Boat Shoes - Sebago Fall/Winter 2011

While I still consider myself a relatively small-time blogger, at least in terms of daily hits, I have recently had the pleasure of being invited to a couple of events/showcases for several shoe brands, one of which, as you can see above, was Sebago. It's great because I always enjoy seeing shoes in the flesh (no surprise there) and also being part of the introduction to new brands/seasons/sub-lines etc. While Sebago is definitely not a new brand by any means, you can say that as of recent they have been positioning themselves differently, aiming to hit new markets and thus, in a way, becoming a classic brand with a 'new' feel. And while classicists might turn their nose to this idea of becoming more modern, I think that with the way the shoe industry is going, most older and historical companies, have to get on board with the times, or they might just get left behind. Sebago, being a staple company in recent American history, has done a great job of repositioning their image due to their recent collaborations with young, fresh designers.

With all of this in mind, Sebago just recently had their Autumn/Winter 2011 launch party at the Soho House in London and I just so happened to get invited. It was a lovey day and since the party was being held on the rooftop deck terrace, we were able to enjoy a little sunshine, snacks and all of the cool shoes that they are releasing this upcoming season. While some of the shoes were indeed, models that I have seen from previous seasons (such as my Billy Kirk collabo's), there were a lot of new colorways, as well as some fresh new designs and models. If you have read my blog for awhile, you might be able to guess my 'likes' by now and therefore understand when I tell you that I had my eyes set on the gray pair with the red sole that is called 'Abenaki' and was a collaboration with Mr. Ronnie Fieg (top left pic, above). For those that may not know, Ronnie Fieg is a designer who, in my opinion, is taking over the casual shoe industry at the moment. His talent and story are inspiring and I can only hope that one day he will look to design dress shoes as well. Who knows.......?

As you can see, Ronnie Fieg, was not the only collaboration in the house. There were shoes by Billy Kirk, a shoe/bag combo by Filson, as well as shoes by Vane. As I have said before, 2010 and onwards marks the era of collaborations and many classic companies have hopped on board to give a revamp to their image and it has worked. I absolutely love the idea too, because you have these designers that may have a passion for all sorts of products and instead of being pressured to start their own line of product, they can now just bounce around and do contracted design pieces for such and such company. This new way of getting shoes styles from all avenues is absolutely brilliant!! As much as I want to start my own shoe line and am in the process of doing so, I still would be flattered if another company came up to me and asked for a season's piece......maybe one day.

Well, as usual when the sun comes out, the boat shoes do too and ever since Sebago stepped it up in the design department, I can say that I have been absolutely loving their styles. I have one pair and am definitely going to be looking to get another, one of the Ronnie Fieg collabo's for sure. And if you are in the market to get some boat shoes too, I would give my recommendation to look no further than Sebago, for right now, they are as fresh as it gets. They even do ladies shoes too, as you can see from the two pictures directly above. Alright everyone, I am tired and have other work to do so enjoy the rest of your bank holiday if you are in the UK and everyone else, realize that Friday is just around the corner!


-Justin, "The Shoe Snob"

Gucci - Fall/Winter 2010

Out of all of the Italian design houses, Gucci has to be my favorite. I think this is because they manage to stay classic yet are still considered a major designer label, which usually is a title that lends itself to companies that create the latest and greatest fashion statements. And not that they don't, they just do it differently. For instance, Gucci will take one of their classic shoes, like the loafer above, and create 100 different color/pattern/material options for that style, season after season, making you think that they have a new style but really it is just one of their classics with a twist. This idea of taking classic styles and giving them modern twists has always resonated with me as the most intelligent thing to do in fashion considering that everything just reinvents itself and becomes popular again (like the recent surge in Saddle shoes). Of course new ideas are great, but when a company tries to come up with the craziest, most outlandish shoes (like Prada's studded shoe) that no one has ever seen before, it can become a little absurd.















Another thing that I love about Gucci and find quite funny is how they have recently managed to become great knock-off artists. If you look carefully at these pictures you will notice that there is a Gucci version of a Van's shoe, a Creative Recreation shoe and of a Red Wing shoe. They have been doing this for a little over a year now and have been quite successful at it. And, from a business standpoint, I can't be mad at them. If something is big and is selling a lot, it only makes sense to try and ride the wave because if you can do it well and possibly better than the originator, then monetarily speaking you will be in for a good kickback. But if you don't do it well, it can possibly tarnish your image. What's great about Gucci's position in the fashion world is that I don't think they have much to worry about when it comes to tarnishing their image, which allows them to do whatever they want and knock-off whoever they want. Must be nice!!

So as you can see for their Fall/Winter 2010 selection, they have a little bit of everything, as they should. Some of these products have been out for a little while now and some are much more recent. And while Gucci never really seems to disappoint me, I am particularly pleased with what they have to offer this season. I feel like the selection is quite balanced and the styles have a little bit more of a practical feel to them, like the two boots that are just above this paragraph. There seems to be less full-on Gucci print shoes and a dedication to use actual leather on more of their styles, giving them more of a serious feel. Not that I don't like their Gucci print stuff because I would be lying if I said that I did not own a pair, but I do prefer the sleeker, nonchalant looks that they seem to be thriving on right now. All-in-all they remain the kings of Italian designer fashion, at least in my book!!