Being an owner of a couple ONETrueSaxon items such as last year's A/W field jacket and a pair of top notch jeans, I can't help but feel I may have missed this brand in its truest glory. Almost a completely exclusive casual label in its prime, OTS is now becoming as mainstream as Dairylea triangles (they too once had a cult following). Now part of the retail family that manages Lacoste in the UK and owners of brands such Ted Baker, Berghaus and Boxfresh - it appears OTS is fairly obviously now gunning for the mainstream. Some have argued that this has led to the quality control to drop, but I expect this can only really be judged in the fullness of time.
So what next? Ian Paley, the former Paul Smith employee and founder of ONETrueSaxon has taken a number of his creative team and gone away to busily work on his new clothing project - Garbstore. Opening a shop and basing themselves in the trendy quarter of London's Notting Hill - it appears Paley's new project is heading in a slightly different direction. Garbstore's philosophy seems to be based on the term 'Unfamiliar Vintage', taking stylings of old and giving them very much a modern twist. The classic casual approach to clean lines and minimal stylings were very much evident at OTS, but it appears that Paley is looking to push the envelope in both design and approach and away from what is traditionally 'casual'. First glance at the brand's product range gives me an uneasy sense of excessive stylings and colours. It will take a while for the brand's reputation to build, but Paley has earned respect from casuals for his previous work, but whether he can successfully retain that same audience which this new brand remains to be seen. Ultimately, it all boils down to personal taste.
FootballCasual.com wishes Ian all the success with his new venture. CLICK HERE to check out Garbstore for yourself.
Not content with branding up SuperStars with Star Wars and rebranding Stan Smiths with various kids cartoon characters (Kermit The Frog is something of an acquired taste), adidas are at it again. Re-issuing ranges such as the Americana, Questar and Stan Smith (which seems to be a favourite of adidas to ruin) with their new 'Animal Pack' ranges. Launched in continetal Europe last month came the 'Stingray' - an all black version of Stan Smith with an imprint outline of a stingray just below the ankle (pictured) and on the tounge. This comes hot on the heels of the Questar 'Spider' and Americana 'Werewolf' (aren't those fictional?). We personally can't wait for the Gazelle 'Gazelle'. Thankfully these releases seem confined to France, and in particular Parisian footwear store WeSoldOut. Each pair retails 100eur upwards. Surprisingly, we don't find these particularly casual.
London trainer store Foot Patrol have done an Oki-Ni and released some exclusive trainer designs with adidas. The make in question is none other than the terrace classic 'Campus'. This limited edition range has gone back to basics to try and recreate the look and feel of the original 1983 shoe. Obviously the 80's was the golden age and although re-issues will never be as good as the originals, but first glance at these releases seem to suggest a very good effort by all. Good news is that they are available to buy online now for 70GBP.
Now that the winter nights are beginning to set in, lads are thinking about their attire for the cold season, and for many the focus will switch from jeans to cords. It's often said that you are not a true casual unless you have a few pairs of cords. The cords initially became popular on the scene in the late 70's and early 80's - most noticeably Lois Jumbo Cords probably being the most popular. Over the last 20 years many other brands have come to foray such as Levis, Faconnable and good old Marks & Spencers. Marks & Spencers were a great cheap but quality option for many lads during the 80's but suffered a rapid downfall generally during the 90's. However, it would appear that M&S are beginning to get back up to standards. The 'Blue Harbour' range of cords may not be the most aspirational brand to many lads, but the quality is first class and a great way to either start or add to your collection.
Back in the 80's, as the Diadora Borge Elites and Adidas Sambas were gaining in popularity, some lads were also wearing New Balance. Although now very much an indie kid/skater/parrott head brand - New Balance still strikes a chord in the heart of many a casual.
With this in mind, many members of the FootballCasual.com forum believe that it's time adress the balance - the new balance. See what I did there? :-) We are starting a campaign amongst casuals to reclaim this once great brand back to the terraces.
The key trainer we would recommend as a starting point are the 574 and 576 ranges. I currently do not own a pair but am planning to shortly purchase a pair of black 574s.
Adidas is still king - but for those of you are looking to expand into other brands why not join us in helping reclaim New Balance back as a casual brand.
So adidas have re-issued a new colourway of a terrace classic? The munchen was first released in 1979 as a training shoe. Although similar in appearance to the trimm-trab the munchen was slightly different as it's upper was made of nylon mesh with a velour trim and perforated toe box. The originals were available in either red or blue with an all-white PU outsole. The re-issued version is in brown suede with espresso coloured stripes and a beige PU outsole and is now a welcome to addition to my own personal collection. Although I was dubious at first about purchasing this item, when it arrived I was stunned at it's absolute quality and beauty. I would definitely recommend adding this to any collection as I believe it's popularity will grow with time. Currently retailing at 65 GBP, it's value will grow in a year's or so time when they fall off the major stores stock lists. You can buy them from TrainStation HERE now for only 59 GBP - but hurry stocks are going fast.
The Swedish hiking clothing company has now been added to the clothes section. Many in the know will be aware of this great brand and it's fantastic quality outerwear for Winter. Translated as 'Arctic Fox' - Fjallraven looks to be a long-time addition to the football casual's wardrobe.
We are pleased to announce a new wallpaper to the site. We decided to do a little wallpaper for those out there who idolise the iconic Diadora Borg Elites. In my view this trainer is a must-have in any self-respecting casual's wardrobe. The Dlux Militaire Editions came out earlier this year, as well as re-issues of the Silver on White and Gold on Black versions. We anticipate a re-issue of the classic Gold on White version of this trainer to hit UK stores in November. In the meantime why not enjoy it's beauty with our 'Ice Borg' wallpaper.
We love adidas vintage trainers here at FootballCasual.com, so much so we'd probably go as far as to say that we are obsessed. So when TrainerStation sent us an email over the weekend with the details of their Summer Sale it was only natural that we would get a little excited. There ae some blinding bargains to be had from Gazelles, to Superstars, to Stan Smiths and more!
Click here to visit the page via our link on the adidas section
So the Summer is here? Holiday season is now in full swing and the beaches of Spain and Greece are saturated with us lot drinking and shagging ourselevs senseless in the sun! So, I thought it be a good idea to start giving my suggestions on what clothes I think are catching the CasualObserver's eye for summer!
I will be adding more suggestions, such as accessories, but why not have a look to see if there is anything there that catches your eye!
its truest glory. Almost a completely exclusive casual label in its prime, OTS is now becoming as mainstream as Dairylea triangles (they too once had a cult following). Now part of the retail family that manages Lacoste in the UK and owners of brands such Ted Baker, Berghaus and Boxfresh - it appears OTS is fairly obviously now gunning for the mainstream. Some have argued that this has led to the quality control to drop, but I expect this can only really be judged in the fullness of time.
its truest glory. Almost a completely exclusive casual label in its prime, OTS is now becoming as mainstream as Dairylea triangles (they too once had a cult following). Now part of the retail family that manages Lacoste in the UK and owners of brands such Ted Baker, Berghaus and Boxfresh - it appears OTS is fairly obviously now gunning for the mainstream. Some have argued that this has led to the quality control to drop, but I expect this can only really be judged in the fullness of time.
