Sydney Footwear Candids 16

Have a great weekend, and make a point of checking out the site on Monday as we'll be launching a new and exciting competition!

Stitched Up; Sydney

Jeremy, Goldie and Saul were spotted one hazy afternoon in Bondi.  They had been enjoying a nice weekend chillin on the grass before heading off to the pub.

We stopped for a chat and they explained that they and run an Australian denim label which imports Japanese denim and speciliases in using their own washes.  As denim lovers, they are also sneaker lovers, and each had their own tale to tell.

The black plimsolls were chosen as a simple, neutral shoe that goes with anything, and the Nike's are a well worn and well loved shoe that have been in use for years.  The Generic Surplus Hunting Hi kicks are a new addition to the trio's kicks and initially look good.  However, their owner likes wearing shoes a size too small so they're literally bursting at the seams (see the bottom pic).

Game, Set and Match: Sydney

Michael is a very talented TV Producer that I'm currently working with who has a shared love of sneakers. These great Puma GV Special Hot Pick kicks are among his favourites, and were picked up at the iconic A Life Rivington store when he visited New York a couple of years ago.  The GV name represents Guillermo Vilas, a legendary Argentinian tennis player, the first South American male player to reach a Grand Slam event, and in his honour Puma have released a few incarnations of this shoe, but this is by far and away the best I have seen. 

Ironically, Michael is a keen tennis player and as well as these Puma kicks he also owns some Adidas Stan Smith's yet he didn't realise the tennis inspired background of either shoe. 

London Footwear Candids 3

It's been great being back in the UK but I'm Oz bound again so the Sole Digging quest will resume in Sydney next week.  Cheers London, I hope to see you again soon.

The Phoenix Soars; London

Some simple advice for you all - if you are ever looking for Band Managers look no further than Heathrow Airport Terminal 3.   After finding Branden, I also bumped into Simon who was awaiting to board a flight of his own to the US.
The Manager of the band Phoenix, Simon loves Vans, and picked up these rare coloured classic kicks from a Limited Edition sneaker store in downtown Chicago.
You can check out the band's music here, and I have to admit that while I wasn't too familiar with their work before meeting Simon, I now can't get the tune for their track Lisztomania out of my head!.

David LaChapelle Australia Visit

As a quick sidetrack from my recent London photos, it's with great excitement that I can announce a true photographic legend is coming to Australia; the one and only David LaChapelle!

Here on a promotional tour to launch the great new Nokia N8 handset, David will be showcasing the photographic capabilities of the fantastic new phone at;

Sydney 

Wednesday 20th Oct - International Ferry Terminal

Melbourne 

Saturday 23rd Oct - Queensbridge Square

For more info check out the Facebook page, and you could stand the chance of being shot my David yourself!!!

I couldn't write about the great man without featuring some of his amazing work so here are some of his amazing portraits, starting with someone whose own legacy has been celebrated before on this site, the late, great Alexander McQueen.

The following pictures appear courtesy of David LaChapelle.

Going Underground; London

Finsbury Park tube station setting was the apt setting for finding Malachi, a footwear lover who loves to find underground kicks.  He scours stores for rare and limited edition shoes, and these Reebok Pump Omni Lite-Hex Store in Green Mint were a great find from a small London store.  Originally released in 2008 in Japan, the shoes global appeal saw them spread around the world and now have pride of place in Malachi's collection.

Malachi has also emailed me some images of some of his other favourite kicks, check out these Nike Freddy Krueger SB Dunk Lows from the brand's 2007 'Horror Pack'.

Little Bright Star; London

I have been lucky enough to capture some great finds in the UK, all proving that the Brit's are heavily into their sneakers with a love for kicks in all shapes, sizes and colours.  And as my search continues it appears that even the UK youngsters are into their kicks.

Kaye loves her Nike Dunk's as they go with everything in her colourful wardrobe, so she loves nothing more than spending hours dressing up with the shoes to become a kaleidoscope of sneaker wearing colour.  

All These Things That I've Done; London

2nd July 2005 - Hyde Park - The Killers

I'm a huge music fan, and in 2005 while I was living in London I was lucky enough to get tickets to go to Live 8, a music extravaganza with a line up that featured the biggest names on the planet including (to name but a few) U2, Coldplay, The Who, Madonna, Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney and one of my favourite bands, The Killers.

Little did I realise that I would meet someone 5 years later through this site who was intrinsically involved with this band, and this event.

I spotted Branden at Heathrow Airport when I noticed his cool New Balance kicks. We got talking and he told me that he works in the music industry and was heading to San Francisco after working in the UK with a couple of bands.  I was excited to ask if he had worked with any bands that I might know of and he revealed that he had managed a band that I knew quite well...The Killers, and ironically after working with the band during their first album 'Hot Fuss' his last act was Live 8!, during which the band's performance of 'All These Things That I've Done' was a real highlight.

Heathrow was a terrible place to shoot - crowded, manic and terribly lit, but it was great to meet Branden and I look forward to hearing his new project - the new album from The Wombats soon.

Bargain Hunter Becomes Blog Hunted; London

Parryss' great style is so eye-catching that she has become something of a blog regular in the UK as she has featured on a couple of fashion sites before.  However, never before has her tireless work to find great kicks been celebrated!

I spotted her on London's Carnaby St and she explained that she goes to great lengths to find rare and limited edition kicks at boutique stores and limited edition sneaker stores, and she picked up these unique Reebok Ex-O-Fit Hi Strap shoes from the retail outlet 'TK Maxx'.  The store specialises in selling end of season produce so some great unique finds can be picked up there at bargain prices, and I can testify to this as it was a regular sneaker hunting haunt for myself when I used to live in the UK.

She goes to great lengths to keep her look sharp, and on behalf of the blogging community - Parryss, we thank you.

Where 2 Souls Meet; London

Melissa is a London based singer who is about to tour the UK supporting The Foals.

She LOVES sneakers, and has an eye for colourful shoes with unique detailing.  She found these unique Nike's in Melbourne a few years ago, and like all shoes in her 40+ pair collection wears them as often as she can.

From her tats and piercings to her array of accessories, Melissa's edgy and eclectic look features a mash up of great street styles, so you may be surprised to hear that her music that has a subtle and soft feel a million miles away from her punk-esque image.  You can check out some of her tracks here and here.

Funky Man, Funky Shoes; London

Spotted on London's South Bank, Anthony is a musician who collects musical instruments. He specialises in funk, and you can check out his work here and here.

His interesting look was punctuated with his bright Puma kicks that are his only sneakers that he wears as often as possible.

The bright red Puma Sky II Hi reissues have been 'Sky Hi' since their launch in 1982 and have since gone on to become arguably Puma's most successful basketball shoe and has been worn by many NBA players due to it's design that provides comfort and helps to prevent injuries.