In commemoration of the 2012 Chinese Zodiac’s year of the dragon, New Balance has crafted a unique pack to celebrate the heralded occasion. The set utilizes one of the brand’s most readily released silhouettes, the 574. The collection highlights a variety of colorways, as each will be most notably set off by branding of the mythical creature throughout each edition.

Sneakers, trainers, kicks -call them whatever you want but stemming from a background of sporting apparel for basketball players since Marquis Converse conceptualized it in 1917, they have indeed come a long way. Ditching their reputation of being a 12 year olds’ footwear and now that basketball shoes have reigned supreme in the basketball court, sneakers have finally found its calling. In mainstream, that is. These shoes have penetrated into all facets of life from everyday wear and tear to fashion statement. So if you’re looking to add another pair to your sneakers collection, we are at your service with the 5 chic sneakers of Autumn/Winter 2011.

1. Christian Louboutin Spacer Flat sneakers
Think Christian Louboutin and the mind goes to that signature glimpse of devil red soles that you get in a pair of heels that is of the fashion house’s creation. But, good news guys, Christian Louboutin is starting to expand its brilliance into mens footwear, starting with these sneakers. With straps and zippers details, these sneakers are truly the hottest pair that Autumn/Winter 2011 season has laid its eyes upon. In fact, there are plenty of great choices from the Christian Louboutin FW 2011 sneaker line like the Rantus Orlanto and Louis Flat collection.



Source credited to: theshoebuff.com

2. Nike Air Ralston Mid Lite TZ
For those of you who wish for something with more of a simplified aesthetic that does not skimp on comfort and versatility, these Air Ralston Mid Lites from Nike Sportswear Fall 2011 collection are structured with you in mind. With a premium raw suede upper and Nike’s revolutionizing Air Unit in the sole, these sneakers with its up-to-date deconstructed flair are the epitome of timeless footwear appeal with a twist.


Source credited to: slamxhype.com


3. CLAE’s Mobley and Wilder
You may not have heard of CLAE but it’s about time you pay attention to this new kid on the sneakers block. This LA based brand of bold sneaks with its classic sensibility and notes of unexpected colour accents has even been named as one of GQ’s crucial kicks. The Mobley and Wilder are specifically mentioned in this article as CLAE’s latest offering for FW 2011 but do visit their website for a consistently strong lineup of impressive designs for all seasons such as the Khan, the Russell, the Strayhorn and the Ellington.




Source credited to: clae.com

4. Creative Recreation’s Cicero
Another sneaker brand featured on GQ’s compilation of crucial kicks is Creative Recreation. Their take on fall sneakers and the colour stories behind it will leave sneaker-heads spinning. Most notable out of Creative Recreation’s fall releases is the military inspired Cicero. Focusing on a sneaker that will help you brave the rapidly approaching cold, the creative minds at Creative Recreation came up with a leather laced up collection with removable snow cuffs.

Source credited to: cr8rec.com


4. Missoni X Converse Chuck Taylor All Star


It would be wrong for us to talk about sneakers without paying tribute to the brand that started it all- all hail Converse! If you think the age old brand has been sitting comfortably on its reputation then you are clearly mistaken. With so many designer partnerships under its belt from Junya Watanabe to Schott NYC, Converse has been going non-stop at its revamp movement. One of the more successful collaboration is with the Italian fashion house Missoni. For this fall, they have done it again with what can only be described as space-dyed knit construction method on the classic Chuck Taylor.








Ultimately, always look for good autumn/winter sneakers with good sole traction and insulation, water resistant that keep you comfortable with style.

Running shoes or trainers nowadays are stylish, comfortable, durable and protective of your feet, but it does make it a little harder to buy your perfect pair of shoes when there is a sea of shoes to choose from. So how can you be sure that you are putting out your hard earned money for a decent pair of running shoes? And why should you even bother? What is the importance of a good pair of trainers anyway?

Sadly, We have always thought that trainers are trainers; the difference seems to only ever be their vast difference in price. After all, what difference does it make by running in a typical cheap pair of shoes and one that costs more than 5 times its price? Running is still running, right? Wrong! So wrong!

In addition, it is not hard to see more than a few people wearing various types of sneakers ranging from football to basketball sneakers to a marathon run! These are the people that will suffer massive amounts of pain after the running exercise.
Different activities satisfy different needs as the biomechanics of these events is different. Good trainers are shoes that would not hurt your feet throughout any running exercise.

First of all, they can avoid blisters and other pains in the foot. If you are using a bad pair of trainers, coupled up with incorrect kind of socks, you would feel sore feet quickly. One of the biggest mistakes in picking socks is that most people go for cotton socks but they tend to cause friction against your skin.

Secondly, a good pair of trainers provides a snug fit to your foot as much as possible. It is also the reason why your foot feels lighter as you run. One of the problems you would encounter with a wrong pair of shoes during running is that you would have blisters. This comes from the friction of your heel against the wrong pair of shoes during running.

So in case you are looking for a new pair of trainers after coming to the end of this post, you might want to give the Nike Air Max 95 a chance. It is best known for being incredible lightweight that make you comfortable on feet and suitable for several sports, like running, climbing, rappelling and even daily walking. Alternately, you can find more Nike trainers at size.co.uk.

Everyone know New Balance, but not sure whether you know their environmental theme? Based their initiative with the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, the company is introducing a fleece-like lace-up constructed from 95 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. The newSky, the shoe is part of New Balance's effort to incorporate sustainable practices into their long-term goals. It'll be available come October, with a streamlined design that yields minimal waste.

Because the recycled fabric behaved differently from typical footwear material, New Balance designers Christine Hall and Drew Spieth had to make adjustments to accommodate the material’s distinctive features. Besides whittling away any extraneous components, Hall and Spieth also borrowed elements from the NB Minimus by using the same pared-down outsole and last. “For the design intent of the upper, the same philosophies are applied—minimizing the amount of materials used so you’re not over-building the shoe, but making it as comfortable as possible,” Spieth says. By the way, it take about an average of eight recycled plastic bottles goes into each pair of newSky sneakers.

The recycled fabric, known commercially as Eco-fi, replaced parts of the shoe that previously utilized foam, leather, or virgin plastic, including the entire upper. Instead for conventional reinforcements such as plastic or leather, Hall and Spieth braced the heel with heavier-weight fabric and strategic stitching along the back seam. “The heel is where most of the reinforcing happens,” Hall says. “But when we doubled-up the material, you don’t need any reinforcement because the material is doing it itself.”


By exploiting the fabric’s unique characteristics through heating, molding, and pressing, the duo was able to strip away many traditional, non-recycled materials. The result is not only a shoe that’s gentler on the planet but also one that looks and feels good. “It was a big goal to keep it functional and looking stylish,” Spieth says. “At the end of the day, it looks like an interesting shoe and also looks great on the foot.”

Contributed by Charlie