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"

Today's Favorites - Ronnie Fieg Collabo's

There is no doubt that Ronnie Fieg, NYC-bred designer, has made many shoes WAY cooler than there previously were. And he did so simply by slightly modifying the style, color, shape etc. It just goes to show, how the little details can turn one thing from lame to cool. Time and time again, I have stressed those details!! While he has done countless remakes and collabo's, here are just a few that I happen to have floating around, on my computer. Out of all of these, I truly love the top pair of Asics, simply for their coloring, but am most impressed with the fact that he was able to make a Merrell shoe, actually be stylish (second from bottom). That's impressive! Well, I can't think of much more to write, so I won't create some boring gibberish to keep the post the usual length, so......goodnight! 

Today's Favorites - Ronnie Fieg + Sebago = Nexus Project

If you don't know, Ronnie Fieg is the man behind many of the best shoe collaborations created in 2010. Yet, this is not his first year on the scene. He has been making waves with Asics for awhile now, creating some of the coolest colorways they have ever had to offer. Hailing from New York, Mr. Fieg, has persevered and worked hard at what's known as the 'American Dream.' Having aspirations to become a sneaker designer at a young age, he made his start as a stock boy at New York store, David Z. He eventually made his way up to buyer while at the same time thinking about his jump into the designing side which eventually broke through with his first collaboration with Asics. Fast forward some years and we have him doing collaborations left and right and designing some of the best shoes we have seen in 2010. With the way that the shoe industry is going, thanks to designers like Mr. Fieg and the introduction of non-orthodox colors, I am quite excited to see what he brings 2011!!

Pictures Courtesy Of: Ronnie Fieg's Blog

My Shoes #5 - Sebago

Like I stated in my post, 4 Shoe Essentials For Autumn, everyone needs a solid boot for the fall/winter seasons. Considering that this whole Red Wing phenomenon is taking place and almost everything that is coming out was somehow inspired by it, I decided to go with the sleekest option. What's great about the Fairhaven boot (pictured above) by Sebago is the fact that it has that workman's boot appeal but it's sole is not so clunky looking like most of the Red Wing styles. Considering that I am a skinny guy and tend to wear slim-fitting clothes, the Fairhaven poses as a much more intelligent option for pairing with my wardrobe. If you have yet to find yourself a good boot for this season and also like the idea of the sleeker look, check out my Sebago post because right now, they are killing it!

Sebago's Comeback

It truly is funny how everything reinvents itself and what was once the 'in' thing in popular culture 30-50 years ago becomes once again the 'in' thing in today's modern culture. The two styles that frighten me about this constant reinvention, though, are the 80's and men wearing bell-bottom's with platform shoes. I cringe just thinking about the return of those atrocities. This act of reinvention is one of the reasons for Sebago's current position in the shoe industry. Growing up I would hear the word Sebago and think of old people and boat shoes, never once associating myself with the brand. Today that is different. I just received my very first pair of Sebago shoes. Considering that I already own upwards of 5 or 6 boat shoes (although I have to admit that none of them are as cool as the one's above) I decided to go with something a little different and ended up getting the Fairhaven boot, which you can see HERE in another post. I was quite surprised of how many compliments I received from my friends about the boots while wearing them (not to toot my own horn!). My Sebago's are comfortable, stylish and I look forward to adding more to my collection, preferably the two above!!

Sebago's history goes as far back as 1946 when 3 New England natives created first their hand-sewn penny loafer which was modeled after the then popular Native American moccasin. With this creation, they also pioneered what would become of the company's patented welt-construction (Sebago.com). They have come a long way since those days and our now taking boat shoes to a whole new level. During the recession I feel like shoe companies either needed to revamp their products in some shape or form or suffer through some tough years with the possibility of just straight tanking. Sebago saw this and in an intelligent attempt to reposition themselves in the "fashion shoe" industry began collaborating with many young and fresh designers. You will notice between the plain Sebago in grey/blue above and it's counterpart to it's right with a orange painted toe, both inspired by the French fashion boutique, Collette. In fact, a lot of the shoes that you will see on this post were created through a collaboration between Sebago and some 3rd party designer (such as Ronnie Fieg) or person of influence.

