Sole Justification

Compelling back stories inspire two new sneaker lines

July 19, 2007—Swedish tennis legends, the Chinese Red Army, and sailing aren't the likeliest of streetwear influences, but they're the driving force behind two notable new sneaker lines. Stroll, a collaboration between Acne and Tretorn, top left, takes as its inspiration Björn Borg's seventies-era Tretorns—plus a boot once worn by the Chinese military. "Simple lines and unpretentiousness," is how Acne creative director Jonny Johansson describes the results. "Stroll is meant to exist somewhere in the twilight zone between a dress shoe and a sneaker."

A tad less pedigreed, though no worse off for it, is Aprix, a nautically inclined line developed over the past three years by the NYC-based duo of Brendon Babenzien, creative director of Supreme, and business partner Michael Power. Their impressive debut, to be sold at Nom de Guerre this fall, will be limited to four styles (that's our favorite, above right), with more in store for 2008. "We were trying to make shoes that were fairly modern but felt like they were from another time period as well," says Babenzien. He may have a point there—with only 150 pairs available, we expect they'll soon be history.

Acne Stroll Low Canvas, $195, and Mid-Canvas, $225, www.acnejeans.com; Aprix, $132, available for fall at Nom de Guerre, 640 Broadway, NYC, (212) 253-2707, www.nomdeguerre.net, www.aprixsport.com