A rib injury has kept me from the gym these past few weeks, and has highlighted my need for a backup exercise when I can’t go kickboxing. As my cardio is not the greatest, last week I figured I’d try shopping for some running shoes. The first shop I went to was INGS, in downtown Osaka. They have a great selection of sports wear, but when I paid them a visit, it was busy as hell and I got frus...

After successfully conquering the world of high-end retro denim, by essentially pioneering the market, Osaka-based Evisu has gone on to launch an entire range of apparel, like these classy looking loafers that are on sale now. Evisu shoes have been around for a few years, and were introduced as a means for connoisseurs of the brand to clothe their feet in the same laidback but stylishly rich loo...

Wearing white canvas sneakers with dark unwashed denim is never a good idea. Thinking that I had washed most of the excess dye out of my denim jeans, I tried wearing them with these unworn Diesel shoes, just for a day, and look what happened – dirty blue sneakers! God knows if I can gently bleach these babies back to their original state. Next time, I’ll take my time and tape up the insides ...

Visvim is one of those Japanese fashion labels you hear about from time to time, usually in the context of superior handmade footwear and omfg $380 sneakers?! The label was started by Hiroki Nakamura as a response to mass produced footwear from the likes of Adidas and Nike. It’s not that Nakamura doesn’t respect the accomplishments of these giants — because he does — it’s that h...

What could have possibly inspired shoemaker Dragonbeard to create this utter monstrosity of fashion? It’s like they hired the Pontiac Aztec design team and then invited teenaged drift racing fans to choose its colors. If this shoe was a car, it would drive through a circus tent and clowns would tumble out of it. Sure, I’ve gone on record as not being the biggest fan of the company, but their ...