The viral 2015 “WHAT ARE THOSE?!” video and subsequent memes may be long dead in the ever growing social-media landfill, but its sentiment still rings true in modern menswear, with shoes getting bigger, brighter and louder on the catwalks and the high street.
At first glance, this footwear evolution may seem startling; a far cry from the subtle, elegant trainers and boots we’ve become accustomed to. But we should really be embracing the caterpillar-to-butterfly transformation that shoes are going through right now. For too long they’ve been a support act — it’s time for them to be the crown jewel of your ’fit.
There is, however, one imperative question that follows this movement: how on earth do you pull them off? In this editor’s guide to statement footwear, we’re going to show you exactly how, offering advice on three key styles from THE ONITSUKA'S capsule collection with street-style legend Nick Wooster, as well as what to wear with them.
WIGURVE GORE SIDE BOOT
There are a few jacket shapes that never go out of style — think, the Harrington and the biker — but the crème de la crème of timeless men’s outerwear has to be the bomber. It is most commonly associated with streetwear, which is why we’ve styled it with THE ONITSUKA'S essential accessory (the crossbody bag) and monochrome WIGURVE GORE SIDE BOOTS with a streamlined sole (not currently available in the EU) — a seriously comfy and reliable shoe that, as promised by Nancy Sinatra, were made for walking.
While you might be keeping it simple with colour, doesn’t mean you have to do the same with the details. These skirt trousers with buckle fastening are a forward-thinking hybrid that throw the menswear rulebook out the window, set it on fire and bury it six feet deep for good measure. And we couldn’t be happier about it.
What Nick Wooster says: “The collection was really based on my love of two things: bomber jackets and skirt trousers. For me, this is the coolest combination. I like the proportion of the shorter jacket with something wild going on underneath.”
THE ONITSUKA, a new reinterpretation of Onitsuka Tiger's history (which was established in 1949), meets Nick Wooster, one of the world's leading men's fashion icons, to create this capsule collection. The classic world of black and white is infused with military details for a contemporary wardrobe that exudes high quality and minimalist design.
BROGUE CHUKKA
Are they brogues? Are they chukkas? Even better: they’re both, the BROGUE CHUKKA is a mash-up of smart and casual (hence why we’re offering up two outfits for this style). For the first, Wooster’s signature skirt trousers are back out, this time combined with a corduroy shacket over a cream lace shirt for a transitional look that begs spring to be sprung already.
For the second, we’ve smartened up the boots but still kept Wooster’s love of all things military inspired in the suit, with the khaki colour reminiscent of Forties American Armed Forces tailoring. However, we’ve ditched the shirt in favour of a lightweight hoodie and layered the bomber on top in a nod to the utility theme of the collection.
What Nick Wooster says: “The unifying theme of the collection is military. I have such strong feelings for THE ONITSUKA'S shoes and wanted to make a small collection of items that combined my signature style with the sensibility of its footwear.”
WIGURVE
A pensive puppet once said, ‘It ain’t easy being green’, but these sleek all-over olive green trainers with ridged toe detailing make the effort to pull them off worthwhile. We’ve gone full workwear-for-people-who-don’t-work-with-their-hands with this look, keeping everything loose fitting, comfortable and actually useful (the bumbag and long-sleeved black top underneath the shirt boasts a host of unexpected pockets).
These kicks aren’t as intimidating as they may seem. They can go with a range of bottoms such as white jeans with no socks, cropped black trousers with a white sock, or even just your everyday blue jeans with black socks. Just because this iteration of green might not be in your regular palette doesn’t mean it’s a no-go; just see it as an exploration of colour. But don’t tell anyone that’s what you're doing because that sounds incredibly pretentious.
What Nick Wooster says: “My non-negotiable rule for styling statement footwear is that there is no rule. I hate dress codes. I hate it when someone says, ‘You must do blank’, because my reaction is to do the exact opposite. For me, there are no rules.”
Explore the Nick Wooster x THE ONITSUKA collection now
