KEEN teams up with Afew for limited-edition mindful walking shoe

KEEN and Afew Store encourage mindful walking with new sneaker

By Leslie Leon Published August 1, 2025 9:29 PM

new keen walking shoe — KEEN / KEEN

Known for their premium hiking and trail-ready footwear, KEEN’s newest launch is set to take on a more passive pastime: walking. Along with Afew Store, KEEN is taking the opportunity to slow down and help promote mindful walking. While many of the brand’s lineup involves the utmost advanced technology made to keep up with active lifestyles, the most recent launch takes a step back from the noise and allows users to get intentional with their walking once more. Donning one of KEEN’s most classic silhouettes, the new limited-edition shoe is more than just another pair of shoes. For this campaign, KEEN and German-based Afew Store are encouraging users to carve out time for mindful walking and take some time out from a busy lifestyle.

KEEN and Afew Store unite for some mindful walking

Based on KEEN’s two-cord design, the newest “Past Forward” UNEEK WK sneaker promotes a slower pace of life while donning simple and minimalistic technology and design, featuring KEEN.CURVE technology, the sneaker offers a curve from toe to heel, helping users move themself forward with ease. Details like rubberized mudguards and a neutral color palette, the UNEEK WK sneaker is easy to sport and style. Subtle details like a custom tassel and ribbed cord add small doses of character to the shoe, without overwhelming the calming message. The “Past Forward” UNEEK WK sneaker will debut via Afew Store’s and KEEN’s platforms on August 2. While the walking shoe is perfectly in line with the technology needed for everyday walking, the message of both brands goes far beyond another footwear collaboration.

Leslie is a Los Angeles-based writer and content creator. She is always researching and finding the latest fashion trends…

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Footwear

Fashion & Style

U-Boat’s extreme dive watch costs 85% less than Rolex equivalent

Italian microbrand creates titanium leviathan rivaling world's most extreme dive watches

U Boat Profondo press image

Italian watchmaker U-Boat has entered the ultra-extreme diving watch segment with the Profondo 10,000 MT, a titanium timepiece boasting 10,000-meter water resistance that directly challenges Rolex's Deepsea Challenge while costing less than 15% of its market price.
The extreme diving category emerged from record-breaking expeditions, including Omega's prototype Seamaster Planet Ocean watches that accompanied the Five Deeps Expedition in 2019, diving to the bottom of the Mariana Trench at 10,935 meters. This narrowly surpassed James Cameron's 2012 descent using an experimental Rolex, ultimately leading to the Crown's first production titanium model, the Deepsea Challenge, with 11,000-meter water resistance.
While Rolex's Deepsea Challenge retails for $27,600 when available through authorized dealers and commands double that on the secondary market, U-Boat's Profondo 10,000 MT offers comparable deep-diving capability at a fraction of the cost.
The Italian timepiece features a massive 46mm wide by 27mm tall titanium case claimed to withstand 1,000 times Earth's atmospheric pressure. Following the same material logic as Rolex and Omega, U-Boat recognized that stainless steel would be too heavy for such extreme specifications, necessitating titanium construction for theoretical wearability.
The watch incorporates a titanium unidirectional bezel holding a 9.7mm domed sapphire crystal. While lacking the ceramic insert and luminescent pip found on the Rolex Deepsea Challenge, the dive scale is directly etched into the bezel. Despite being four millimeters narrower than the Rolex, U-Boat maintains its 10,000-meter resistance claim.
U-Boat's unique approach appears in the dial design, featuring an original three-layer sandwich construction rather than copying established dive watch aesthetics. The metal layers are laser cut and aged with oxidizing acids to resemble shipwreck artifacts, creating a distinctive patinated appearance that aligns with U-Boat's ostentatious Italian design philosophy.
Applied titanium hour markers filled with beige Super-LumiNova complement 1970s-style diving hands differentiated by size and color. A chapter ring featuring hexagonal bolt markers evokes submarine hull construction, reinforcing the watch's deep-sea narrative.
The Profondo 10,000 MT includes both an aged Italian leather strap with titanium double-pin buckle and an additional three-link titanium bracelet, providing versatility absent from the Rolex offering.
Powered by the reliable Sellita SW200 automatic movement, the watch demonstrates that extreme water resistance capabilities need not require luxury pricing or celebrity endorsements.
At $4,200, the U-Boat Profondo 10,000 MT proves that microbrand innovation can challenge established players in specialized segments, offering genuine extreme diving capability without the premium associated with Swiss luxury brands.

Fashion & Style

Casio’s samurai watch blends ancient and modern tech

The samurai sword-inspired G-Shock that redefines luxury watches

The MRG-B2000 Series MRGB2000RG3A

Casio continues its horological excellence with the debut of the MRG-B2000 Kurogane-Iro demonstrating the craftsmanship that has made the brand a favorite for generations. This limited edition collection brings traditional Japanese swordsmithing techniques and modern watchmaking together in exceptional ways. This timepiece from G-Shock’s premium MR-G collection takes inspiration from the artistry of samurai katana swords, featuring a tsuiki hammered titanium case that mimics the hand-forged texture of ancient blades. Each timepiece exemplifies meticulous finishing, ensuring each watch is unique — a testament to its artistic legacy and exclusivity.

Ancient craftsmanship meets cutting-edge technology

Fashion & Style

CLOT and adidas update the Superstar with patchwork and ripple soles

Adidas and CLOT introduce a new Superstar sneaker

patchwork superstar sneaker

Known for their unique and statement collaborations, CLOT by Edison Chen and Adidas are reuniting for another stellar partnership that’s set to remix the Superstar. Over the years, CLOT and Adidas have tackled many of the athletic company’s iconic silhouettes, including the Superstar sneaker. While they’ve taken on the sneaker before, this new iteration of the Superstar brings a more texturized look that’ll be a perfect addition for your fall footwear rotation. Just earlier this month, the pair introduced their espadrille version of the Stan Smith sneaker, and now the duo is focusing on the fall for their newest hit. While keeping with the Superstar’s recognizable silhouette, the many additions and new details make the sneaker feel fresh yet nostalgic.

CLOT and Adidas’ patched up Superstar sneaker