Building said uniform can be a challenge, especially if you want to have some fun with it and avoid being pigeonholed as “basic.” Essentially, the aim of the game is to look like you’re heading to or coming from somewhere specific, even if you’re not. Dress like you’re late for a pottery painting class when in reality, you’re going to meet your accountant.

To reiterate what we mean by this, we’ve taken a good look at a one-stop shop you can always rely on: SSENSE. For everything you’d need to build entire fits around your new artistic aesthetic, or any other niche personality you want to try on for a week.

The Finishing Touch Fiend

If we’ve learned anything from Hollywood’s most stylish men, it’s that a solid outfit is never complete without its accessories. Seriously, never. Whether it's genuine or performative is a question for another day. Regardless, a simple outfit could always use some arm candy, aka a tote bag. A cap says more about a fit than a button-down ever could; combine it with a pair of sunnies and suddenly “incognito mode” just got a whole lot sexier.

Yoga Mat Maverick

We all know those people who live in athleisure. The pilates girlies rocking leggings or cycling shorts 365 days a year, maybe they’re onto something. The simple act of swapping out denim jeans for a gym short (or even a cargo, if you’re feeling wild) means you’re basically ready for anything, anytime. It’s hard to argue with that level of efficiency.

Shoe 'Em Up

When it comes to footwear, there are endless paths you could venture down. The mule-ification of every damn sneaker on the market means there’s now a summer alternative to literally everything. The slimmed-down silhouette isn’t going anywhere either; in fact, it’s only getting more interesting. For the ultimate uniform, though, you’ll want something loafer-adjacent. A shoe that tells everyone passing by you’ve got your sh*t together – even if you don’t.

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Brain Dead, itself behind an expansive line of heeled adidas bowling shoes, has been at the forefront of it all. Now it's cooking up something even stranger than a black-tie adidas sneaker, and Highsnobiety contributor Edward Chiu got an early look at it. 

The Californian streetwear label’s newest concoction is a new-school version of the OG scaley adidas Predator football boot from 1994 —  known as a cleat by those who call the sport soccer — except with the sole studs replaced by a thick heeled sole you’d expect on a leather derby. Oh, yeah, and it’s a Disney collaboration.

Turning a legendary football boot worn by legends of the game, like Paul Gascoigne and David Beckham, into a hybrid formal shoe wasn’t crazy enough for Brain Dead. It got one of the world's largest entertainment conglomerates to add the final touch: A Mickey Mouse hangtag. 

Have you ever heard of Mickey Mouse dress shoes built from football boots? Me neither. It’s a contender for most unexpected collaboration of the year, and leaks suggest there’ll be a full Disney x adidas x Brain Dead football kit to match.

But for all the concept’s bizarreness, the as-yet-unreleased shoes are pretty slick. Football boots make for surprisingly swaggy dress shoes, something a small section of cobblers has been proving over the last few years. Brain Dead’s version, with its leather mudguard countering the sportiness of the rubber notches, is yet more proof. 

Although I’m still a little confused about where exactly Mickey Mouse ties into it all.

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“The Stan Smith already has such a clear identity. It’s one of those objects that almost disappear because of how familiar it is,” says Saber Ahmed, co-founder and creative director of Glass Cypress. “It is a product that is subversive in its restraint, and we were not interested in making it louder. We wanted to touch it, age it, and shift its feeling through the hand.”

The essence of the decade-old Houston fashion label’s practice is in the laborious craftsmanship that brings its clothes to life. Saber and his brother Samee Ahmed, with whom he founded the brand, grew up in America and have Bangladeshi heritage, which they explore through centuries-old South Asian fabrication techniques — like Nakshi Kantha hand-embroidery and vegetable-dyed cloth — performed in its Bangladeshi workshops.

Working on an adidas Stan Smith is an entirely new proposition.

This is Glass Cypress' first sneaker (it prefers the term "interpretation" to "collaboration). But while its patient craft normally consists of small runs of handmade items, the Stan Smith is a mass-market item produced in the millions.

“The process became about finding a way to approach something as iconic and familiar as the Stan Smith without taking away its familiarity, while adding our design language,” says Ahmed, whose team dyed each shoe with coffee to soften and stain the leather before individually distressing and airbrushing dark stains around the heel.

