Sculptor/filmmaker/installation artist Tom Sachs, perhaps best known for his incredible recreations/reimaginations of NASA missions in gallery spaces, has revealed his next sneaker designed in collaboration with Nike. According to Hypebeast, "the Tom Sachs x Nike Mars Yard Overshoe is slated to release at DSM London on Oct. 11 and roll out with a global release in the future, at a retail price of £390 (around $511 USD)." From an interview in Vogue:

As an artist and collaborator of many other artists and companies, what appeals to you about collaborating with Nike?

There’s a huge community with Nike, and I think probably the biggest thing that inspires me is that we have these shared ideals of: work first. It’s not just about winning the marathon, it’s about training for it. It’s not about finishing the sculpture, it’s the act of making things. For me, the advantage of being in the studio is I can make something one at a time, 19th-century-style. Nike doesn’t have that advantage, but has the ability to build thousands of products. As a result you have to make different kinds of decisions, and that process is very inspiring and challenging for me. I only do things that are interesting and keep me on my toes . . . . It’s a really major achievement, the shoe. I’m very, very proud of it. It’s something that I started working on in 2007 and just came to life this year. It’s something I didn’t know for sure if it was ever going really happen.

Would you spend $530 on a pair of sneakers that were described like this?

Crumply, hold-it-all-together tape details a distressed leather sneaker in a retro low profile with a signature sidewall star and a grungy rubber cupsole.

Yeah, neither would I, and neither would these folks (aka "the internet"):

Golden Goose comes out with a pair of sneakers listed at $530 that are worn down and kept together by tape. Since when is it a trend to glorify the appearance of used sneakers and poverty? pic.twitter.com/1yLTuitIBX

— Bryan Heckman (@b_hecky) September 20, 2018

Poverty is real, I’ve been bullied for wearing thrifted clothes before thrifting was “cool”, and now we have high end brands capitalizing upon many people’s past and current poverty related suffering. Thank you Golden Goose. I hope the designer that came up with this is happy. https://t.co/iixNhxip7T

— 1-800-ARE-YOU-DYIN (@evelyn_art_) September 20, 2018

The new fashion is wearing worn out looking shoes that include taped one that costs a bomb from $530 to $1340. Glorifying poverty or making a mockery of poverty, can't decide. #fashionstyle #GoldenGoose pic.twitter.com/k8mxvchw4n

— Kumar Manish (@kumarmanish9) September 20, 2018

There's a quote from something, wish I could remember what, but it goes something like "the rich kids all want to be poor and the poor kids all want to be dead". Seems relevant

— steph 👻 (@Thespookysteph) September 20, 2018

Once available at Nordstrom online, these held-together-with-tape sneakers by Italian luxury brand Golden Goose are currently sold out (or removed??). Not to worry, they have plenty of other filthy, overpriced shoes to choose from. Read the rest

These Hanao Shoes are two mints in one. They are a combination of geta sandals (those traditional Japanese clogs/flip flops) and white sneakers. They're made by Who Love Kyoto and appear to be sold out at this time.

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. HANAO STORE Craftsman #1 ENAMIの商品が全て完売いたしました。 この度は待望の試みであった 伝統文化の職人と"新しい鼻緒"を制作・発売ができたことを、とても嬉しく思っております。 ご購入いただいた皆様、誠にありがとうございました。 祇園祭にて菊水鉾のお茶席を担当しておられた皆様に履いていただきました。 今後のWhole Love Kyotoの取り組みにもご注目ください。 . . #京都 #Kyoto #WholeLoveKyoto #wlkonline #wlksnap #真田紐 #真田紐師江南 #HANAOSHOES #HANAO #鼻緒シューズ #鼻緒 #職人 #伝統工芸 #伝統文化 #碁盤の目 #ギンガムチェック #ginghamcheck #gingham #madeinjapan #madeinkyoto #shoes #sneaker #fashion #祇園祭 #gionmatsuri

A post shared by Whole Love Kyoto (@wholelovekyoto) on Jul 20, 2018 at 5:32am PDT

