Limited to two motors and $600, mechanical engineering students from the University of California, Davis designed and built this shoe-tying machine. I particularly appreciate how the robot uses the same technique as I do: the bunny ears method.
You may have thought that you were prepared for this moment, but I want you to sit down, nonetheless. Brace yourself. Buck up. Be strong.
Here we go.
Crocs, squishy footwear manufacturer to the stars (also, Larry, who stops by to top off that pig tank of propane I’ve got sitting outside of my RV when we winter in Texas,) is closing its last manufacturing plants.
According to a statement plopped out by the company last week, Crocs decreed that they will no longer be making the iconic closed cell resin kicks that made them famous, any longer, saying “In connection with ongoing efforts to simplify the business and improve profitability, during the second quarter, the company closed its manufacturing facility in Mexico and moved ahead with plans to close its last manufacturing facility, which is located in Italy,"
That said, it’s sounding like the company will likely be licensing out the right to make Crocs sandals, clogs and other squishy footwear options to outside manufacturers.
From Jezebel:
Read the rest...there have been multiple media reports that Crocs is winding down production in our owned manufacturing facilities. While accurate, some people have interpreted that to mean that Crocs will no longer be making and selling shoes. Quite the contrary, Crocs will continue to innovate, design and produce the most comfortable shoes on the planet. As we streamline our business to meet growing demand for Crocs, we’re simply shifting production to third parties to increase our manufacturing capacity.
We’re extremely grateful, but not surprised that our passionate fans are rallying around the brand today.
From light to dark, affordable high-heeled shoes are available in a variety of skin tones from British retail brand Marks and Spencer (M&S).
French shoe designer Christian Louboutin first brought "nude" shoes, in seven shades, to the market in 2017, but the collection was very pricey.
Now, M&S is offering six "vegan friendly" (which is code for "not leather") shades of stilettos for approximately $33/pair.
Not everyone is impressed, however:
Doc Martens embossed their leather 1460 boots with the iconic cover art from Joy Division's 1979 first album, Unknown Pleasures. So cool!
...The now-classic design, created by Peter Saville, is a visual translation of pulsar sound waves — explosive, raw and intense — much like the sound of the band.
$160/pair. There are also some New Order Docs.
Previously: William Blake Doc Martens
photo by Katie Davies Read the rest
These putty-colored pumps by Maison Margiela ($825) are described as "cloven toe." I might be 12, but wouldn't a better description be "camel toe"?
A similarly racy shoe is available in red for $1080.
Thanks, Caroline B.! Read the rest
Step aside couture platform Crocs, you've got some competition for world's most ridiculous spongy-soled shoes. Crocs now come in high heels. I wish I were kidding. Check it and see. Read the rest
Nike's new "Benassi JDI Fanny Pack" slide sandals may be the perfect footwear to don while sporting another hybrid fashion choice, the shirt-shirt. Read the rest
Daiki Suzuki's menswear brand Engineered Garments took the iconic Dr. Martens 1461 shoe and made them into grandpa shoes by adding velcro straps.
They're available in five colors at End. Clothing for $229/pair.
Previously: William Blake Doc Martens and Turn your shoes into roller skates
Demna Gvasalia, luxury brand Balenciaga's creative director, has reimagined Crocs by adding a five-inch thick sole to them.
Of course, the main difference between the two pairs of shoes, besides the platform soles and the Balenciaga-specific flair, is the price.
A pair of ordinary Crocs costs under $50. A pair ofBalenciaga "foam platform sandals" will set you back $850 (a charmless pair is "only" $495). [Its high price didn't stop the shoes from selling out on its release in February, according to Dazed.]
W writes that Gvasalia has "a habit of trolling the fashion industry with upscaled versions of mundane items."
For example, there's the $1,100 calf-skin leather version of the brand's own paper shopping bags, $2,145 leather totes inspired by IKEA's iconic $0.99 Frakta bag, and a high-fashion take on "ugly sneakers" that have been seen on the super-hip crowd, from Hailey Baldwin to Elsa Hosk to Bella Hadid. It's started something of a trend outside of Gvasalia's domains of Balenciaga and Vetements as well, including Tiffany & Co.'s "Everyday Objects" collections (complete with a $1,000 sterling silver "tin" can), Dolce & Gabbana's $110 pasta, and Supreme's paperweight made of $100 bills.
Oh, we remember the "tin" can.
