With summer creeping up on those of us in the southern hemisphere, the need to protect your eyeballs from the harsh rays of the sun becomes a more pressing issue. We can't all be like Paul Shaffer and wear any old crazy sunglasses 24 hours a day or people will begin to think we have no eyes. So what better way to protect your peepers than with a pair of awesome handmade Shwood sunglasses? Shwood has been around for awhile but I only just came across them the other week and thought I would share the love with you all. As the name suggests all Shwood sunglass frames are made from wood, yes you heard right good old trusty wood. The company based in Portland, Oregon produces all its sunglasses in-house using highly skilled craftsmen. The company aims to keep wood manipulation to an absolute minimum, showcasing the "natural and unique splendour" of the wood. Shwood doeesn't skimp on the lenses either with each frame being paired with 100% UVA/UVB protection Carl Zeiss lenses, imported from Italy. The Canby is the brands flagship model, which is based on the classic wayfarer silhouette and comes in a choice of cherry, zebrawood and east Indian rose wood. For the amount of time and effort that is put into producing these sunglasses they are also very reasonably priced with the Canby setting you back a modest USD $98. To check out the full range of or to purchase a pair of these awesome sunnies head on over to the Shwood website. Full image gallery of the Shwood Canby after the jump
If you're a hat connoisseur of any kind then you'll definitely want to check out the latest from Kangol as they unveil their range of hats for the upcoming Fall/Winter 2011 season. This season Kangol have placed an emphasis on natural fibres, incorporating a range of wool into the collection including knitted felted wool, soft lambswool jacquard, pixelated Fair Isle and Nordic knits. Kangol has also partnered with headphone manufacturer AERIAL7 to create a number of hats that allow wearers to listen to music, free from earphones. If you're wondering how they do this it's not through magic, the earflaps on these particular hats have "Sound Disks" in them which can be connected to iPhone's or Blackberry's. The members of indie rock band Bleech even make an appearance in the lookbook so keep an eye out for them. Check out the complete Kangol Fall/Winter 2011 lookbook after the jump.
UPDATE: All of the dope images in the Kangol Fall/Winter 2011 Collection Lookbook were shot by photographer "Janette Beckman". Head over to her website JanetteBeckman.com to check out more of her awesome work.
If you were watching this years NBA Slam Dunk contest then you probably would've seen a rookie by the name of Blake Griffin fly over a car (strategically placed underneath the ring) and throw down a huge slam to win the contest. Well it was no strange realisation that Blake's shoes, a fire red pair of "10 Point Oh!" Hyperdunks helped him achieve this astonishing feat. Now you too can replicate such dunks on the court with the release of the Nike Hyperdunk 2011 Blake Griffin. This incarnation comes in a retina burning orange colour-way, has custom BG32 insignia and features a glow in the dark heel and outsole for when you're balling after dark. At least if you can't replicate the athletic feats of Blake Griffin on the court you'll be remembered for your neck snapping shoes. Check out the full image gallery for the Nike Hyperdunk 2011 Blake Griffin after the jump.
Nike gives us a sneak peak of the new and improved Hyperdunk for the 2011 season with the release of some juicy promo images. The Zoom Hyperdunk is built for speed and responsiveness incorporating a "Flywire" upper, "3D glass reinforced composite midfoot shank" to give greater stability and as the name suggests a "Zoom" insole for extra cushioning in the heel and forefoot. The Zoom Hyperdunk will come in a range of mouthwatering colour-ways including Treasure Blue, Volt and Pinkfire. These bad boys are sure to be a staple for the upcoming NBA season, collective bargaining agreement willing. The Nike Zoom Hyperdunk 2011 range is set to drop sometime within the next month so stay tuned for an official release date. Check out the full range of 2011 Nike Zoom Hyperdunks after the jump.
Nike brings us another red hot incarnation of it's Sky Force '88 sneaker with the release of the "Sky Force 88 Vintage Suede Pack". As the name suggests the sneakers are covered in luxurious suede and come in a range of bright colours including red, black and grey. Nike has also given the soles, a yellow, worn look for that extra vintage feel, so these bad boys are ready to rock straight out the box. A retro classic given a nu-skool feel if that makes sense. Check out the full image gallery of the Nike Sky Force '88 Vintage Suede Pack after the jump.
