Since 1949, the iconic brand GANT has been defining what preppy American sportswear is. Even when Bernard Gantmacher started the brand in New Haven, Connecticut, he knew that durability and longevity would be the two key pillars for every piece his company would design and produce. As consistent branding across all channels can increase revenue by 23%, GANT's consistent commitment to high-quality shoes helped it become the success it is today. This success has enabled the sportswear brand to pursue its first-ever footwear collaboration.
GANT is partnering with Italian footwear maker Diemme to create a collection of hiking boots that you can wear anywhere, from the streets of your favorite city to the trails of your favorite park. Diemme's artisanal factory, which is about an hour north of Venice, will produce this limited-edition collection. Brothers Dennis and Maico Signor founded Diemme in 1992, bringing their knowledge and love for shoes they inherited from their family's roots in creating handcrafted footwear. While GANT has long focused on durability and longevity, Diemme is known for its high-quality designs and traditional craftsmanship.
"Diemme has been on my radar for a long time. They’re the perfect example of a brand that has catapulted a heritage product range into the higher echelons of fashion without compromising on quality and craftsmanship. When the opportunity to collaborate came along it was a no brainer," said the Global Artistic Director of GANT, Christopher Bastin.
Through this balanced partnership, GANT and Diemme are making hiking boots that feature design elements from Diemme's mountaineering DNA as well as GANT's heritage. The collection will be made from vegetable-dyed, full-grain cowhide leather. The boots will feature custom tonal and non-tonal rubber trims that protect against mud, rocks, and road salt. For ultimate comfort, the boots will have a cushioned latex compound sole as well as a soft calfskin leather lining. The design for the collaborative collection, known as Diemme x GANT, is based on Diemme's class Roccia Vet hiking boot.
The limited-edition collection of these stylish yet functional boots was made available in select retailers on Sept 24. The collection was also released online, making it available to the estimated 4,083,105,000 Internet users around the world. Any of these billions will be able to choose the color of boot they desire within the size range of Euro 40-46. You can visit GANT's website to browse the Diemme x GANT collection and pick out your perfect hiking boot.
For those of you who love the look of classic chucks but appreciate modern styling, these Converse Run Star Hightop Sneakers are for you. The modern, hightop chucks boast a chunky platform and jagged rubber sole. The build, lace-up closure, rubber toe cap and iconic Chuck Taylor ankle patch stay true to the original silhouette; while its molded platform, exaggerated two-tone outsole, and rounded heel gives it a modernistic feel. You'll love it's cowhide upper, a break from the classic canvas. Its smartFOAM sockliner offer cushioning, so you will be comfortable while looking cool.
We love the Black/Saffron Yellow/Egret colorway for the fall season and we know you will too. Get them for $110.00 on www.shopbop.com.
Sustainability has been a major priority for a variety of industries as rampant consumerism and industrialization have led to environmental issues such as deforestation and water pollution. About 100 million tons of carbon dioxide is released into the air every year just from air conditioners alone. To combat these negative effects on the environment, many companies in the footwear industry have been searching for a sustainable alternative that is still strong enough to stand up to daily wear and tear. Raum may have found that alternative.
The shoes from Raum are considered stylish earthing footwear and they are made without synthetic materials. The design of the shoes allows your body to be conductive to the planet's electrical energy, which is said to have a range of healing attributes. The main feature that allows for this connection is a copper rivet in the flexible sole of the shoe. This rivet encourages the flow of electrons from the earth into your body. Each shoe's rivet is located at the KD1 acupuncture point, allowing it to touch your foot without you even feeling it. While the rivet acts as a superconductor of the earth's healing electrons, you'll enjoy the shoe in complete comfort.
