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Exploring ideas, stories, and opportunities in culture, fashion, and entertainment that awaken people's passions.

👟 The 7 most unique sneaker stores in the world

AND: Palace & Reuben Oliver

shaan

Mar 20, 2022

Welcome to issue #055. I absolutely love unique brick-and-mortar. Seriously. There’s nothing like walking into a minimalist coffee shop in Los Angeles… or a blown-out restaurant in Miami. There’s something about the aesthetic, vibe, and thought that goes into the creation of these masterpieces.

So I decided to highlight some of the most unique sneaker stores around the world. Because I felt like y’all would love to see what’s out there.

From Milan to Asia to LA… I’ve got 7 that I hope to check out myself in the near future.

contents:

brand of the week
7 unique sneaker stores
what’s in my closet
threads
what’s on the coffee table
aesthetically pleasing
upcoming product drops

interested in advertising? click here

This installment of Soirée is free for everyone. I send this email every Sunday. If you were forwarded this email and would like to receive it every Sunday morning you can join the hundreds of other fashion enthusiasts by hitting the button below.

REUBEN OLIVER

Reuben Oliver is a plant-based knitwear brand. Designed in NYC, they manufacture their goods in Lima and focus on innovating while also sourcing some of the world’s finest fibers.

Their fibers are harvested along the northern coastal valleys of Peru, where the rich soil soaks up just the right amount of moisture at near-perfect equatorial temperatures, creating the world’s softest fibers. And they aim to take on the synthetic materials industry, which currently makes up for 70% of textiles.

Check em' out →

SLAM JAM

Locations: Milan, Ferrara

Slam Jam was founded in 1989, with the goal of connecting people and industries with specific curated sneakers and clothing. They take their inspiration from clubbing to art and music. It started simply as a warehouse in the outskirts of Ferrara and became widely known for importing brands that people had no idea about. Now they have a store in Milan to push beautiful industrial minimalism.

ONE BLOCK DOWN

Locations: Rome, Milan

One Block Down is one of the more famous sneaker stores in Italy. And One Block Down’s founder Patrizio Vita is a master storyteller, with the goal of creating a space that depicts various subcultures. And it’s become a go-to place for the biggest sneakerheads.

ASPAHLTGOLD

Locations: Darmstadt

One of the first stores to push Air Force 1’s… Asphaltgold is an ever-evolving store with some of the best staples of sneakers in the industry. With its small but minimalist store, it’s got a type of beauty when you walk in. The retailer has been committed to sourcing products consciously. Something that’s hard to do in this industry.

AFEW

Locations: Düsseldorf

AFEW is a fun little family-owned joint that has emerged as one of the best stores in Europe. That’s because of their commitment to providing the best gear in the world to their customers. Born in 2008, they’ve been able to collaborate with industry leaders like Nike, Adidas, ASICS, Diadora, and KangaROOS. But the best part is their commitment to their community. Partnering with local brands to help their economy and artists.

SNEAKERNSTUFF

Locations: Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Paris, London, Stockholm

The first store opened in 1999. What’s cool about this concept is that the original was born as a sporting goods store. They use to allow you to order shoes from catalogs (woah…that was a while ago). Founders Erik Fagerlind and Peter Jansson developed this concept because they were frustrated about the lack of alternatives to big retail chains in Stockholm. Now it’s become one of the best places to find sneakers online.

BODEGA

Location: Boston, Los Angeles

One of my favorite concepts out there. Bodega opened its first store in Boston in 2006 with a unique approach. The first store was hidden behind a bodega, with a secret entrance that led to an actual store. Now they’re known as one of the most secretive and finest stores in the world. The concept was created based on “hidden treasures” so whether you shop online or in-store, you’ll definitely find something unique.

JUICE

Locations: Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Taipei, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Beijing

JUICE is one of the most respected stores in Asia. Created by Edison Chen, it’s focused on being a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures. He also started the shoe brand CLOT (widely popular in Asia) which has collaborations with Nike, Coca-Cola, Medicom Toy, and more. Recently opening a store in Los Angeles, they’ve got a wide online selection solely focused on sneakers, boots, and sandals.

🧖 Beach towel → Stüssy beach towel, just in time for summer. Yellow and black, with a Jacquard woven logo. It is reversible and gives you those Wiz Khalifa vibes.

👕 T-shirt → Story Mfg is a UK-based label where art and skilled craftsmanship meets sustainability and social responsibility. Ethically manufactured with natural dyes and regenerated fabrics, any wastes from production are re-used as sub materials or fertilizers.

👕 T-shirt → Founded in 1982, Stone Island is the symbol of extreme research in fibers and textiles, applied to an innovative design. “Reef Camo” t-shirt.

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