So American Apparel has this cool new video that features a couple of stylin' little kids. Not much more to say about it other than it's pretty damn cool and definitely worth a watch. The video was directed by photographer Tony Kelly and features Jalan Testerman and Angelo Baligad. Check it out after the jump.
Nike Sportswear has just released the latest incarnation of their classic Blazer sneaker, the Nike Blazer Mid AB. The Blazer AB maintains a high-top cut while interestingly incorporating a full-length zipper along the instep. Nike has gone all out with its choice of materials for the sneaker, using suede or full leather on the upper along with a prominent white rubber sole and cotton laces. The Blazer Mid AB will come in three different colour-ways, white leather, blue suede and green suede. If you want to grab yourself a pair or two the sneakers are available now from your nearest Nike Sportswear store. Full image gallery after the jump.
Adidas have been actively promoting their AdiZero Crazy Light shoe of late, claiming it to be the lightest basketball sneaker ever made with a weight of 9.8oz (278g). Adidas say that they have been able to achieve this weight through the use of their patented "Sprint Web" technology, a nylon textile mesh and lightweight asymmetrical "Sprintframe" that wraps around the shoe to provide support. To really hammer home the point they have released a series of "The Other Guys" ads which specifically target some of their main competitor, Nike's signature shoes. It's a pretty interesting concept and even though I haven't really liked many balling shoes that Adidas have released in the past they've recently been putting out some alright kicks and I'd love to try on a pair of these Crazy Lights to see how much support is sacrificed to make them this light. The Adidas AdiZero Crazy Light will be available from June 3, will come in 4 colour-ways and will retail for a price of $US130. You'd think for all of the material that they've shaved off to make it so light they could have shaved a bit more money off the price. Check out the four rounds of videos, the Crazy Light x Derrick Rose commercial and image gallery after the jump.
UK sneaker and apparel store Foot Patrol has just released it's latest lookbook for the 2011 Spring/Summer. The lookbook showcases a range of clothing and footwear from the various brands that the store stocks. Check out the full loookbook after the jump.
Nike have put together a little video of legendary skateboarder Eric Koston and his crew as they go on a road trip to promote the new Nike SB Zoom Eric Koston 1. The Eric Koston 1 is Eric's first signature shoe for Nike skateboarding, and they've gone all out on the design combining a sculpted suede upper with full-length Lunarlon insole for extra cushioning and support. Another dope shoe from Nike SB and the video's pretty entertaining as well, and make sure you keep an eye out for the Kobe Bryant cameo. Check out the video and image gallery of the Nike SB Koston 1 after the jump.
Nike is going all vintage with the release of their latest "Oregon Waffle Pack". The Waffle Pack brings back the iconic Nike waffle sole coupled with vintage nylon and suede uppers. The sneakers will be available in three different colour-ways, University Blue, Sport Red and Pine Green. If they tickle your fancy you better be hurry as they are a quickstrike release and can only be bought through selected Nike retailers or the Shoelosophy online store. Check out the full image gallery after the jump.
I wasn't even aware that Adidas did skate specific shoes but lo and behold, they do. They have taken some classic models and applied their technical genius in order to make these kicks stand up to the stresses of skateboarding. I won't bore you with the technical jargon that make these sneakers strong and comfortable for boarding like the vulcanized outsoles and customed PU molded sock liners but I'm sure everyone can see that a lot of thought has gone into these bad boys. Not only are they built to withstand some intense skating they also look pretty damn good too with their bright colour-ways and classic styles, you don't have to be a skater to rock a pair. Head over to the Adidas Skateboarding website to find your nearest retailer if you want to grab a pair or two. Full photo gallery and list of models after the jump.
