact combination of color and size you wanted from the Cole Haan SoHo drop earlier this month?
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