Seavee’s low top sneaker, above, was inspired by the standard, generic trainer worn on base during the 60’s at Camp Irwin, an Armored Combat Training Area located in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County. The upper is made from soft nylon twill with antique nickel on the eyelets. Awfully simple and ready to wear. Find them online.

Finally a fresh take on the chukka. YY comes through with these navy linen and wool mix upper sneakers that feature a reinforced heel and panel detailing that runs up the length of the heel. The three-hole lace-up finishes them well. LN-CC has it.

More looks after the click.

Tenue de Nîmes is launching a collection of special, hand-dyed, natural indigo, customized Converse Chuck Taylor All Star shoes. They’re bangers indeed. Released during Amsterdam Fashion Week, the custom indigo colored Chuck Taylor All Star shoes will be issue in a run of 50 pairs.

“Tenue de Nîmes asked the legendary denim experts, the Manabe family from Okoyama in Japan, owners of the Momotaro brand and Rampuya dyeing factory” to produce the run. The results are outstanding. They deliver and drop on July 15.

More looks after the click.

A few special make-ups for Aloha Rag from Converse have come through recently. The Aloha Rag 20th anniversary Zip make-up may beat them all. In fact, it may well beat any sneaker this year. I’m giving it my vote for trainer for the year.  The upper is simply beautiful with its variety of fabrics. The laces are clean. Don’t tall them Thom Browne, please.

More looks after the click.

The “Francy” series from Golden Goose features distressed, washed canvas upper sneakers embellished with a blue star. The shoes are made in Italy. (Aloha Rag).

More looks after the jump.

Available from Garbstore, the Sunny Sports Yacht Print Sneaker is made in Japan with canvas upper on rubber sole. A simple shoe, aside from bold graphic, the sneaker has Summer printed all over it. I’m into these.

More images follow.

Ronnie Fieg,  who we discussed a stellar Chippewa collaboration with not long ago, has worked with Converse on two handsome editions of the Converse Star Player 75. Available as a navy leather high-top and an olive low (for now), the Star Player 75 is similar to the Chuck Taylor but with the edition of Converse’s famed chevron logo. Fieg’s models are all leather – laces, midsole, calf-skin lining. Classy Spring sneakers.

The Converse Star Player 75 is available now from David Z. Photographs by Sean Quincy Munro.

Full look at the Converse Star Player 75 after the jump.

Old habits die hard.

We’re getting older, perhaps a little more refined, but the sneaker Cupid still sometimes manages to pierce our hearts. Patagonia’s Arrant trail runner has the right mix of color blocking, technical specifications, and timeless appeal to strike our fancy. The Arrant features a GORE-TEX® upper (a welcome touch) too.

These can be filed under Autumn outdoor lust.

More images of the Patagonia Arrant after the jump.

“In September 1965 the San Francisco Examiner is the first to observe the birth of the hippie movement. The newspaper notes in its September 6th edition that the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, California has become ‘a hip hangout’ for beatniks.”

That’s the feeling and inspiration behind SeaVees Bayside Moccasin. It is a hand-sewn shoe, with leather upper and rawhide laces. Add a “SeaVulc” sole (their patented natural rubber manufacturing process) and one gets some sneaker comfort from a refined shoe.

More images after the jump.

Going decade by decade through the 20th-Century, Keds has been slowly rolling out themed versions of the classic “Champion” sneaker. Reaching the 1940s, the Keds Century Collection draws on military inspiration, for their “Call of Duty” version. The heavy canvas uppers, in muted colors, attempt to hit on the seriousness of the time. Keds says “A sense of patriotism is embodied in the shoes architecture as they reflect a country motivating and involving its citizens in the war effort urging them to “Produce for Victory.” As such, it isn’t just a military call, but the importance of home front industry that pushes the design.

Like all Keds Century Collection models, the “Call of Duty” is available exclusively from The Original Sneaker.