Once every few years, a sneaker brand gets it right. They come up with a release so attractive, so well made, so wearable, that it sends ripples throughout the footwear industry, causing the entire production game to change. In my opinion, the latest addition to these paradigm-shifting shoes is the Supra Blue Mesh Vaider release of April this year. To this date, the "Blue Meshies" are my favorite Supra release to date, and in my top five favorite sneaker releases of all time. I've been broke and slowly going into debt for the past year, but that didn't stop me from copping a pair as soon as I could spare the cash. They were just too beautiful, seemingly composed rather than stitched together in some Chinese factory. The Vaider model is a gorgeous design in itself, but it's the material and color that make this release truly art.
Blue, as bold a color as it is to work with, is artfully tamed by selectively using it to frame the profile of the shoe (laces, tabs, toe, heel and sole highlights) rather than blanketing the upper. The upper, in turn, is kept neutral and strong with dark grey suede and lighter grey mesh to provide balance and foundation. All of this is placed upon a white pedestal of a skate sole to complete the process. The greys actually cover the majority of the shoe, a feature often looked over because of how dominant the primary blue accents are which just go to show how compositionally genius this sneaker is. The designer managed to give the feel of a single, powerful color, which turns out to not even be present on most of the shoe, while restricting it just enough to keep it from overpowering the entire piece.
The result is a bold, yet easily wearable hightop sneaker, something that we see so infrequently these days. For the longest time, it seemed like the sole goal of sneaker brands was to put out the most offensively colorful eyesores of shoes which, realistically, could only be effectively worn with an outfit that you'd have to go $300 out of your way to match them with. So abused was this effort that it eventually became fashionable just to wear sneakers that clashed hopelessly with whatever else you were wearing (you've seen those kids around). Thankfully, it seems like those days are coming to an end, and that wholesome, good looking shoes are making a comeback with brands like Clae, Supra, ALIFE, and Vans leading the way.
This brings me back to the importance of the Blue Meshies. Since their release, brands all over the spectrum have begun to take cues from their success and emulate everything from their colorway to design, from fellow skate brands like éS and DC to Lacoste's high fashion sneaker branch. While these attempts may not produce the same quality results as the original Supras, they are a sign that the sneaker industry as a whole is taking its first steps toward true aesthetic fashion and away from a socially-dictated fad. From these beginnings we can predict with some confidence that in the years to come, sneakers of much higher quality and beauty will start to emerge from all parts of the spectrum. I can't fucking wait.
