The Obtainer - 9/19/22, Monday
↦ Let's Get Freaky
Monday,September 19th Edition
Leon is out this week, so I’ll be your host. Already, I fear I’ll be buying more than usual because of it. In the meantime, how much suede do you think Clarks uses just for those fobs that come with each pair of shoes?
- Cory Ohlendorf, Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf
BuyingGuide
A Classic BrandGets Weird
Has anyone checked on the Clarks crew lately? I'm not saying that mind-altering substances are involved, but the classic British footwear brand, which has been crafting reliable footwear since 1825, seems to be having a whole lot of fun recently. Have you noticed? I think I started paying attention sometime last year, after a Supreme collaboration that featured woven suede Wallabees in acid green and hot pink suedes.
Clarks is a brand that occupies a rare and respected space in menswear. Like a pair of Levi's 501 jeans, a waxed Barbour Bedale jacket or some Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses, it's nearly impossible for the shoes to go out of style. But that doesn't mean you can't experiment and offer a few new takes on an old favorite. And like those previously mentioned brands, Clarks isn't afraid to collaborate or dabble with limited editions. After all, what's an icon, if you can't play around and have some fun with an easily recognized silhouette and long-revered reputation?
Take the brand's signature desert boot. Launched by Nathan Clark in 1950, the simple suede chukka is made to be durable, comfortable and good looking—all at a price that isn't prohibitively expensive. It needs no fussing, but that doesn't mean a few tweaks here and there aren't appreciated. After seven decades, the brand is playing around with the proportions—swapping the standard crepe rubber sole for a heavier wedge sole. Dubbed the Desert Coal, it's subtle yet pairs perfectly with the wide-legged-trouser era we've now entered.
Or the other icon of the house, the Wallabee—perhaps, the only style link connecting Walter White to Wu Tang Clan, and Wes Anderson to Tyler, The Creator. As comfortable as a sneaker but looking a whole lot more put together, the curiously shaped shoe is now Clarks' best-selling style. The resurgence is partly due to a slew of new collaborations: Aimé Leon Dore recently reinterpreted them in both snakeskin and rich-shades of fuzzy suede. Of course, they—like so much of ALD's goods—sold out almost immediately.
But there are still plenty of other wild options available. You can get them in marbled green camo colorway, cut from upholstery fabric or with intricate Japanese Sashiko stitching around the moccasin toe box for a tactile update on the classic shoe. A collaboration with alpine luxury label Moncler reimagines the boot with a rugged Vibram lug outsole and a quilted vamp with metal togs that recalls a ski jacket. And professional footballer Raheem Sterling just put his stamp on the style as well. His design, in a monochromatic olive colorway, swaps out some of the standard suede for ballistic nylon, finished with cord laces and serrated rubber outsole for grippy traction.
Do they look like your regular Wallabees? Nope. But can you instantly recognize them as such? Absolutely. And that's the point. The same goes for the Trek mule, which takes an old school design (the Trek boot, known for it's raised center seam running from tongue to toe) and slices off the heel to make a slip-on silhouette that's become even more popular in our new world of work-from-home. Even sneaker king Ronnie Fieg put his spin on some Clarks, creating a heritage-style runner that you might not take for a pair of Clarks, until you see the tell-tale suede fob and chunky pebbled rubber sole.
It's a lesson in innovation, thinking differently and not taking things too seriously. And we've got to respect that, right? I've always been more of a classic desert boot kind of guy, but these funky styles are pushing me to take a risk. Perhaps my Fall style resolution will be to let my shoes make the first impression.
4 of Our Favorites
A familiar shape with a fatter, wedge sole. These are perfect for this Fall’s wide leg pants.
$160 by Clarks
The suede and fabric upper is dyed a rich indigo blue and finished with intricate Japanese Sashiko stitching.
$200 by Clarks
Moncler reimagines the boot with a Vibram lug outsole and a ski jacket-inspired quilted vamp.
$324.72 / $246.27by Moncler 1952 x Clarks
What happens when you lob off the heel of a beloved Clarks style? You get an easy, modern slip-on.
$190 by Clarks
I have really sensitive skin, so I want a bar of soap that’s gentle, but also sexy enough to sit out in my shower. Is that too much to ask?
- Jason
I get it. How that bar of soap looks matters—whether it’s just for you or for guests using your bathroom (or shower). It sounds like you might need a fragrance-free option and your best bet would be Alder’s Cleansing Body Bar.
The coconut-derived formula produces an ultra-rich, creamy lather while jojoba oil and shea butter boost skin's natural protective barrier. Unlike other bland bars, this also uses a low dose of glycolic acid to gently exfoliate skin without any irritation—even for those with conditions like eczema. The end result is soft, smooth skin that feels both clean and hydrated. Another option is Nécessaire’s vitamin-rich “detox bar”, which contains both niacinamide and activated charcoal. The all-black bar is very cool looking, but it does tend to get a little messy and has been known to stain. Consider yourself warned.
⋆ Have a style question you'd like answered? Ask The Obtainer
The Opening
J.Crew’s New Digs
I think we can officially say it: J.Crew is back, baby! After a stellar reception to Brendon Babenzien’s first collection as its new men’s creative director, the retailer has just opened a much-buzzed-about concept store in New York.
The store at 316 Bowery at Bleecker Street has been dubbed “Liquor Store 2.0”, but that might sell it short. The former bar was a tiny jewel box of a shop, but this multi-level 1,100-square-foot space offers a fuller range of what J.Crew is providing men in 2022.
Along with racks of Babenzien’s new collection, there is a selection of vintage pieces that will constantly be updated. The shop also boasts a handsome café that serves coffee from Urban Backyard and a seating area to encourage shoppers to stay a while and enjoy the reading nook or music from the record player.
The shop’s stylish and eclectic aesthetic aligns nicely with the brand’s current Neo-preppy vintage vibe. Warm woods, worn rugs and glazed tiles mix with midcentury light fixtures, along with vintage furniture and artwork (which shoppers can purchase right off the wall). The interior design was the work of Dream Awake, the design firm founded by Babenzien's wife, Estelle, who is also responsible for all of NOAH’s inviting stores as well. If you’ve ever wanted to dive head-first into a look book, this shop lets you do it. And if you want to leave with some pants or maybe a book or painting, just throw down your credit card.
The sales and discounts our team is currently watching.
John Elliott makes great tees, but they’re not always the most affordable. This American-made T-shirt featuring raw cut sleeves and hem and is now 30% off.
$98 / $69 by John Elliott
With a water-repellent construction, split kangaroo pocket and a hidden front zipper, this work jacket will be your go-to outerwear piece for a long time.
$433 / $173 by AFFXWRKS
A 6-panel corduroy cap that comes in a luscious camel color for Fall. And now that it’s nearly half off, it’s less than your average New Era cap.
$59 / $35 by Satta
The three best stories from around the web.
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The 35-year-old Brooklyn native strolls the neighborhood’s cobblestone streets in a big loop, intently scanning passers-by for viral gold.”
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In 2022, to mark the 110th anniversary of his family purchasing the mill, the company has now evolved into an employee ownership trust, with benefits shared equally between each of the 42 employees.”
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One of the interesting new features on the seventh-gen Mustang is called Remote Rev … it allows people to remotely rev the engine using the car's key fob, which seems destined to entertain adolescents and annoy older audiences.”
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Perfect harmony. Classic silhouettes in subtle colors and sensuous fabrics.
September 4