New Republic Men's Kurt Leather Sneaker

Product Information

Bonus points for the wide range of sizes offered. You can get them as small as size 4, as big as size 15, and all of the half sizes. Pros and Cons This construction practice ensures a sturdy connection between the sole and the upper, and in most cases guarantees strong water resistance.

Unlike a sneaker with lacing, there’s literally nothing going on on the upper except for the excellent suede texture. There’s nothing to camouflage creases and scuffs. New Republic Stanton Suede Slip Ons The front of the outsole has an interesting series of texturing in the style of metal tread plates, so it’s sort of like the shoe’s grill. The rest of the sole sports an accent line in the same color as the upper. This is an important distinction to make because leather is no longer defined as “cowhide” as it once was but now includes the hides of other animals. This means that varying scraps of the lowest grade of leather can be rebuilt and embossed into a product that can then be marketed as “genuine leather.” The results are a mixed bag. However, the positives definitely out weighed the negatives. Of course everyone will have different opinions and experiences with a product, but here is the gist of what I saw online:For 30 years, fashion designer Mark McNairy has collaborated with brands like Timberland and adidas, celebs and tastemakers like Pharrell, and was the creative director of Ivy League favorite, J.Press. Despite this elite multi-decade career, he started New Republic in 2016, with all people in mind. New Republic Bowery Canvas Sneakers

New Republic’s products are designed at every step with luxury in mind, which means genuine leathers and high-quality fabrics, while also being at a price you want. Things to Consider Before Buying Footwear or Apparel from New Republic That is, until your cheap pair of shoes falls apart, and you’re still too much of a cheapskate to get a new pair of shoes after only a few months of wear. The leather insole isn’t as comfortable as the cork of the Bowerys and EVAs of the Kurts, but that’s apples and oranges. Handcrafted: Each New Republic shoe is handcrafted, ensuring a high level of quality and attention to detail.Personalization options: Some New Republic products offer personalization options, allowing customers to create a unique and personalized product. Tons of people have complimented the shoes. It's about as many as the CP's. Just no sneaker freaks, which I am ok with. Regardless, the action leather was a bit stiff and took some time to mold into a comfortable wearing experience. The EVA insoles are comfortable right off the bat, but having to bend stiff action leather to your will took away from that comfort a bit.

Sustainably sourced materials: New Republic strives to use sustainably sourced materials and fabrics, making them a more environmentally conscious option. Quality control issues: As with any brand, there is a risk of quality control issues. Some customers have reported receiving shoes that are not up to their expectations. Without getting into too much detail about another white sneaker brand, you need to know that Common Projects offers a full-grain leather sneaker with a margom outsole (a higher grade of genuine rubber). This is difficult to spot at a distance to the untrained eye, but the differences become apparent once you put your fingers on each type of leather and learn what to look for. Full-grain leather is soft and supple, while genuine leather of the lowest quality is not. FULL-GRAIN V. TOP-GRAIN V. GENUINE LEATHER (SKIP IF YOU AREN'T INTERESTED) I think it’s commendable that New Republic spends money only where they need to for the purpose of democratizing fashion vs doing so to gain room to overcharge.They feature the New Republic trademark hand-sewn signature stitch on the heel tab. I appreciate this minimal labeling, and the cool-factor of the “vague branding ” approach. Price Durable. I've worn them on hard tiled floors, walking around the city, dinners, etc... They are holding up fantastically. Expertise: Through his work in fine art and with Sotheby's auction house, Karlton has developed a deep knowledge of timepieces, whiskey and menswear. He's written for publishers like LA Weekly and Harvard. Here at TMM, Karlton covers watches and men's fashion. As you can probably guess, the primary difference between this lower-tier sneaker option from the New Republic and the Common Projects luxury-tier sneakers is in the materials. The Kurt sneakers are not hand-made in Italy from calfskin leather and don't have a margom outsole. Instead, you're getting a fairly low-quality (albeit genuine) leather with a rubber outsole. The Stantons feature a vulcanized rubber sole with the classic waffle bottom tread you normally see on slip-ons.