Nixon has just released "The Axis" watch as part of their Summer 2011 collection . I'm a big fan of Nixon watches and The Axis has a nice clean, simple design but incorporates horizontal chronographs for something a little unique. The watch is available in 4 colours, black, all black, gold and all gunmetal (my pick of the bunch is the goldie). The Axis is available now so head on over to the Nixon website to find your nearest retailer and buy one for yourself. Image gallery and technical specs after the jump.
French brand "Surface to Air" have released a video entitled "From Duck til Dawn" to promote their Spring/Summer 2011 women's collection featuring British model Daisy Lowe gyrating/dancing around in their gear to SebastiAn's incredibly catchy single "Embody". Not much else to say about this really but the video is cool, the music is cool and the clothes ain't half bad either. Check out the video below and as an added bonus the lookbook of both the men's and women's Spring/Summer 2011 collections after the jump.
Yes it's another PRO-Keds post but how could I resist when they're putting out so many quality sneakers. This time we have the PRO-Keds Royal "Linen Pack" which is part of their Summer 2011 range. This Linen Pack incarnation of the Royal sneaker has a special contrasting white rubber outsole, white leather laces and black and white check pattern on the inner lining. The upper of the sneaker is where all the business takes place with contrasting white stitching and stripe detailing on the side. This sneaker has classic styling that will suit any outfit and any occasion, the perfect multi-purpose sneaker really. You can cop the Royal Linen Pack in a choice of black, navy, natural and light brown colour-ways, so there is plenty of variety. If the Royal Linen Pack tickles your fancy you can grab a pair through now over at PRO-Keds. Check out the full image gallery after the jump.
Nike returns with another incarnation of their Royal Mid sneaker. This time they've given it the mesh treatment which I think looks the really cool. The "Nike Sportswear Air Royal Mid Mesh VT" (try saying that 5 time fast) has a completely seamless upper giving it that streamlined look, a cool 'clear' outsole and comes in two colour-ways, red and black. The Royal has that classic narrow profile and easily be worn dressed up or down. The Air Royal Mesh is scheduled to drop later this month so head to your nearest Nike Sportswear store and grab yourself a pair... or 10. Check out the full image gallery after the jump.
PRO-Keds are back with their Spring 2011 collection of sneakers. The collection sees the brand combining old school with the new school bringing back the classic "Royal" from 1949, along with the 69er in both high-top and low-top cuts. Keds leave no stone unturned with their materials using high quality leather, marbled leather, ripstop nylon, waxed canvas and washed twill in the collection. Keds are a classic brand but haven't always garnered a lot of attention or been readily available in Australia. I've always had a soft spot for PRO-Keds> but never owned a pair but their timeless styles and quality materials mean you can't really go wrong, no matter what model you choose. Prices range from $45-$100USD so they are very affordable and you can grab a pair over at the PRO-Keds website or any PRO-Keds stockist (check the website to find your nearest one). Check out the promotional video "The Footprint" along with the lookbook gallery after the jump.
So as promised here is the feature on the "New Balance x HAL 577 Day & Night" sneakers. The sneakers are a collaboration between New Balance and Australian boutique sneaker store Highs & Lows. The collaboration consists of two versions of the classic New Balance 577 sneaker, as the name implies a "Day" version and the "Night" version. The Day version is a "bright sunny suede pair for daylight duty" while the Night version is a "more rugged version designed to come out under the cover of darkness". The New Balance x HAL sneakers are set to be released on Saturday 14th May. Pricing information, stockists and image gallery after the jump.
LTD Watch have come out with the latest timepiece "Maixmo" in their ever expanding collection. The formula for the Maximo is simple, a classic, understated design in a range of bright colours. This watch is a perfect casual timepiece and comes in a colour to complement any outfit. Check out the full picture gallery of the Maximo after the jump.
London based footwear company T&F Slack Shoemakers have just launched their 2011 Spring/Summer collection. The emphasis of the company is on creating modern day versions of classic dress shoe styles like the Derby & Oxford Brogues. These are truly some beautiful dress shoes and are perfect if you're looking to add a bit of colour to your footwear wardrobe but still want to wear a classic style. View the Sping/Summer collection and find out more information on the company after the jump.
