Some of the perks of having friends in high places is getting your hands on things a bit early. When I was in Vegas a few weeks ago I got a chance to get my hands on the new Element Emerald Hampton Elite’s.

The chukka boat has so many elements (no pun intended) that I enjoy. For starters I love the navajo pattern details and the beads on the laces, it gives it that native look. I like the fact that they used a vibram outsole so I know they will be comfortable. The contrast stitching and the deck shoe influence also makes this a great looking shoe.

These will be hitting retail October 1st.

Thanks to Nick & Element.

Adidas & Diesel have been collaborating on products for more than a few seasons now. Recently they teamed up for some kicks that came out pretty fresh. A few weeks ago I was invited by Diesel to pick up a pair from their Montreal shop location. I decided to get these Stan Smith 80′s mid’s in a distressed leather.

The studs give them that little extra edge that I like and everything from the shoes to the packgaing is co-branded with both iconic brands logomarks and imprints.

These are available right now at retail.

$165

Thanks Diesel.

I’ve been sitting on these Oliberte’s for a few weeks now and I finally got around to wearing them. They are almost perfect! They are comfortable, light and very stylish. I’ve been profiling Oliberte as a brand for a while now and I have to say that I am loving this new silhouette. The style is called the Naviro and like all Oliberte styles they are made in Africa.

Casual Loafer
Traditional Stitch Down stitching around base
Premium Brown Yellow Pullup leather upper
100% goat leather Dark Brown Lining
Vegetable Tanned Leather MidSole
Recycled Crepe Rubber Outsole with Wedge
3mm dark brown round leather cord laces
Made in Ethiopia

$140

Marcus Troy chose two winners from the Mavericks Project to accompany him to New York City, in order to design the Maverick Project Bespokes. Carlos Sanchez, Tim Rodrigues and Marcus Troy spent hours working with IZ from Nike Sportswear at 21 Mercer Street designing the new Bespokes.

The approach was to create a shoe that would be timeless and reflect the Maverick spirit of its designers. Each shoe is defined by one detail that directly speaks to the personality of these individuals.

The three of them decided on using waterproof wool for the upper, leather for the tongue and Kevlar detailing. “The shoe was meant to look grown” says Carlos Sanchez, one of the winners of the experience. Tim commented that he wanted the shoe to be classy and original. Total of 3 shoes were designed for The Marcus Troy Experience Bespoke session. Each shoe is personalized on the dubre with the name of the winners.

Marcus enlisted Vince Tsang of On & Beyond to capture the essence of the shoe through photography. The photos clearly capture the ideals and thoughts behind the Maverick project Bespokes. Marcus’s vision was to create “a real man’s” type of shoe, inspired by the utilitarian and fashionable trends of today, but with the aged and vintage feel of the past.

The retrospective video was also shot by Vince Tsang, who captured Marcus in his element, discussing the Maverick Project and The Marcus Troy Experience.

We designed 3 Bespokes shoes for the Mavericks Project. I wanted to give you guys a glimpse at the shoe that we cooked up! I will be revealing the Maverick Project Bespokes really soon.

How nice are these? These are very nice… I got these a few weeks back and they’ve been making their way into my steady rotation of weekly footwear. The Abington collection by Timberland has been extremely solid since their debut a few years ago.  I like the chestnut suede colour and the bright white outsole. These look great with khaki’s or dark navy denim.

Ac couple months ago I had the opportunity to design a pair of custom Vnas classics at the Off The Hook shop here in Montreal. The shoes finally arrived and I am extremely happy with the outcome. This is my first pair of Vans classics and I was inspired by the alleys on Peel street for the color way.

You can also design your very own pair online or at some Vans locations. Check out the Off The hook Shop for more details.

Last week my friends over at Gram gave me a really great pair of linen shoes. These are perfect for that nice hot summer day. They feel comfortable and great without socks. I’ve been a fan of Gram for about 4 years now and I am happy to see the collection evolve in such a good way. I wore these the other day with a pair of linen shorts and a chambray shirt and it looked amazing.

379g navy linen

Yesterday the mail man dropped off a box which contained a pair of Del Toro Navy Velvet slippers. These are pretty smooth with the red stripe at the back. I know a lot of people prefer theirs with an insignia or an emblem on the toe box but I am liking mines clean.

Del Toro is a footwear brand based out in Miami who specialize in making fine footwear out of beautiful fabrics. The shoes are handmade in Spain.

If you want some tips on how to wear them , you can check here.

$ 235

Yesterday I was shopping Montreal retail and I came across these really incredible Y-3 Drive Moc’s. I know they are very similar to the SWIMS collection that I’ve featured and I am not one to condone  bitting but these are dope! Mind you they are a bit pricey with a price tag of $450 but they are amazing in person.