Month: December 2021

Following a pair of custom Apple Reebok ’90s revealed earlier this year, custom sneaker designer Andrew Chiou has now delivered “Quartz Crystal” dunks inspired by one of Daniel Arsham’s life-sized Mickey Mouse plush figure.The neo-vintage pairs come in a white leather base with faded hues of purple on the mudguard and eye stays, green on the lateral Swoosh, inner lining, and heel tab, and light grey on the collars and mid-sole. Sketches of where quartz crystals would be fitted are found across the shoe in Arsham’s signature style and typography, while Nike symbols on the tongue and heel tabs continue the theme with hand-drawn stripes. Sand-colored shadow laces courtesy of Foxtrot Uniform complete the unique pairs.While the sneakers were first shown by Chiou in late November, Arsham recently reposted the pairs with the caption “@andu.c travels in the Ether of my minds eye,” paying respect to the designer’s craftsmanship. Other customs by Chiou include Cactus Flea Market, Squid Game, and IKEA rug-inspired pieces that can be viewed on his Instagram found below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ARSHAM STUDIO (@danielarsham) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Andrew Chiou • 安肚 (@andu.c)In other footwear news, take an official look at the Nike Air Max 97 “Air Sprung.”

Salomon Sportstyle is responsible for some of the most sought-after pairs from the brand’s roster, notably reigniting our love for technical sneakers that transcend typical streetwear cues while remaining true to its outdoors-centric roots. Now, the label has announced the release of a very special pair: the ACS Pro Advanced, coming in “Metal/Frost Gray/Silver.”The trail icon features the brand’s proprietary stride-stabilizing Agile Chassis System (ACS) that enables you to perform at your best even on tough terrain, keeping you stable with each step. For 2021, it has been updated to feature a Kurim structure on the upper — as seen on other Salomon styles — that enables it to be as sturdy and supportive as possible, while enhancing the shoe’s comfort and breathability.Elsewhere, strategically placed openings on the upper optimize Salomon’s Air Flow technology which allows fresh air to circulate around the pair when being worn, while the pair — which dates back to the 2000s — has been functionally upgraded with a reimagined Continental outsole, and of course, that special colorway.Here, eyelets have been crafted from metal, which adds to the overall muted and futuristic silver-toned colorway. Everything from the branding to the underlayer and the interior continues this theme, making for a shoe that knows how to make its return.The ACS Pro Advanced will be available at selected retailers and on Salomon’s website from December 7, and will cost €225 EUR (approximately $254 USD). A global release will come in February 2022.In other news, notwoways has announced the release of its next sneaker, “apricity.”

notwoways continues its meteoric rise to cult stardom with its next release, the “apricity.” Taking form on its more daring A-R-W silhouette, which was previously released in “afterdark” back in July, the “apricity” pair is one for both newcomers and life-long fans of Callum McGinley and Rockwell Princely’s London-based brand as it’s an ode to where it all started.Keen eyes will notice the familiarness to notwoways’ “exuberance,” the sneaker that started it all. A white knitted base, intersected with the A-R-W’s transparent mesh section in the mid panels, meets a black rib-knit collar, a bold orange heel tab at the rear, and an icy blue outsole, just like the colorway on the “exuberance.”For the brand, it’s a way that it can maintain its following while continuing to elevate its aesthetic. The original release is now one of the brand’s most sought-after pairs and can fetch three times the retail price on the resale market, so with the A-R-W-, customers are offered the chance to have something familiar, quintessentially NTW, but new at the same time.As for the sneaker itself, finishing touches include chunky rope laces, panel cut-outs on areas such as the toe box, and branding on the tongue. “apricity” will be notwoways’ biggest drop to date, “marking a momentary departure from the brand’s previous limited-drop releases.”Promising higher production numbers, the brand hopes this will give its fans around the world a chance to cop the sneaker as it goes on sale tomorrow, December 7, exclusively on the notwoways website at 6 p.m. GMT (or 1 p.m. EST). It will cost £120 GBP (approximately $160 USD) and is available in sizes UK 3-13.In case you missed it, check out this week’s issue of Sole Mates.