Written by Tony Sylvester.
Last week, I pulled some books off the shelf and explored the history of the canvas sneaker, and its place in the summer wardrobe. This was a bit of a continuation of the extensive Riviera style look that Simon and I have experienced over the past few summers.
This time, I thought I’d take a look at some of the offerings on the market, as well as favorites from my own shoe rack.
Japan has its own tradition of canvas shoemaking and vulcanised rubber shoemaking, based in Kurume, dating back to the Taisho period (1912-26) when industrialization created a need for durable shoes and the machinery to make them.
The MoonStar Company started making jika-tabi – cotton work boots with a split toe on a rubber sole at this time, and still produces the Moonstar brand, Shoes Like Pottery and Doek.
The Moonstar Gym Classic offers the same silhouette in all white tennis shoes that you see in Laurence Fellows images from the 30s – sleek, clear and understated. A solid bank model, but rather stuck to that ‘old time’ look in my opinion.
Perhaps the most ubiquitous and less period-specific answer would be Doek Oxford. As the name suggests, CVO’s clear descent, all-around finish and appearance bring a wide appeal.
I’ve always admired the way the Beige Habilleur teams would mix it with their tailoring from Justo Gimeno and the Ring Jacket.
Speaking of the CVO, Sperry has produced this model since its introduction in the mid-30s. The modern iteration is a perfectly adequate and reasonably priced version that they call the ‘CVO reissue’, which they claim is based on their 1970s version.Perfect quality and looks match the £65 price tag, I tried it on and I have to admit the comfort wasn’t great.
The main attraction is the Sperry x Beams Plus ‘Mil-Spec’ CVO which speaks back to that US Navy connection we mentioned in the last episode.
Priced more in line with Moonstar’s current offerings, the cotton uppers are heavy duty, and the insoles are more durable and the foxing is a little thicker. Colors indicate military descent.
For my money, the Wakouwas from Anatomica offer the best modern take on the Sperry Top Sider CVO, supporting their stance on Alden’s ‘Modified’ Last. Much has been written about the latter, and it makes perfect sense to use it here, as it was developed for US Naval dress shoes in the 1940s, thus echoing the legacy of the CVO.
My favorites are the bright International Klein Blue over the black one. They used to be made by the Asahi company in Japan, another Kurume-based manufacturer with a long pedigree – they are the same parent company as Bridgestone Tyres, although production has moved to other parts of Asia.
Some wearers noticed a drop in quality following the move, something I didn’t experience myself. Asahi themselves offer a made-in-Japan alternative under their banner at a reasonable price point, but I’ve yet to try ’em.
Also in my collection, but with reference to Edward Windsor’s shoe rack, is Fennica’s ‘Duke’ plimsoll designed by Terry Ellis back in the 2010s.
Produced by Moonstar, they take the basic shape of the Vans Authentic deck shoe – itself another descendant of CVO, but mimic the color of the extensive Windsor collection as shown in the last article – a rich mustardy tan on a red-orange sole.
Foxing is double-wrapped on the sole, and proud silver eyelets complete the honor. Instead of the traditional ‘cut out’ sole, they have the waffle sole developed by the Van Doran company in 1966, another new way of looking for traction – this time taken up by skaters instead of yachtsmen.
Next is the brace of Keds reissues from Mark McNairy from 2012. It’s named ‘Boosters’ after the Yeoman 50th anniversary rebrand that we discussed at length last week.
This is a very accurate reproduction of the period, based on the photos and illustrations I have seen. Woven hessian canvas in navy and tan in crimson crepe with silver eyelets.
Originally supplied with flat white strings, I swapped them out for round tones, matching the originals, I believe. Despite their unwavering accuracy, I prefer Fennica’s interpretation I think, there is something more creative about them.
And lastly, the highlight of this group is the reissue of the JM Weston 38 Tennis. This came directly from a photo in the French menswear magazine Adam in 1938, which was first posted on Instagram by the ever-instructive Kerloazdiary.
Weston seems to have built their new one straight from the photo, complete with a canvas leather upper, stitched to a rubber sole with a unique vamp stitch on the upper side. These guys are a bargain to be sure, but they have the added bonus of being factory reset.
I got the black top only as a sort of formal summer stand out. A real point of difference from others in my rotation.
For style tips, I never stray from that David Niven photo or that quote from Geoffrey Wolff’s 1990 novel that opened with it. Something about linen and flannel over canvas and rubber has a timeless appeal.
Just ask Ralph Lauren, his Bruce Weber lookbooks of the 80s and 90s are full of great references that take in seersucker, madras, flannels and linens. A masterclass in all honesty.
*Note from Simon: I have knowledge of two recent releases, to add to Tony’s excellent summary. The Loro Piana has a very well made and comfortable CVO, but with a high fold in the foxing that I think spoils the shape somewhat. I also tried the Anglo-Italian model, which is very similar to the Weston in leather upholstery and stitching – and a different sole than the others. The silhouette is nice, but personally I like the lightness and unstructured nature of other canvas shoes. My all-time favorite canvas shoe is the Superga 1925 reissue (currently only available on the Italian website).