In the sneaker world, it seems like new collaborations drop every hour on the hour, but this is one that’s definitely worth talking about. Engineered Garments designer Daiki Suzuki has a way of making even the most mundane clothes fresh and new. His vision of Americana filtered through a keen eye for fit, finish, fabric, and a nod to the future is what netted him our award as the Best New Menswear Designer in America in 2008. An avid surfer, it’s not too surprising to see Suzuki collaborating with storied sneaker brand Vans. The Vault by Vans line has always offered interesting takes on old classics from the likes of WTAPS and Taka Hayashi, but the Engineered Garments collab takes things to a different level. Influenced by ’70s skate rags and an emphasis on quality materials, the Authentic LX gets reimagined in a hardy 12 oz. Sunforger cotton canvas and a reversed olive sateen, but the real star is the Classic Slip-On LX, done up in three different colored leathers–the kicker is that both uppers mix up smooth leather with a slubby, unifinished hide. It’s an awesome wabi-sabi twist on a classic sneaker.
The shoes launch on Tuesday, September 10
The Style Raconteur 