“The goal was to make each pair feel handled, worn, and slightly displaced from the present,” he continues. ”It is not meant to feel perfectly uniform. Because each one is finished by hand, every pair carries a slight variation. Some are warmer, some are more worn, and some have different marks or tonal shifts. That irregularity is the point.”

Glass Cypress’ eye for detail even extended to the laces. The plastic eyelets were removed —  “They had to come out,” says Ahmed, because "softness" is part of Glass Cypress’ “strict design language” — and the regular cotton laces were replaced by thick washed silk with loose thread wrapped around the ends to create yet more homespun irregularities. 

For now, the ultra-limited results of Glass Cypress’ labor will be given to friends and family at a private dinner hosted by H. Lorenzo, the brand’s first stockist.

"It felt like a natural next step for us to come together and have an initial conversation," says Ahmed. "As for what’s next with adidas, our focus remains on this project and giving it the space to exist on its own terms."

For now, consider these exquisite adidas objects merely the beginning of something beautiful.

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Do you notice anything strange about LOEWE’s new travel wardrobe for Spain’s footballers at the 2026 World Cup? If not, then look at the sleeves.

Spain’s biggest stars, including Pedri, Rodri, and Nico Williams, posed for portraits wearing the Spanish house’s blue polo shirts beneath generously cut three-button blazers, paired with wide-leg suit pants. And yet when they turn up their left blazer sleeve to unveil the small red LOEWE logo hiding inside, there’s a striped light blue dress shirt sleeve hiding below. How did that get there?

The answer reveals itself on LOEWE’s website, where the exact jacket (minus the Spanish crest embroidery on the chest pocket) is listed for $2990. The blazer has a “double-layered stripe contrasted cuff,” creating the illusion of a shirt beneath. A neat experimental touch, especially for a football team’s travelwear. 

This is classic LOEWE. We’re talking about a brand that, under its previous creative director, Jonathan Anderson, grew literal grass on jackets and now, under the direction of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, is producing huge sculptural furry outerwear.

It’s a longstanding tradition that maisons create the pre-match suits for football teams based near their headquarters. Paul Smith has supplied Manchester United with all its suiting since 2008, for instance, while Parisian tailor Smalto outfits the French national team. The format normally remains the same: Plain suits, classically cut, with the team's crest on the chest. There’s nothing wrong with that, after all, they’re made for football tournaments and not fashion shows.

There are some exceptions to the rule of football tailoring, like the Emporio Armani’s crumpled seersucker blazers with mandarin collars for Italy’s national team at Euro 2020, but they’re few and far between.

Of course, LOEWE, being the surrealist free-spirited label it is, added its little playful spin to this ilk of competition-specific formalwear while masterfully loosening the proportions for a wider cut than on a typical suit. And Spain is all the better for it.

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Naples’ fly rod serves as his instrument of choice. In response to the seasonal conditions, he thoughtfully selects a handcrafted faux caddisfly as his lure, like he’s choosing which song to play. Dressed in premium hiking gear from The North Face, Naples moves with focused intent alongside the rushing tributary of the Hudson River, stopping in increments to test his cast. Gently flicking, cautiously reeling, and subtly resetting, each movement is executed with the precision of a polished performer and supported by the adaptability of his apparel. 

“Fly fishing is really like an art practice,” McWayne explains. “In jazz, you have to be so in the moment to be able to respond in real time, and that’s the same vibe I felt watching Adam. He was so attuned to his surroundings at all times — never zoned out. Everything was about finesse and timing.” 

Having only ever “cast a few lines,” McWayne professed feelings of nervousness heading into the new experience. Based in New York City, the 25-year-old explains that a normal day for him usually includes recording music with his brother, playing video games, and watching nostalgic vampire dramas with his girlfriend — an almost idyllic Gen-Z lifestyle by most standards.