The flexibility of the sole is also one of the unique features of the shoe. You can fold the shoe in half or roll it in on itself without compromising the integrity of the shoe. It will bounce right back to its original shape. The soles also mold to your feet over time, making them extremely comfortable. With more flexible shoes that allow you to walk comfortably and won't make you trip, you may be able to avoid injuries like mild ankle sprains, which can take seven to 10 days to heal. The soles in Raum shoes are also zero-drop, which helps promote natural walking as humans were built to do.
The other materials in the outer part of Raum shoes are vegetable-tanned leather and luxe suede. The soles are connected to the upper part of the shoe with a single piece of thread made of 100% cotton. This allows each pair to be re-soled and used for years, rather than having to throw it in the landfill once the shoe starts to wear. Each shoe is also fully lined with sheepskin, giving your feet both warmth and breathability.
The founder of Raum, Tyler Pinkos, had worked in the footwear industry for many years before venturing out to start Raum. When he made this venture and joined the 400 million entrepreneurs around the world, he knew that he wanted to bring a product to the market that would be stylish while also being practical to wear every day. They make the footwear in small batches and each shoe is completely handmade. Although the company is based in California, it partners with a small atelier in Europe who employs about 10% Syrian refugees. In this way, Raum is able to ensure that each pair of their shoes is high-quality while also helping Syrian families find financial stability.
Anyone who is interested in purchasing sustainable, all-natural footwear that allows you to connect to the earth through the soles of your feet would love the shoes that Raum makes. They come in a variety of colors, from bold scarlet and tumeric to natural moss and walnut, so that you can find a pair that suits your style. Best of all, you'll know that your choice in footwear minimizes harm to the environment.
If you watched the Brandy and Monica Verzuz battle, then you most likely saw the simple and classic mules Brandy paired with her eclectic outfit. We certainly did and we loved them. While we're sure they were designer, we're just not sure that is was the stunning Bottega Veneta Puffy Intreccio Square Mules you see above. In all honesty, we love these more than the ones Brandy wore because of its intricate and beautiful details.
These darling slides are anything but simple. These beauties boast a leather upper, woven into squares. It also features an elongated square open toe, a single-band vamp, and a 3 1/2" covered heel. Available in several colors that includes Yellow, Sky Blue, Nero (black), Optic White, Beige, and Cipria (a dark German chocolate brown), these luxury shoes are available for $1,270 on www.neimanmarcus.com.
Who ever said doing charity work isn't rock and roll? The nonprofit of heavy metal band Metallica, All Within My Hands (AWMH), has partnered with a 137-year-old boot brand, Wolverine, to help support the future of the workforce in the United States. Together, these two forces intend to provide trade school students with scholarship funding. They plan to do this by launching two special edition boots inspired by none other than Metallica.
When you order a pair of the Wolverine x Metallica Scholars 1000 Mile Axel boots or the Wolverine x Metallica Scholars Hellcat Ultraspring™ boots, 100% of the proceeds will go to AWMH to help support students learning skilled trades. These trades are essential in keeping our society running, but often go underappreciated. Tradesmen include people like metal fabricators, who are responsible for creating metal for manufacturing and need to undergo safety training as part of their documented quality control programs because the job can be dangerous. Skilled trades often present some form of danger to those working in them, yet don't receive much support to help tradesmen work safely.
Three community college trade programs will benefit from this particular partnership. Grand Rapids Community College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Lone Star College in Houston, Texas, and WSU Tech in Wichita, Kansas will each receive a $100,000 joint grant from Wolverine and Metallica Scholars. Each school will also receive Wolverine boots to give students a jumpstart in their careers. Whether a student becomes a part of the 84% of contractors who use modular construction processes on projects or they become a welder who builds the parts for that construction process, they need sturdy boots to work in. Wolverine boots are just that.
"By ensuring community colleges and trade programs across the country have the resources they need, we can support students who are choosing to join the skilled trades and together be one step closer to closing the gap," said Tom Kennedy, the global brand president for Wolverine.
To learn more about the partnership between Wolverine and AWMH and their initiative, visit Wolverine.com/projectbootstrap.
