Y-3 Qasa High All-White
In a trainer world rife with reissues, Yohji Yamamoto’s Y-3 Qasa proved that sneaker design can still leave you breathless. Combining a futuristic aesthetic with the kind of wearability that most concept trainers rarely achieve, the Qasa has spawned a legion of inferior copycat shoes – in a fast fashion world, that’s the ultimate sign of success. (Related: The best minimalist trainer brands) The all-black version of the Qasa sold out in a flash last year and we expect the all white version will do exactly the same – after all, aren’t boxfresh white sneaks the ultimate colourway for kicks? Available now at store.y-3.com, priced £260.
Poggy United Arrows & Sons For Filling Pieces
Motofumi ‘Poggy’ Kogi, creative director of the legendary Tokyo store United Arrows & Sons, has collaborated with cult trainer house Filling Pieces to create this extremely limited edition version of the brand’s signature low-top. Rose gold eyelets and premium indigo dip dyed toe caps set the collection apart from anything Filling Pieces has done before, fusing an elevated luxury aesthetic to the label’s core street style. With numbers limited to 100 pieces, this is one for the serious collectors. Available now at Mr. Porter, priced £225.
adidas Tubular Nova
The adidas Tubular range continues to grow apace, standing out in a sea of retro styles and rehashed ‘classics’. The Tubular Nova is about to drop in two new colourways – a graphic black and white alongside a bold all-red version – with neoprene uppers, pigskin suede or printed leather overlays and the trademark heel strap atop the always futuristic Tubular sole unit. (Related: Why it’s time you embraced ‘ugly’ trainers) Though designed for running, these kicks are too pretty to muddy up in the park. Available now at adidas, priced £100.
Reebok Tonal Bolton City Pack
As part of its SS16 collection, Reebok has jumped on the retro bandwagon and released a new three-piece pack of the 1990s Bolton runner. The three distinct colourways – red, blue and sandstone – reference the cities of Bolton, Boston and Barcelona with each shoe featuring soft nubuck suede uppers and a map of the corresponding city on the sock liner. This is the thinking man’s Reebok Classic. Available now at Reebok, priced £90.
Puma Blaze Of Glory ‘Street Dark’
Easily one of the best designs from Puma in recent years, the Blaze of Glory has been through a flurry of collaborations recently, but this colourway stands head and shoulders above all the rest. The ‘Street Dark’ sneak comes in a glorious autumnal palette of black, blue, grey, tan and burgundy. Crafted from a range of traditional uppers – mesh, suede and leather – the shoe also features less conventional fabrics with faux fur accents at the tongue. This incarnation of the Blaze of Glory certainly lives up to its name. Available now at Hanon, priced £99.
adidas x Raf Simons Stan Smith
Belgium’s best export since beer, Raf Simons has pretty much hijacked the Stan Smith and made it all his own. In the newest drop the tell-tale ‘R’ motif on the side has been replaced with three thin buckled straps – a nod to the iconic adidas three-stripe motif. True to the Raf aesthetic these shoes are classics, albeit with a slight modern twist. Dropping in a range of colours we recommend the monochromatic black and white version for ultimate versatility. Available now at Mr Porter, priced £260.