In contrast, the millennial Naples craves the escape from the city, noting that every weekend he can be, he’s outside, trying to reel in his next prize. “I have a really addictive personality, so when I’m into something it’s like 1,000 percent,” he shares. “Fishing has been one of the best vehicles for that because there are so many little intricacies, and I can really hone in on my own style.” Growing up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Naples credits fishing trips with his dad and coordinating tackle boxes with childhood friends as contributing factors to his early love for nature and being outside, viewing it less as a hobby and more as a meditative extension of his identity. 

Now, the unlikely pair cut through the Catskill Mountains, embarking on a shared expedition with the same goal in mind: catch a fish. For the seasoned pro, this is an opportunity to understand his practice from a fresh perspective, while for the eager apprentice, this is a moment to step out of his comfort zone and navigate unfamiliar territory. 

Outfitting both the savant and the student with gear made for the trek, The North Face acts as a connector between McWayne and Naples, assisting their pursuit to redefine exploration on their own terms. California-born and Denver-based, the brand has for more than half a century been pushing those with that adventurous itch to chase whatever lies beyond their personal horizons. Pressing further for Spring/Summer ‘26, The North Face uses “the hike” as a symbol for its enduring ethos, acknowledging that, whether we realize it or not, there is always more to every outdoor endeavor. 

In McWayne’s case, it's a reason to reconnect with a part of himself that he’s drifted away from in recent years, reminiscing on camping trips and excursions through the woods with childhood friends. And for Naples, it's about deepening his love for a craft he’s put 10,000 hours into, constantly finding new ways to challenge himself and improve.

By midday, the pair has yet to complete their mission — though neither seems particularly concerned. With the sun still high in the sky, the duo continues to trudge down the pathway, their North Face jackets softly swooshing with each movement as they search for the perfect spot to wade into the water. Bonding over music, sports, and their shared Oregonian ties (Alden grew up there, while Adam had only a brief stay in the state during his 20s), the primary objective almost fades into the background as the two settle in with each step. Soon, the intense hike originally meant for scouting became an experience that gave the two space to open up, creating bonds that would otherwise never have formed.   

“Adam is such a calming force,” McWayne says. “But it’s also really cool to see the childlike wonder he still has for the whole thing.” 

In turn, Naples notes, “Alden’s fresh eyes gave me a new appreciation for where I’m at. He reminded me I haven’t become jaded to it all.” 

At the intersection of extraordinary feats and those intimate “nowhere else I’d rather be” moments is where The North Face thrives. Blending performance with stylistic versatility, the famed brand is made for every type of scenario, no matter if you’re taking your first step on the trail or you’re already deep into the expedition. Because for The North Face, it’s always more than a hike. 

Near the day’s end, McWayne and Naples finally make progress toward their objective after locating the ideal pocket along the waterway. With the sleight of hand akin to a jazz drummer in flow, the veteran angler captured his target in what felt like a single fluid motion. “It was almost like a movie scene,” McWayne exclaims. “Adam got it on the hook, it popped out of the water, and we scooped it up in the net. It was the perfect end to our journey out there.” 

To commemorate their outing, the two posed for the obligatory post-catch pic, ensuring their accomplishment was captured on camera. Exiting the creek, McWayne beamed with pride, met by Naples’ supportive smirk — a knowing look from someone who’s done this plenty of times before. Debriefing on the day and broaching the potentiality of another trip, the strangers-turned-fishing-buddies parted ways — McWayne back to the city, and Naples right back to doing what he does best — with a cache of memories and some well-earned gear, all courtesy of The North Face. 

 Shop The North Face Spring/Summer ‘26 at thenorthface.com.

Speaking of which, say hello to the Glenburn x Argentina x Thrasher.​

A terrace shoe to add to the German sportswear brand's never-ending catalogue of like-minded models. Luckily for us all, this one isn’t combatting Ozempic allegations.​

We’re used to adidas sneakers coming with a barely there sole. It got wind of the flat-soled sneaker and ran with it. Literally. The Glenburn x Argentina x Thrasher is a universally solid sneaker.​

Sporting the most inoffensive colorway, black and white, with little embellishments that make this its own beast, this collaboration feels like a nod to the past.​

Collaborating with a streetwise skater brand like Thrasher is what makes this sneaker cool. The logo addition at the back easily distinguishes this from your standard Handball Spezial. It’s not the first time the pair have come together to create some magic either. Back in 2020, the duo catapulted the Superstar ADV into a superstar.​

This time it’s not alone, joined by Glenburn and Argentina. The saying about “too many cooks” obviously doesn’t apply here.​ The Glenburn x Argentina x Thrasher will be released for $85 on adidas’ website on June 1.

