Our Baseline Low Tops are the greatest canvas sneaker option…
The Ultimate Canvas Shoes For Guys
We wanted to create something unique, unlike anything else on the market, which would page homage to the originals with a modern twist and the &SONS DNA.
Made from over 70% recycled materials, they were inspired by “The Lords of Dog Town” and the '70s skateboarding scene. We trawled through libraries of images to find photos of these iconic pieces, often seen on sidewalk surfers and half-pipes as genuine sports footwear.
Our low-top trainers are inspired by the plimsoles that skateboarders used to wear. With their crew socks pulled high, these trailblazers were part of the sidewalk surfing movement.
The Inspiration
To look forward, we had to look back. We researched the original plimsolls, the shape, curvature and finish and developed a modern-day version. From the tan rubber soles and vintage distressing, these shoes carry all of the heritage hallmarks you’d expect to see from an original ’70s trainer. Paying homage to the originals, we have used 100% recycled cork on the in-soles, which featured on the boots of this era. The cork application, hand-distressed canvas and tan accents deliver an authentic aesthetic and look aged straight out of the box.
Who Were The Lords Of Dogtown?
The Dogtown Lords were a group of American skateboarders in the mid-1970s from Santa Monica and Venice, California. The group was named The Zephyr Competition Team or the ‘Z-Boys’. Originally consisting of 12 members, the Z-boys were originally sponsored by the Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions surf and skate shop.
They all lived in Santa Monica's "Dogtown" and surfed The Cove, a post-industrial surf spot located at Pacific Ocean Park (POP), an old abandoned pier. But when Southern California lineups were flat and waveless, a new sport was picking up on the nearby tarmac - skateboarding.
Until the early 70s, skateboarders rolled on wheels made of clay, they were old and limited skaters to minor tricks. In the early 70s, Frank Nasworthy began tinkering with urethane wheels and changed the skateboard world forever. These new wheels allowed skaters to go vertical, defy gravity and allowed the progression of all sorts of tricks.
The Z-Boys were skateboarding's first edgy countercultural movement and restless innovators. They were responsible for moving the sport from freestyle and slalom to vertical in pipes and pools. Zephyr was one of the most influential surf-and-skate manufacturers of the 1970s and Dogtown's myth and legends live on to this day.