The Master's Apprentice; Sydney

Naomi has found that being the partner of a sneaker enthusiast can be beneficial experience.  Her partner collects kicks, and rather than moan and complain about his growing collection (like a certain blogger's wife) she has embraced his interest which in turn has seen her reap the rewards.

Through his interest she has got more into sneakers and she saw these Adidas Adi Hoop Mid boots in Sydney while they were out shopping together, and he later went back to purchase them for her as a surprise.

She is growing into something of a sneaker fan herself, and these clean and simple kicks have a subtle retro look that works perfectly with Naomi's chic style which looks great in this backlight Autumnal portrait.

Sydney Footwear Candids 11

Colourful Campus; Sydney

Sydney is becoming an increasingly cosmopolitan city with people travelling from far and wide to enjoy the beautiful weather, scenery and lifestyle.  And when newcomers arrive they each bring with them their own sense of style, and in some cases (like above) some eye-catching sneakers.

Originally from Italy the owner of these sneakers is in Sydney for 1 year to work in the textile industry.  She only brought a small suitcase with her, and could only fit 1 pair of sneakers so she picked these Adidas Campus as their simple styling and multicoloured design make them a practical shoe that will go with any outfit.

Dress down Sunday; Sydney

Whilst enjoying a Sunday brunch at the highly recommended Jeds Food Store in Bondi, I spotted this weekend sneaker wearer and his very unique All Stars.

From Monday to Friday the owner is a real estate agent so is used to wearing suits and shoes for the grind of his 9 to 5, but at the weekends he can cut loose and enjoy a more casual and colourful look.

These kicks play a key part in this look and were picked up in New York while on holiday last year.

With their intricate print design and great colouring the shoes offer a great contemporary twist on a classic shoe that keeps reaching out to new crowds, looks and styles.

Senegalese All Star; Sydney

Originally from Senegal, this sneaker owner is a permanent fixture at the Sunday Bondi Markets in Sydney.

Each week his stall sells authentic African clothing which catches the attention of countless weekend shoppers who love his colourful prints and style.  I however, was drawn to the simplicity of his footwear.

While he wears his own attire in the form of his colourful board shorts, he has balanced their busy style with some clean, and simple All Stars.

He is a big fan of these classic Converse kicks and has them in a few basic colours as they go with any outfit.

Sydney Footwear Candids 10

Bargain Gold; Sydney

Another day in Newtown, and another pair of classic retro Reeboks.

This sneaker lover is originally from the UK and has a keen eye for classic kicks, especially those that come at a good price.

He was able to pick these iconic Reebok Sir Jam sneakers at a bargain price in a store sale, and it was money well spent on a model that was the brand's top of the line basketball shoe back in the early 90's.

I forecast that a Reebok retro revival could be on the cards for 2010 a few months ago, and these kicks are further evidence of this trend emerging.

Well Travelled Superstar; Sydney

Chrissie is a fantastic fashion photographer who I spotted while she was looking around the Bondi markets one Sunday afternoon.

She spends a lot of her time travelling around the world shooting, and picked up these timeless Adidas Superstars in London a few months ago.

The shoes have become some of the most well travelled sneakers I have found so far as after leaving London they travelled across Europe, through Asia, and finally on to Australia. 

Chrissie wears these classic kicks everyday and finds that their perfect mix of style and comfort makes them the ideal shoe for all occasions.

Making his Marc; Sydney

Marc is a good mate of mine who I met only a few months after arriving in Sydney back in 2008.  He is a very talented TV Editor and we worked together when I was Producing Australian Idol and we made some great TV together, and in the process of spending a few months together in the same room we became good mates.
Marc recently got married to the lovely Liz while they were travelling across the US, and he picked up these shoes from Aldo in New York.
A clean, classic plimsoll with a contemporary twist, these shoes work well with Marc's laid back 'Bondi' style.

Sydney Footwear Candids 9

Smoko; Sydney

This Bartender spends all day on her feet, so her well-worn and highly comfortable Dunlop Volleys have become her footwear of choice for those long and tiring work days.

I took this shot while she was enjoying a well earned smoko* outside the bar and I liked the way in which her angular pose works well within the shot's composition.

* "Smoko" (also "smoke-o" or "smoke-oh") is a term used in Australian English, New Zealand English and Falkland Islands English for a short, often informal, cigarette break taken during work.

Gig Night; Sydney

The owner of these gold and black Reebok Pump Omni Lite Pumps is a big Reebok fan and these Hexalite kicks have pride of place within his collection.

He picked up these great looking retro kicks from a Brisbane store and I loved the way in which their clean and pristine appearance contrasted with his edgy look.

In addition to being a Reebok collector he is also a guitarist with the Sydney Punk Rock band Flatline Drama, and when I spotted him he was counting down the clock before a gig that evening, and I hope the band rocked as much as his kicks did.

Market Mayhem; Sydney

This first time market stall owner was a colourful addition to Sydney's Newtown markets as she attempted to cash in on her vast collection of retro clothes.

She has had these Limited Edition Puma First Round shoes for 6 months, and loves the fact that the black goes with any outfit, no matter how colourful or crazy it may be.
She loves the shoes so much that she also picked up a matching pair in metallic silver which has led me to think that maybe I have untapped a Sydney trend of colourful characters wearing silver Pumas as started here by Nathan.

Work of Art; Sydney

I spotted this Artist on a recent Saturday afternoon when he was on his way to Sydney's Paddington markets.  However, while he was keen to take a look at the art on offer, I was more interested in checking out the role his sneakers played in his look.

His simple black outfit was only detailed with 2 things; the first of which were his Nike Air Flytops.  Purchased from a Sydney Hype DC store last year these are his favourite kicks and he loves them as they work with any of his signature black outfits.  The second thing to add detail to this artist's outfit was the unique Japanese style tattoo that he designed himself.

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Teenage Kicks; Sydney

Since the 1950's the Converse All Star has been a shoe synonymous with teenage rebellion. The shoes have been staples for Greasers, Rockers, Punks, Grungers, and more, and leap forward to 2010 you can see from this teenager that the shoes are now a staple for the pop-punk crowd.

These hot pink Hi-Tops caught my eye when I saw the owner chasing some pigeons in a park with her friends, and despite only being 3 weeks old she wears them everyday with her edgy, anti-establishment style.

Katie ♥ NY; Sydney

Katie spent last weekend in New York for her birthday.  She had been looking forward to a fun trip with friends from the UK, but when the volcano eruption in Iceland saw Europe clouded in ash, a number of her friends were kept on the tarmac at Heathrow.
However, it wasn't all bad news as Katie did pick up these great kicks in Soho.  Unavailable in Australia, these shoes had an instant attraction for her due to their clean, classic design and funky purple soles.  You could say she digs her own sole.  Man.

Simple; Sydney

When I was at school a teacher assured us that the best things in life were simple things done well.  This adage is something adopted by this sneaker wearer whose wardrobe consists of very simple elements.  A musician who I spotted while waiting for a coffee, he went on to tell me that he has only 1 pair of shoes, and only 1 pair of sneakers, these black/purple Air Force 1s.  Simple.