I miss Alexander McQueen. I know that many people do. I’ll never forget my Valentine’s Day Weekend in Los Angeles, February 2010. One of the first things I heard after I checked into Le Parc Suite Hotel in West Hollywood was the tragic news of McQueen’s death. My girlfriend and I made reservations at Le Parc Suite a couple of months in advance, knowing the hotel was blocks away from Melrose Avenue and the Alexander McQueen store. After we unpacked our belongings, we hit the street and went straight to the McQueen storefront. When we arrived, we saw a few bouquets of flowers that had already been left by mourners that very evening. The evening was sort of a bummer, so we retired to the hotel to get some rest. The next morning we woke up and went straight back to the Alexander McQueen store to take a look at what would be his final Spring/Summer collection. We spent a great deal of time in the store carefully admiring the innovation, the beauty, and the madness that was McQueen. We both ended up leaving the store with a purchase, and NO it wasn’t a skull print pattern scarf, although they were very popular at the time. I picked up a cool little shirt; however, my girlfriend went MAJOR by grabbing the most coveted heels from the season: the black leather Alexander McQueen “Faithful” Peep Toe Ankle Boots. I understand this is first and foremost a men’s fashion blog, but damn these heels are flames!
Although neither one of us knew Lee Alexander McQueen personally, his talent was supreme and his art impacted us deeply. I honestly cannot recall a designer I followed more fervently. I always kept my eyes open, eagerly anticipating the latest designs coming out of the McQueen camp. Since his death in 2010, Sarah Burton has taken over as the Creative Director for the Alexander McQueen brand. Continuing with the Alexander McQueen vision, some brilliant pieces of apparel and accessories have been brought to the market under Mrs. Burton’s watch, but I honestly haven’t followed the brand as closely as when Alexander McQueen was living. However, I recently became completely infatuated with a pair of sneakers from the Spring/Summer 2015 campaign. I purchased them from Barney’s New York in Beverly Hills a couple of weeks ago . . . last pair! I am obviously excited about finally getting my hands on this fine piece of footwear, so I am going to give you a full review. I present to you the Alexander McQueen Oversized Sneaker.
I ended up purchasing the black leather low tops, although the white leather low tops with the black heel are also amazing. Here’s the deal. I usually end up purchasing black because I am white and I prefer the contrast of black against my lovely pale Irish-German skin. A stunning tone of white you can only achieve by working indoors, in a cubicle, 40-50 hours per week. Don’t let the lighting in the pictures above fool you. Let’s get back on topic. This fine sneaker is made in Italy, of course. The upper consists of 100% calf-skin leather. It is truly soft – dare I say, buttery. Perforated air hole detail, kid leather lining, 7 hole metal eyelets with an Alexander McQueen logo stamp both the on tongue and back counter. Is there anything else I should add? Yes. The absolute illest fat laces you have seen on a sneaker since the Adidas Superstar “Shell Toe” B-Boy Era. No assembly required. Finally, the most unique aspect of this sneaker is the oversized rubber sole. It’s what truly sets this sneaker apart from the pack this season.
Look at those laces, though!!! I remember trying to hunt down the perfect fat laces for my Adidas when I was younger, but these laces are included with your purchase. I wish the sneakers came with an alternative pair, but it’s probably unnecessary. Black is perfect.
This is really a sneaker that you have to try on and see on your foot to understand how great it looks. The thick rubber sole makes the shoe appear short and fat if you are simply looking at it on the shelf. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anyone get excited about anything that was short and fat, but this sneaker just might do it for you. If my lame explanation doesn’t sway you, then perhaps photos of swagged out musicians/style icons such as ASAP Rocky and Future wearing the Alexander McQueen Oversized Sneaker might change your mind . . .
Yeah . . . they look dope, especially on Future. I wear them with shorts most of the time, but they look great with certain pairs of pants too. There are more colorways coming out for Fall/Winter 2015, so be sure to watch out for them.
My final word is, if you have a really small foot, this may not be the most aesthetically pleasing sneaker choice for you (this is rare). If you have a normal to large foot, then I highly recommend at least trying them on. They are way comfortable and I love the thick sole. I would almost describe them as an athletic creeper ; high fashion punk sportswear. Alexander McQueen obviously had dark, gothic themes in his designs, so it only makes sense that a sneaker apparently inspired by creepers, which were once worn by those in the “goth scene”, would come to fruition. Goth – Punk – Athletic – High Fashion. Seriously. You should do this.
Let me know what you think of the Alexander McQueen Oversized Sneaker!