What’s that? The flowers are out, the sun is ‘sunning’ and the air just feels... different? There’s no question, this is a sign of spring and we’re here for it. Here comes our favourite season, followed by a host of exceptional footwear.
But, where to start? Of course, we’re hitting the flower-beds, we’re planting bulbs and reaping the benefits if naturally residing palettes, lifting them from mother nature’s playground and dropping each shade onto an article of footwear popularised by Brick Lane’s thriving storyline.
Here’s a springtime footwear edit on behalf of TOWER, your favourite Independent Footwear family, pulling articles from the depths of TOWER’s blogspace.
Perforated for purpose, Crocs Classic Clog is an HQ favourite and for valid reason.
Conceived as the brainchild of three visionaries - Scott Seamans, Lyndon Hanson and George Boedbecker Jr., Crocs was a project that first saw the light of day in 2002. In fact, it was Boedbecker's idea to combine all three minds after meeting each individual at different points on his own career path. Fortunately, cards played themselves in such a way that allowed the trio were sailing around the Caribbean in synchronicity, when they stumbled upon an innovative boating-friendly clog.
But, the Classic Clog doesn’t fumble at being a utilitarian shoe alone, no, it’s much more than that. Take a look at the reasons below, then we’ll make our way onto the New Balance 327...
Sustainable ingredients - Who else can shout about 100% Vegan, bio-based ingredients? Crocs became an entirely Vegan brand in 2021, integrating their bio-Croslite into every pair by means of global materials science company, Dow's, first-of-its-kind Ecolibrium technology.
Resource use - Crocs isn't wasteful! By minimising waste through recycling and the injection of renewable energy, Crocs ensures not one step is made incorrectly. In fact, it's only getting better!
Packaging - Shoe boxes, where? To minimise the impact of packaging on Mother Nature, Crocs now ships a majority of pairs without boxes, meaning production sways towards recyclable bags with a zip-lock mechanism.
Second life! - Keep Crocs out of landfill sites, Crocs donates unsold pair to those in need. Remember the 'Crocs Care' project? There's your answer, over a quarter of a million pairs were saved from landfill in the last five years.
After hitting shelves in 2020, the 327 soon became one of our HQ favourites – not just because of its flair, not, but due to the fact that this silhouette is genuinely brilliant, no if’s, what’s and why’s about it. We love the 327, and this is why you should too.
Having joined New Balance as an intern in 2014, footwear designer Charlotte Lee was based in Manchester throughout the 327’s design process where her ‘lockdown baby’ came to life, with help from senior New Balance designer and archival specialist, Samuel Pearce.
As you’d expect from the paragraphs drip-feeing limited information above, Charlotte Lee was the name leading NB’s design team in developing their 327, the name that pulled key influence from two landmark silhouettes with a further two supporting on areas from subtle details to naming - and of course, the designer that spent two years perfecting a shape that would be unveiled at Paris FW20 Fashion Week.
Diving heel from tongue, you’re able to find elements of four archival silhouettes throughout the 327 at differing points of the design process - layering previously seen panel templates over one another to give an impression of recognisable newness.
A final reference of palette was made to both the 355 and Supercomp as you can find over at Charlotte’s Instagram, whereas preliminary outsole curvature was sculpted by chopping up sheets of nipple-ridden 410 outsole rubber.
So, that’s it – these are the pairs on our mind for the foreseeable. If they’re not up to your taste, then we apologise – sort of, not really.