On Your Feet is all about that new shoe feeling- from the first time you open the box until they’re worn into the ground. Sometimes we’ll sift through the constant Air Jordan releases to bring you the gems other people will leave on the shelves, and sometimes we’ll slide on reclaimed leather loafers from Prague, but we’ll always focus on comfortable shoes with appealing and creative aesthetic. So lace up your new kicks and stand on the precipice of adventure, where will we go together?
Back in 2001, Adidas sat down to work with legendary fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto. 14 years later, Y-3 continues to blend Yamamoto’s unique take on high fashion with athletic technology and classic styling from Adidas. While the whole collection features high fashion clothing and gear, the shoes really stand out, especially the Y-3 Qasa High, a recently introduced flagship sneaker for the line.
The design on the Qasa high can only be described as otherworldly. Two wide straps cross both ways over the top of the sneaker, with laces near the top, and a comfortable and flexible neoprene sock as the base. The outsole is a rubber tubular construction, from which the Adidas Tubular pulled its trademark bottom. The Qasas stand out in all the best ways, bringing together the newest in Adidas running innovations and the highest quality materials to create a shoe that’s lightweight, and incredibly comfortable.
But not all of the designs are original shoes, some of them are remixed versions of mainstream Adidas kicks. Among the newest of these is the Y-3 D-Rose 5, the newest in Chicago player Derrick Roses’ line of court shoes. Where the signature version of the shoe features special woven uppers and synthetic leather for lighter feel, the Y-3 version moves in an entirely different direction. Replacing the techy upper with large nappa leather panels in black and brown, with a zipper up the middle for a look that has one foot in the future and the other firmly in the 90s. They both share the same Adidas Boost outsole, an impressive material that returns energy on impact, and also has a unique gravely look, a departure from the standard tubular outsole on most Y-3 sneakers.
The classic Rod Laver sneaker also got the Y-3 treatment, turning it from a simple low-top skate shoe into a mid-top sneaker with explosive design elements. The basic silhouette stays the same, but new materials like mesh and suede give this remixed classic a totally premium look. While bright colors lurk underneath, black is the main feature of the shoe, a trademark of Yamamoto’s design that he says stems from his childhood in war-torn Tokyo. The subtle details of Yamamoto’s collection draw in sneakerheads and fashion enthusiasts, straying from the popular trends for a more futuristic, outsider look.
You can check out the whole Adidas Y-3 line on their site, including clothing and shoes for men and women.
