Todd Snyder to Release First Sneaker
Todd Snyder is continuing his foray into the footwear category with his first-ever sneaker launch.
The men’s fashion designer on Thursday revealed the release of his label’s Tuscan Court Shoe, a limited-edition sneaker inspired by Snyder’s love for old-school basketball shoes. The sneaker, which will be available for purchase on Sept. 14, comes in two colorways and retails for $498.
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Snyder’s Tuscan Court Shoe is the brand’s first sneaker in its roughly 12 years since launching. The designer, however, has had a long history of teaming with heritage brands for sneaker collaborations, including New Balance, Vans and Converse.
“After collaborating with several major sneaker brands, it was only natural that I wanted to start designing my own,” Snyder said. “It felt as if there was an opportunity to create a sneaker for a customer who had grown up wearing classic basketball and tennis sneakers, but whose taste had evolved. My collaborations with top sneaker brands over the years gave me that experience and know-how needed to make the Tuscan Court Shoe a reality.”
Snyder linked with Tuscan shoemaker Gem Srl for the sneaker launch, working with the company to elevate the style with the use of Vachette leathers and suedes. The sneakers also feature a brogue-style stitching on the toe-box, a suede mudguard and cork footbed.
“I set out to help men dress better and elevate their everyday style,” the designer continued. “A sneaker is a quintessential wardrobe staple and being able to offer one that has exquisite craftsmanship and versatility fits perfectly into the Todd Snyder ethos.”
Snyder’s sneaker launch comes a year after the designer introduced footwear into his label with the launch of a chukka-style boot made in Italy. Snyder explained that his customers responded well to the launch, which convinced him to create more footwear offerings. He later introduced a line of Italian leather sandals and made-in-Spain espadrilles for the summer, which also met with success.
“This court shoe is just the beginning of something we will continue to introduce new colors of seasonally,” Snyder said. “We are developing new silhouettes that will round out our footwear offering going into next year.”
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