TRAIPSING THROUGH THE TRADE SHOWS: Picks for Spring 2013 From Project & Capsule Part II: Shoes!

Whenever The Shophound goes to these trade shows, we always find ourselves with lots of pictures of shoes. Partly that's because they are easy to display and photograph, and partly becasue we love shoes. This season, the industry is experiencing the McNairy Effect which is to say that designer Mark McNairy and his colorful, irreverent take on classic footwear looks is having a pervasive influence on shoe designers and brands. That means that next Spring there will be an abundance of acid yellow and cobalt blue rubber soles on everything from sneakers to longwing brogues along with colorful laces, grommets and even painted, contrasting storm welts. There animal prints and, of course lots and lots of camo print. The notoriously temperamental McNairy, for his part, was not keen on having his collection photographed this season, but no matter. His work was all over everyone else's. Here's what stood out to us (no pun intended):

MOST DRAMATIC LINE EXPANSION: DEL TORO
A couple of seasons ago, there was a humble little booth from the brand Del Toro (pictured above) featuring wittily decorated evening slippers in great materials. For next Spring, the brand has expanded its offerings "ex-po-nentially" as one of the reps described. There is still a huge array of the clever slippers, but suddenly, there are sneakers, boots, fully structured dress shoes, handsewns and any and every other kind of shoe. Everything still had the brand's irreverent touch, we just hope it isn't too much too fast. Expect to see much more Del Toro very soon.

MOST OBVIOUS COLLABORATION: TODD SNYDER AND SEAVEES
File this under the department of "How did this not happen before?" That up and coming menswear designer (and former J.Crew men's designer) Todd Snyder is making a few special styles with the all-American brand SeaVees that somehow seems inevitable. It's a perfectly harmonious collaboration that we expect to continue for a while (pictured right).

BEST BRAND EXTENSION: GRENSON BAGS
The revitalized British shoe brand Grenson has become a mainstay in recent seasons, so it's not at all surprising to see them expanding with a new collection of large bags and small leather goods that coordinate with their rugged brogues and boots. The initial offerings are decorated with an exploded brogue pattern in black or brown leather or leather and canvas that should delight faithful Grenson customers. Again, the expansion seems so natural, we were wondering why it took so long.

FAVORITE CAMO: EASTLAND MADE IN MAINE
The folks at venerable American brand Eastland has been getting ever more adventurous with their premium Made in Maine line, and while there is still a lot of camouflage around, we loved their classic handsewn blucher in a leafy hunting camouflage print with a white boating sole (at right). We love to see something we haven't quite seen before in exactly the same way.

MOST ELEGANT: KLAXON HOWL
Most of the shoes at Capsule and Project run to the sporty and casual side. It's not the place we would expect to see elegant, handmade dress shoes which is probably why the Canadian label Klaxon Howl's refined shoes stood out to us (at left). They are first offerings from a company friend who took up the handmade shoe trade in Italy, and while they seemed a bit dressier than Klaxon Howl's typical military/vintage inspired sportswear, they looked beautiful just on their own.

FAVORITE LACE-UPS: CAMINANDO'S LEOPARD PRINT
Japanese brand Caminando always has something to make us smile, and this time it was a classic, red-soled dirty buck oxford just like the ones a young Shophound used to wear in high school. This new version sports a saucy leopard print (as well as the obligatory camo at right) which would not have been at all welcome at our high school, let us tell you, and that makes us love them.

Previously:
Traipsing Through The Trade Shows: Picks For Spring 2013 From Project & Capsule