Month: December 2022

As you can likely infer from their name, Free & Easy are about the good life. Their products are sunny in tone and unbothered in style, and their signature, flowing “Don’t Trip” graphic has been spotted on everyone from LeBron James to Pete Davidson and Mac Miller. Since leisure is the name of the game for the brand, they’ve teamed up with Jon Buscemi’s Lusso Cloud for a lavish layout of lampin’ footwear.Buscemi, best known for co-founding Gourmet, launching his own eponymous luxury footwear line and his work on Oliver Peoples, conceptualized Lusso Cloud during the pandemic. As many sneaker lovers were stuck at home during quarantines, he wanted to create house shoes that were just as luxurious and comfortable as the sneakers they stomped the streets in — and decided to do so by using the same high-end foams used in running shoes to leisure footwear. Free & Easy has reworked the brand’s Pelli slide with a rainbow gradient makeover and given the loafer-inspired Esto a true West Coast makeover with a corduroy upper and thick embroidered hits. Both feature Lusso Cloud’s signature “Triple Stack” EVA foam tech for comfort, while the Pelli opts for a minimal mesh lining and the Esto uses an extra soft terry cloth. The shoes are also accompanied by a heavyweight crewneck and sweatpants, plus a corduroy bucket hat. The Free & Easy x Lusso Cloud collection is available now via the Free & Easy webstore. Each piece of footwear is priced at $150 USD, while the matching apparel ranges from $40-$165 USD.For more footwear news be sure to check out the latest installment of Sole Mates, a weekly Hypebeast series that spotlights notable individuals in street culture and the connection they share with their favorite sneakers.

In recent years, luxury fashion house Maison Margiela and American sportswear brand Reebok have come together and combined their iconic themes and silhouettes to create unique footwear that is instantly recognizable as a collaborative project. Last month, the two looked to the Reebok TZ Pump, presenting it in several aged colorways. Now, they have once again reworked the Classic Leather in a finish that pays tribute to the Classic Nylon and Margiela’s iconic Tabi design.Appearing in “White” and “Black” colorways, the newly crafted Classic Leather Tabi Nylon is a lighter take on the duo’s Classic Leather Tabi that debuted in 2020 and has been revisited several times since. Each are outfitted in monochromatic looks with suede detailing in a light brownish-gray and black respectively. Additional detailing on each pair includes nylon inserts, a co-branded tongue with Margiela’s classic number system and an EVA-backed sole unit. Last but not least, Margiela’s Japanese-inspired split-toe design completes the looks.For those interested in purchasing either colorway, the Maison Margiela x Reebok Classic Leather Tabi Nylon will be available December 9 via Reebok at a price of $350 USD. An additional “Navy” colorway is also expected to launch with the pairs.In other footwear news, ENGINEERED GARMENTS has teamed up with Reebok on the LX2200, featuring “Black,” “Beige” and “White” colorways.

It’s fair to say that innovation runs through Chitose Abe’s veins, constantly delivering otherworldly creations with a mind of their own. Since the start of their creative partnership, Abe’s sacai and Nike have redefined the meaning of a traditional silhouette, throwing classic models into the future. From the ultra-stacked Vaporwaffle to the more casual Blazer Low, the highly-anticipated sacai x Nike Cortez Zoom in “Iron Grey” is now set to drop. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bill Bowerman’s Cortez silhouette, the pair features recognizable sacai alterations that have come to define its design identity. The sneaker maintains traditional materials that give it a ’70s feel yet hosts a variety of upgrades that thrust it onto new grounds. Dark “Iron Grey” nylon uppers start things off, accompanied by lighter grey suede trimmings that hit the toe boxes and throats. Double-stacked nylon panels make for an eye-catching look, presented on the tongues and collars — the former also sporting GR and collaborative tags. Two-toned suede panels are layered at the heels, while leather labels above receive emblematic piled branding. Overlapping medial Swooshes and double laces complete the pair, while the design is set atop split midsoles fashioned with an extended heel piece, Zoom Air bubble pucks, and carved rubber bottoms. Take an official look at the sacai x Nike Cortez Zoom “Iron Grey” in the gallery above. The pair is confirmed to drop via Nike and select retailers on December 13 for $185 USD. Elsewhere in footwear, Jacquemus’ Nike Air Humara LX “Pink Flash” is officially releasing.