Previously: Mocking the $2,145 "couture Ikea bag" with awesome Ikea bag hacks and This is a $9K ball of yarn
Never let your pristine kicks touch the filthy ground with these thick-soled shoe-sandals. They strap onto another pair of shoes, in this case a pair of military-style, high-top sneakers.
Both pairs are the latest offerings of Chinese fashion brand Sankuanz who unveiled the bulky combo on the runway at Paris Men's Fashion Week in late January.
[Sankuanz] sent male models down the runway wearing high top sneakers — that never actually touched the runway.
"They're transformable sneakers that have an outer layer of protective sandal that you can enter Velcro into and you can strap them on or off," is how Sankuanz publicist Courtney Wittich describes the concept.
But ultimately, they look like big-cushioned, rubber and plastic orthopedic Birkenstocks — with Velcro straps — and you strap them on top of your existing shoes.
Or they look like open-concept galoshes. That's up to you...
"You can walk totally normal in them and it gives you an extra layer of protection and then also height," Wittich says.
I wonder if they were inspired by these vintage Space Boots from the late sixties:
Or maybe by these Moon Shoes:
Either way, the shoe-sandals will be available in August for $355 and I don't think the sneakers are included in that price.
image 1 via Hypebeast, image 2 via Ebay, image 3 via Amazon Read the rest
Fix Your Kicks proprietor Joshua Marin, 20, is a third-generation cobbler whose specialty is restoring classic and highly-collectible sneakers. (Great Big Story) Read the rest
From Oliver Sweeney:
In addition to the items hidden within the shoe, the laces themselves are made from Kevlar. They can act as a friction saw cutting through wood or plastic, so should you ever find yourself zip-tied, you have a fighting chance of escape.
(via Uncrate) Read the rest
My friend JoAnne Yada shared this quirky collection of Muppets shoes the other night on Facebook and I nearly jumped out of my seat. They're so wild and creative, just like a brand for (a certain type of) inner children should be!
Here's a look at some of them:
This pair of heeled boots is aptly named "She's Hip He's Hop" because it features both Miss Piggy and Kermit...
These "Super Couple" heels also feature the famous pig and frog duo...
Then there's "The Great Gonzo" style, stars and all...
And Kerm-y flats...
These "foot stomping vixen heeled boots" are called "Fierce Piggy"...
While these pig-pink satin heels are called, "All About Moi,"
The next three pairs really crack me up. First Statler and Waldorf get their mugs on a pair with these "Boo Hiss" flats...
Folks who identify with Animal may be drawn to these "Louder Louder" red fake-furried heels...
And the best for last... the "Mahna Mahna" shoes, if for no other reason that they'll implant that earworm in people's head...
The collection is by UK-based Irregular Choice and the shoes range in price from £129.00 to £220.00.
And yes, there are more shoes, as well as matching purses and tights.
Star Wars more your thing? Go here. Crazy heel aficionado? Here. Read the rest
Siddharth Mandala, 18, of Hyderabad, India, is developing the Electroshoe as a defensive weapon for women. The idea is that a woman could kick an attacker to deliver a jolt of electricity, similar to a taser, giving her time to escape. From the Deccan Chronicle:
Apart from transmitting a 0.1-ampere shock, the shoe also sends off an alert to the nearest police station. The shoe is run by power generated through the user’s footsteps. Mechanical energy from every step taken is harvested and stored in a rechargeable battery...
“The basic idea was that it had to be something that women would have with them all the time. Women might forget to carry tasers or other protective devices, but no one forgets to wear shoes before they step out. It was very challenging for me to think of a solution dealing with footwear. My product is basically a prototype. I’m still figuring out ways to make the shoe water resistant and overcome other limitations,” Siddharth said.
(via Weird Universe)
Austin shoesmith Kayla Stojek (AKA "Zombie Peepshow") mods wedges, Vans, heels and other shoes (and boots) with huge, deadly spikes, cute dioramas, horror pumpkins, whimsical scares, and such, all made to order: if heels aren't your thing, Stojek will mod you up some spiky Vans. Read the rest
The new Vans x Peanuts sneaker collaboration is killer. These are just a few of the many shoe styles and graphics available.
Here are the weird adhesive soles you never asked for (though they do appear to be useful).
Called Nakefit, this pair of freaky stick-on shoes adhere to the bottom of your feet to protect them from things like hot sand and rocks. They're waterproof, hypoallergenic, have anti-slip pads and, should you need an unusual way to cover your tootsies, available to pre-order on Kickstarter.