What I love about this recession and modern day culture is the fact that shoe companies can no longer skate by, making the same old crap that they have been for the last 50-100 years. With the bombardment of options these days, you need to be on top of your game as a designer, marketer or distributor of a shoe company in order to maintain your survival. With that, you see these amazing collaborations that create such unique and colorful pieces of footwear. Things are not so plain Jane anymore and that makes me happier beyond belief!! There is no amount of disappointment greater than going somewhere to find something unique and feeling that every shoe looks just like the other one. Luckily, this is happening less and less!! I applaud Sebago's direction and can only hope to continue to see the same amount of creativity, if not more, put into their designs for future collections!!

4 Shoe Essentials For Autumn

This summer has been quite interesting with it's record highs and record lows and yet while it is still only the beginning of September, I am ready for autumn to come! I love the sun and being warm but I have never appreciated the simplicity of dressing in the summer. Instead, I have always loved seeing all of the intricate and uniquely layered outfits that are created in the autumn and winter seasons. That being, there are several staple shoes that I believe belong in every man's wardrobe to be able to pull off some of these outfits!

1. Some Sort Of Boot

While #1 would appear to be extremely vague, I have no intentions telling all of the men in the world that they need just one style, so I leave it to you to decide which type of boot would appeal best to your clothing. For me, this Sebago boot (or shoe-boot) is just the thing that would enhance my wardrobe 5 times. There are already so many outfits that I can think of to create with the incorporation of this shoe into my wardrobe. This boot falls under that upcoming rugged category of shoe that is finding it's way onto the shelves of clothing stores across the nation. It seems to be a resurgence in that Red Wing-esque type of look although I personally believe that Sebago has taken this idea and enhanced it by leaving out the rugged sole and heaviness of the shoe. So whatever boot that you choose, make sure that it will fit into "your look" and wardrobe. If not you will find yourself stuck either needing to buy more clothes (which is fine if you can afford it) or having the dilemma of a shoe that does not match your clothes.

2. Dark Brown Suede Shoe










Left Shoes: Alden, photo compliments of Leather Soul
Right Shoes: Anthony Delos
Bottom Shoes: John Lobb

Whether it be a chukka boot, a leather soled loafer or a full on dress style, every man needs a dark brown suede shoe in their autumn line up! Contrary to what you may think about suede, a dark brown suede shoe is a must have for the autumn season, even if it rains every day. Like I have said before, if you protect your shoes right by using the proper applications and by avoiding heavy puddles and extra rainy days, your suede will be able to manage through a wet season and give your autumn outfits some extra depth. While autumn does bring it's fair share of intriguing outfits, it also brings an abundance of monotone inspired outfits. What's great about a dark brown suede shoe is that it's color and texture make for a great compliment to the many fabrics and colors that you see being offered each year for the autumn/winter collections within the clothing side of things.

3.Gray Sneaker












Left Shoes: Gourmet
Right Shoes: A.P.C.

A gray sneaker is a must-have period!! It goes great during every season. It just goes best in the autumn. Like the brown suede, a medium gray really compliments the colors of clothing being offered in autumn/winter. When you think about it, there is really no color that a gray cannot compliment. You can even wear different color grays within your outfit and as long as you don't go overboard on the amount of different shades, it can look great! It's such an easy thing to overlook but once you have a gray shoe in your collection, you will notice just how often you go to reach for it since it's versatility is limitless!! I have added a couple pictures above as well as added a picture of the pair that I wear, here. Another nice option is on the post below by John Lobb. So really folks, if you don't have a gray sneaker yet, go find yourself one!! You will thank me later.

4. A Black Dress Shoe











Left Shoes: Gaziano & Girling
Right Shoes: Vass

Considering the weather is usually at it's worst (in terms of wetness) during the autumn, a nice black dress shoe is an essential piece in the working man's closet. Being able to hide wear and tear on a black shoe is much easier than on a tan or light colored shoe. Rain spots don't tend to show as easily and it is next to impossible to darken a black shoe from excessive water exposure. So when you start breaking out your gray and black suits for the autumn, it only makes sense to have a staple black shoe that you can pair them with. Even better would be to have two pair, that way you can rotate them and let each one breath for at least a day. If you have one that's slightly more casual, say a derby or a wingtip, then it also makes for an easy transitional shoe coming from work to going out on the town.

That being said, if you pack away your summer wardrobe to make way for your autumn pieces, make sure that you have at least these four essentials and you will be set for your shoes! And if you are lacking in one or maybe two, then it's time to start investing!!!