I’m heading to London in a week for London Edinburgh London, a 1400k randonnee. I’ve just assembled all my bike gear (which includes many non archival, ziploc packed servings of powdered nutrition). Sadly, I’m going to have very little space in my luggage for non cycling garb. At the moment I’m boiling my travel garb down into a single outfit I can wear on the plane and than for five days in London. What I’m missing is the perfect pair of comfortable canvas sneakers. Many of my pals prefer Superga, Tretorn or Chuck Taylors. What I want is a pair of made in Japan, Wakouwa deck shoes. I’ve been wishfully shopping for Wakouwas since I spotted them in the window at Anatomica in Paris. You can buy them through a few US stockists but alas, most don’t sell them in smaller sizes for women. At Mohawk General Store, you can even buy them in Yves Klein blue. If you have a secret Wakouwa source, or could suggest a stylistic alternative, let me know.
$305 for canvas sneakers? No thanks. Vans please.
That’s why I call it wishful or optical shopping.
Leslie… Shoes Like Pottery! Canvas (more Chuck Taylor than Vans), made in Japan, baked in a kiln (in order to “Vulcanize” the rubber, I guess) and available at Steven Alan, Mohawk, a few other places, and $155.
Hey anon. Thanks for the tip. Love idea of shoes like pottery. The problem with the vendors you mention is that they rarely sell in smaller sizes.. I’m a women’s 8.5 so I need something in the size range of a gent’s 6 or 6.5. The Japanese do the best job of sizing for women.
Beauty & Youth sneakers from United Arrows.
Hey Lesli-
Sorry, I meant to include Hickorees in that list of stockists… It’s where I picked up mine. They currently have your size available. I’ve been wearing mine for a few (maybe 6) months now, and I love ’em. They certainly appear to be of a higher quality than Converse, they’re comfortable, and they’ve definitely become my knockaround summer sneaker.
Joe
Thanks, Joe!
Mohawk General Store also sells Shoes Like Pottery, in both women’s sizes too: http://www.mohawkgeneralstore.com/designers/182-shoes-like-pottery
Palladium. A French brand, used by the Foreign Legion, there’s a shop in the container shopping village near Liverpool st in London. Check out at palladium boots.co.uk. The pampa high or low are most traditional ones
Dear Archival Clothing,
When in London do visit John Simons on Chiltern Street
and buy a pair of original Sperry’s in canvas. Now on sale at something like 59 pounds. Have a nice trip!
Mike