Awesome Shoes

A premium leather upper, brown tartan lining and swept-back, oversized tongue: yup, Adidas’ classic ’78 Tobacco trainer is back and looking hot; choose from cream and black colorways.

We’ve always been fans of DC Shoes’ skate-friendly aesthetics, so we’re digging the back-to-basics simplicity of their DC Life Spring 2009 collection; sneak a peek of the lineup here.

Christian Hosoi’s latest collaboration with Vans is straight-up sexy: these Vans Sk8-Hi Vert Pros feature heavily perfed leather panels and two red, black and white colorways.

Ditching roman numerals for years, the Air Jordan 2009s will use articulated propulsion technology, which allows explosive forward movement and improves responsiveness.

With a heritage that stretches back to 1983, Adidas Forum celebrated its 25th anniversary with a Foot Locker re-release that adds a heel cup and high strap for ankle protection.

Introverts need not apply: this Raf Simons Astranaut Boot will likely blind passersby with its silver metallic finish; it’s also fitted with an external zip pouch on the back of the heel.

With the vast amount of collabs, GourmetKickz is an opportunity for Nike fans to make their own customs; it’s similar to NIKEiD, albeit with indie artists and focused on Air Force 1 Lows.

If you’re an Adi fan, get a jump on the Adidas Originals Spring and Summer ’09 lineup; there’s a good mix of vintage styles as well as Superstars, Micropacers, Forums and Vespas.

Nothing does it for us like clean design, so these Adidas BW Army Mids are a must-buy; casual yet upscale with white leather and a high tongue, these’ll make your denims pop.

Diesel’s Parabarny sneakers sport a red, white and gunmetal colorway that recalls classic 80s retro cues; they’re ideal everyday shoes with a cushioned footbed and plush collars.

Eschewing the complexity of its more contemporary kicks, Saucony (teamed up with A.R.C.) has dropped three simple, retro and low-key colorways for its classic Shadow 6000s.

We like Geox’s City Sport shoes for their blend of dress and athletic styling, especially with the sleek tonal stitching; it also features microholes in the sole for breathability.

At $570 these Lanvin Tennis Shoes are pretty uncoppable, but we’re sure the 19th century French brand has legions of fans who will splurge for this refresh of a classic style.

Perhaps the lightest basketball shoes ever, Nike’s Zoom Kobe IVs are debuting on Christmas day at NIKEiD; For 24 days, on each day 24 one-of-a-kind shoes will be made available.

Add inches to your leap and shave seconds of the dash with STS’ Strength Shoes; their frontal platforms plyometrically work the calves by putting 100% of your weight on them.

Improving on their wildly popular Snowclogs, Salomon’s Snowclog 3 is waterproof, warm and comfortable; it’s good both on the mountain and for everyday use. Note: size up.

adidas and Porsche are definitely a powerhouse combo worthy of note; these Bounce:S running shoes feature a suspension system that transfers energy into forward movement.

Totally clad in black, these Triple Black Nike LeBron VIs were actually inspired by Batman, one of LeBron’s favorite superheroes; “Unstoppable” is aptly stitched on the tongue.

A perfect match for the V Bomber jacket, these Double Goose Adidas pay homage to classic 80s streetwear with tufted black leather and suede panels, metal accents and a gum sole.

Converse and UNDFTD have teamed up with Poorman’s Weapon, military bomber jacket-inspired kicks with a black nylon outer; the removable Converse chevron lets you go brandless.

With a reinforced toe and tumbled full-grain leather shell that resembles organic armor plating, Polo Ralph Lauren’s Holden Boots strike just the right balance between style and utility.

eBoy’s been doing well lately, with new posters, toys and even a book; their latest collaboration finds their signature pixel art on Gola shoes, due out early 2009 in Europe and Japan.

The stacked, wavy layers give these Nike Air Max 97 Lux’s a sense of motion that many other shoes lack, but what we really like is the exposed air sole along the sides and back.