Sneakers are Haute Couture

With sneakers being found on the catwalk more and more, and haute couture collaborations with sports shoe makers all the rage, I thought I'd let you see my views on it all.

I love shoes, and  sneakers fall into the 'shoe' category, ergo I love sneakers.

So here is how it all started.

The year- 1986 (btw, a great track by Shook has the same theme- ie 1986)

Troop was king.

 No king of me though. What was a 9 year old boy to do.......?

A Saviour arrived, and they called him......

Travel Fox

The image doesn't do them the justice they deserve. 

Found on the discerning late-teen clubber of 1986, and adorned by the cool bands/idols of the day, these were the sneaker to be had. My first love. I remember it like yesterday when I saught them out, with the little glossy booklet detailing materials used- Nappa leather upper, man-made sole. 

Whilst mere mortals wore... 

or.....

(I had a pair of these- and they served me well too.....till Travel Fox came along and changed my world.

With it's multi-coloured designs, vivid and shiny, and it's Italian heritage strewn all over, sneakers had just become Haute Couture. I was nine( will explain how a nine year old boy cared so much about fashion in a later blog installment).

Have a look for yourself, and join me in marvelling at it's greatness.

Even now I search ebay regularly in the vein hope that a pair will surface, but they are more elusive than the Scarlet Pimpernell.

Here is a TV advertisement from 1986- to be honest, I don't remember it, but it may jog some memories.

Following my obsession with the Fox, came an obsession with Nike Air Jordan 6. Only 6 though. In all their colours.

Here is Black Deep Infra-Red:

And White Deep Infra-Red

There was a lapse of a year or two, whilst I found the shoe(another blog maybe- Kickers, Wallaby's etc), before returning a year or two later to the sneaker.

My eye had found the Converse.

I had a pair in blue first, then green, then onwards through a vast array right up to the present day(I currently have about ten pairs, and never a week goes by without my wearing at least one pair- most recent was a pair inspired by Parka jackets).

Here is a pair of ACDC Converse that I bought for my mates birthday a couple of years ago.

And here is a pair that I do not own, but hopefully soon will.

And so to the present Catwalk accessory. I have compiled a wee series of images of sneakers that I would love to have/will have soon.

A spiky Christan Louboutin perhaps....

or Alexander McQueen

McQueen again(this will be a patten if future blogs- I love him)

Gola by Christain Lacroix

Ann Demeulemeester (also in black, also amazing)

Mr Valentino

My personal favourite: The Christain Louboutin Studded Sneaker

And up close....

Not really a sneaker I know, but from the same range, one of my absolute all-time favourite shoes(sorry couldn't resist): Louboutin Roller Boy Lace Up (there is a Slip-On too!!)

And finally, the ultimate Catwalk sneaker/high heel combo, and surely my number one gal's next birthday present.......