Crooked Tongues

If all this high quality hi-top activity in the Ransom by adidas project leaves you cold, the Pier's shoe cut could be the solution. Espousing the same design principles; hardwearing and timeless style with plenty of attention-to-detail, it sits neatly between the realm of straight-up sneaker and formal footwear, bolst...ered by several sets of laces for new looks. Slim and minimal, and with the distinctive forefoot stitch and heeltab, it's a solid addition to this dual-brand rollout.Read More

When a box of adid Ransom samples arrived at Crooked headquarters - we were bemused at the scale of a project we'd assumed would be confined to two colourways on an existing silhouette, guessing that maybe they'd be tricked out a little with a d-ring or three in line with the favoured aesthetic of the moment. We didn't... think they'd take it as far as Ransom and adidas did, and of wave one, this model is the safest bet. It's unashamedly sneaker, but takes in military regulation, an air of vulcanised Sk8-Hi styles and a twist of the current hi-topped designer dabbles in the industry, with the potential for appeal among the disparate tribes who are a little more particular when it comes to what's on their feet, but would rather not be rocking the Timbo look.The padded collar, and pick of leather textures, from tumbled to gloss to smooth to suede works well. It's a big gun playing at rocky ground level with the current spate of indie startups doing great things, but adidas and Ransom have thought this through nicely, with an confident design process at work that remains constant on every product. Definitely a reliable collection, and one devoid of unnecessary flash.Read More

Everyone needs a decent Pea Coat, and seeing as every Japanese brand has had a good stab at it, we knew that Kazuki's ObyO line would bring one out. Here it is. Regardless of passing trends, the wool Pea Coat, with its naval history and rugged look is a piece of outerwear to bring out season-after-season. Kazuki and Ne...ighborhood bring a little Tokyo tech to proceedings, with contrasting white waterproof zips, anchor buttons, appropriately militaristic branding, tonal stripe detailing on the sleeves and taped seams. Diaplex lining adds added protection against the elements, and this double-breasted classic fits small, so it's worth going a size up.Read More