Coming on like a spaceman’s boot from a particularly frugal 80s sci-fi drama, these are actually modelled on obscure 70s US military shoes. Not sure I would have been entirely happy going nose-to-nose with the Viet Cong kitted out like a Janet Jackson backup dancer. But still… Fast-forward to the present day, this simple Velcroed canvas style could work rather well treading the mean streets of Peckham Rye.
Constructed by hand in Japan, these kicks from US brand The Hill-Side are actually on sale. I guess the stripped back, velcro flap business hasn’t captured the imagination of the brand’s regular clientele. No bother, at $138 (down from $198) I think they’re a decent swag. They’ve got all key sizes too, so make your move.
They bring to mind North Sea Clothing’s sneaker range. Simple canvas staples, heavy-handed with the rubberisation. Although North Sea’s kicks are more about the life aquatic. While as I think we’ve established, The Hill-Side’s are focused on urban warfare with an R&B flavour.
