The rise of the humble white sneaker has led us to pen several articles on the subject – that’s not to say we’re over them, heck, we count Jerry Seinfeld as one of our main style icons. We just don’t want to be the ones to tell you to wear Stan Smiths this season, or that Jack Purcell’s will always look timeless. We know you already know this. Today we’d like to serve you up a range of the opposite; a straight up selection of our current favorite non-white sneakers on the market today. From stripped back minimalist premium steppers to sportswear-inspired runners. This is for those of us who look for a little extra color to keep things interesting, or for guys that need something more subtle to camouflages those weekend BBQ stains.
Novesta Star Master
How many pairs of sneakers do you own that have been made in Slovakia? Let these Star Master by Novesta be the first. The story goes that Novesta have been creating these sneakers on the same machines, using the same methods since 1939. Packed with tons of character, the Star Master has a certain awkward-teenage-brother feel to them. Uniquely, they’ve been made using no glue or chemicals, which is what gives them their humble, characterful appearance. Bonus points if you can pull off the corduroy version.
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Nike Killshot
The Killshot has been back on the scene for a couple of seasons, and Nike have sure taken notice of their surge in popularity. Ready to be Pinned, Tweeted and Instagrammed, this brand new pair in Insignia Blue and Tour Yellow comes with a brushed suede and breathable mesh upper, sitting on a simple white sole. With limited stockists it’s made them pretty hot property even before they’ve left the badminton court.
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Greats The Royale
Coming in a myriad of non-white tones is the premium leather Royale by Brooklyn-based footwear entrepreneurs, Greats. The brand was set up in 2012 to help bring high quality sneakers directly to the consumer, cutting out the middle man. They’ve been serving up interesting styles ever since, and the Royale is one of their foundation styles. A modern take on the classic tennis shoe, The Royale has been stripped back to give a minimal, clean appearance. Minimal maybe, but still extremely recognisable.
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Converse Breakpoint
It would be way too obvious to add a Chuck Taylor to this list, but at the same time we can’t ignore Converse altogether. Their Breakpoint model is another style that’s been doing the rounds on the collaboration scene, with size?, Starcow, Solebox, Foot Patrol and Patta all reworking this 70s throwback. The suede upper and mix of both muted and bright colours lend themselves really well to streetwear culture, and we expect to see these picking up some serious steam in 2016.
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adidas Campus 2.0
The adidas Campus has been given many guises since its inception in 1987. Along with their big brother, the Superstar, the reliable Campus II has now been updated for 2015, and given the moniker of the “2.0”. They feature everything you want from an adidas sneaker: three stripes, trefoil logo, padded ankle collar and signature non-slip tread. You’ll find these in a range of core colors, but personally we love this subtle grey and white version.
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Vans Slip-On Scotchgard California
Not strictly free from white, this rework of the classic Slip-On sees Vans branching into the high-end market (certainly by looks but minus the price tag), by using a premium pig suede protected upper, mixed with leather trim at the heal. These don’t come around often, in fact you rarely see any other brand experimenting with a Scotchgard treatment—which fits perfectly with skate culture. If you’re feeling a little fancy try the hot pink, but if you’re looking for something a bit safer there’s also a extremely wearable navy version.
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Spring Court G2
Not dissimilar to the Novesta Star Master, the G2 from French tennis sneaker brand Spring Court really had to make the list. Famed for its unique ventilation midsole, the G2 has to be one of the most comfortable and timeless looking tennis shoes on the market. Still looking as fresh as they did on the clay in 1936, Spring Court have never really messed with the design too much, or pandered to trends. Instead they’re sticking to what they know works, which stands as a testament to the brand’s integrity and vision. We’ve singled out this neon version of the G2, for that full-on tennis look.
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Ransom Valley Lite
Inspired by sports and built for style, the Valley Lite by Ransom takes inspiration from a classic performance shoe and molds it together perfectly with modern streetwear. The result is an ultra lightweight, breathable everyday sneaker, with comfort being at the forefront. The slim silhouette isn’t dissimilar to the Nike Free, but these guys have teamed an EVA outsole with a neoprene sage-colored upper and bungee laces.
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