Summer is officially here in, like, 2 weeks, which means that your attire should now slowly be shifting from the darker hues of winter and the pastels of spring, to a brighter, more welcoming wardrobe, especially your sneakers. Whether it’s a Mediterranean wedding or a festival in a grassy field somewhere, you’re going to need the right footwear to match. Yes, the Sambas and the Air Force Ones are both very cool, but why not be the one guy who’s wearing something a bit more varied?
Try any of these bad boys on for size.
Puma Palermo
These very retro, very summer-y, and very versatile sneakers are an easy transition if you’ve been rocking other white footwear for sometime, but with Puma’s recent A$AP Rocky collaboration, and their longstanding history with Rihanna, we’re betting these become the heavyweight champion soon enough.
AED 449. Can be bought here.
Born Outside Italy
This UAE-born luxury-meets streetwear fashion brand has launched exclusively in the GCC, so if you wear them anywhere else in the world, you will (presumably) be the only one with a pair. And isn’t that what life’s all about – getting into that one club that no one else can? Plus, how many sneakers have purple soles that look like an octopus tentacle?
AED 2,250. Can be bought here.
Travis Scott Jumpman Jack
The shoe that Scott wore on stage at the 66th Grammys is now finally available as of just two weeks ago. With Scott’s iconic reverse Nike emblem on the side, this is a skate, dunk, party, rager, beyond thunder-dome, hype-beast bonanza. Oh, and they’re limited edition, so if you do manage to snag a pair, you better get used to hearing, “How did you get those?!”
AED 2,419. Can be bought here.
LØCI X Nick Minaj
You may have assumed she only made kicks for women, but Nicki’s latest collaboration is delightfully ambidextrous. This pair has that ’80s, Nike Daybreak, Stranger Things silhouette that is so hot right now, but with an iconic twist immediately alluded to The Pinkprint artist.
AED 734. Buy the whole collection here.
Santoni Loafers
You can’t wear sneakers to a wedding, even if they’re expensive. If you do, you may as well be shopping at Ed Hardy and put #hustle and #motivation in your Instagram bio *smh*. Santoni’s fine Italian loafers are as classic as they come, but with a bright orange sole, they have just the right splash of excitement to make you stand out.
AED 4,010. Can be bought here.
ZEGNA Espadrilles
Espadrilles are the ultimate staple of Mediterranean, summer footwear, equally adaptable to a wedding suit as they are with linen trousers. Notable for their often rather flimsy quality, these ones from Zegna are anything but, and are as robust as anything else you’d find in their collection.
AED 4,750. Can be bought here.
Mr P Suede Sandals
Like the espadrilles, these suede sandals really shout ‘summer in the Hamptons’, perhaps even more so. One might almost wonder if Mr P is an abbreviation for Mr P(erfect). Okay, that was cheesy, but these sandals are anything but. And you’ll look like Don Juan DeMarco perusing a white sandy beach when wearing them.
AED 901. Can be bought here.
Amiri Penny Loafers
You still need a rock n roll ‘going out’ shoe that channels all your adolescent rebellion while still being able to get into a centuries old members club should that be the direction the night takes you. Jeans and a leather jacket, or a white linen Havana suit – these classics come with a touch of ‘Met Gala’, and are perhaps the most versatile on the list.
AED 2,510. Can be bought here.