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. 【News】 7/16（Mon）18:00-7/22（Sun） HANAO SHOES Craftsman #1 ENAMI（SANADAHIMO） . Whole Love KyotoのHANAO SHOESは、京都の伝統文化の職人と協働して"新しい鼻緒"を制作しています。 この度、その初めてのコレクションとして秘密の紐として知られる「真田紐・江南」とのコラボレーションが実現しました。 . 祇園祭で賑わう八坂神社にてsnap撮影をさせていただきました。 前つぼに真田紐を用いたHANAO SHOESです。 爽やかな浴衣に青と薄あずき色の真田紐が夏の足元を 素敵に演出します。 . . 本日よりONLINE STOREにて販売中です。 Whole Love Kyotoのホームページよりご購入いただけます。 ぜひ、ご覧ください。 . . #京都 #Kyoto #WholeLoveKyoto #wlkonline #真田紐 #真田紐師江南 #HANAOSHOES #HANAO #鼻緒シューズ #鼻緒 #職人 #伝統工芸 #伝統文化 #碁盤の目 #ギンガムチェック #ginghamcheck #gingham #madeinjapan #madeinkyoto #shoes #sneaker #fashion #祇園祭 #gionmatsuri

A post shared by Whole Love Kyoto (@wholelovekyoto) on Jul 16, 2018 at 5:48am PDT

(SoraNews24) Read the rest

A French company has made it possible to take ordinary kicks and turn them into roller skates. Flaneurz' On Wheelz can put a set of wheels on sneakers (or other shoes like Doc Martens) simply by clicking them on. (Well, that's after you send your shoes to the company to be modified so the wheels can be simply clicked on. Or you can buy one of their pre-modified pairs.)

Voila! Insta-skates.

Something this cool doesn't come cheap. A set of On Wheelz with modified shoes costs between 380-475 euros (that's about $467-$588).

(Ufunk) Read the rest

You probably missed out when Nike auctioned off 89 modern-day replicas of Marty McFly's self-lacing sneakers, but that shouldn't stop you from having a pair. While they don't tie themselves, these handcrafted slippers inspired by Marty's futuristic Back to the Future II Air Mags should do the trick. Read the rest

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.

NPR reports:

[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

This charming line of sneaker-shaped candles and soap by Russian company What the Shape was surely created for "the sneakerhead who has everything."

Each one measures a little over 5 inches long and costs $15.

Some are even dyed and scented like fruit.

Check out their Instagram for more styles/colors.

(Ufunk) 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.

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There are some things I will never understand. This pair of high-tops by "Paris-based fashion house" Maison Margiela is definitely one of them.

Looking like something the cat dragged in (after ripping it apart with its claws for hours), these heavily-distressed, pre-destroyed --sorry "Future Destroyed"-- sneakers will set you back $1,425/pair. Oops sorry, you're out of luck, they're already sold out of them over at Neiman Marcus.

Instead, may I suggest you go find a nice wood chipper and mangle a pair for yourself? (I checked, the majority of wood chippers out there are cheaper than these sneakers.)

(TIWIB) Read the rest

This fine pair of Apple Computer sneakers, a holy grail of Apple memorabilia, will go up for auction on Sunday. The starting bid is $15,000 but they are estimated to fetch as much as $36,000. Available only to company employees in the early 1990s, they feature Apple's far superior rainbow logo. The shoe size is 9 1/2. Unclear if they were ever worn, and if so, by whom.

APPLE COMPUTER SNEAKERS, CIRCA EARLY 1990S SIZE 9 1/2 Read the rest

Famed psychedelic hot rod artist and comix illustrator Robert Williams has launched another line of rad Vans sneakers! The shoes integrate detail from Williams' mind bending masterpieces “Flaming Cobras”, “Malfeasance,” and “Jalapeña.”

Vault by Vans presents limited collection by Robert Williams (Vans)

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Legendary Japanese "superflat" artist Takashi Murakami designed a fantastic line of Vans sneakers for adults and kids to be released later this month. Read the rest

General Electric and Jack Threads are releasing a super-limited edition of Apollo 11-inspired sneakers, called "The Missions," designed by Android Homme.

The company, which is perhaps publicly better known for its consumer appliances and lighting products, provided in 1969 the silicone rubber that was used to create the now-iconic tread that lined the bottom of the Apollo moon boot. GE also produced the Lexan polycarbonate plastic used in forming the astronauts' bubble helmets....

The redesigned moon boots have components made from the same lightweight carbon fiber used for jet engine components and they sport a hydrophobic coating similar to the materials that are used to prevent ice from forming on wind turbine blades.

The Missions sneakers (via CollectSPACE) Read the rest