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And more importantly, it's the culmination of a HOKA project a half-decade in the making.

As parent company Deckers notches record revenue thanks in great deal to ongoing HOKA domination, HOKA's lifestyle department is kicking off a five-year plan that doubles down on its casual footwear business, as revealed exclusively to Highsnobiety.

The signs of a HOKA revival were there. This season is HOKA's strongest to date, at least on the lifestyle front: It revived the much-missed Bondi 7, the greatest crossover performance shoe of the modern age, the Mafate Three2, Mafate Speed 2, Tor Summit, and the Ora Primo clog, some of its strongest archival styles. It also debuted fresh silhouettes like the Mach Remastered.

It's a meaty lineup, held together by high-spec high-vis materials and colorways that lean into retro running-shoe pop without feeling dated. It's also sincere. Just a bunch of HOKA classics, no attempt to ape trends. Even the HOKA Mary Jane feels like a HOKA that happens to be of the moment rather than one trying to be of the moment.

It's telling that as footwear trends wax and wane — Ballet flats! Boat shoes! Approach sneakers! — HOKA is sticking to shoes that already worked.

In fact, most of these silhouettes aren't even new. But this is the first time they've been honed into a unified whole. That's what really struck me in the first place: These aren't just great shoes. This is a great cohesive lineup.

I figured that HOKA must have hired a new team to fuel this freshness. A new creative lead, maybe. Turns out, I was kinda right: Chris Hui, HOKA's lifestyle footwear design director, joined the Deckers-owned sportswear label back in 2023, so he's not really new. But the fruit of his team's years-long labor is only just beginning to ripen.

If you thought HOKA shoes were omnipresent before, you haven't seen anything yet.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

In short, what's the goal of HOKA's lifestyle department?

Chris Hui: A pair of shoes that's the go-to dependable daily trainer. A super important part of our lifestyle category is that people are actually out there wearing our shoes. We inject so much of the learning and technical expertise from our performance side into our lifestyle products. Even though it's not screaming at you that these are techy performance shoes, they're built with the same integrity and research.

I feel like that's been HOKA's lifestyle slogan for a long while, but what's new — or, at least, why does it feel new?

Performance has really established the brand and drives the majority of our business, but lifestyle is absolutely viewed as a core part of the future, and a big part of our plans to move forward. The business has really doubled down and invested into [lifestyle]. We brought in people like myself, like my teammates, to really give the curation that you're finally seeing come to market.

Tighter plan, creative direction, new design leadership, sharpening our collaboration partners — it was important that we did it all in a way that was strategic because the opportunity is there. We've been quite selective about how we want to represent ourselves in this market because we have long-term plans. So far the response has been as successful as we've ever planned and it's only the beginning. We're super excited to unveil Fall 2026. We're finishing up '27 and working on '28 — I think it's really gonna surprise a lot of people.

What was the impetus for this shift?

It reached a breaking point where it was so obvious. The tastemakers and the real "front" of, whether you wanna call it fashion or streetwear, were all adopting our brand organically. Like, we'd go to Fashion Week and a triple-black Bondi 8 was part of the uniform for stylists and designers. Not so much the people who are there to be seen but the people who actually driving the industry.

It was a very clear signal to the brand that there's something here and if we don't make a plan for how we want to show up, we're leaving ourselves at the mercy of wherever the market takes us. That's when a team of industry experts was brought in to build out a new perspective. All of those leads were assembled to build this plan that's just beginning to execute in 2026. It's a five-year plan that's just beginning to hit.

No one does triple black sneakers like HOKA. In fact, all-black HOKAs were probably the first all-black sneakers I really liked, because they emphasized the sneakers' distinct shape.

I love that. We treat triple black colorways with the same amount of attention as what other brands might do with like signature shoes or like OG colorways.

That feels like a good distillation of HOKA's design ethos at large.

We place a ton of importance and belief in the the weight of good design. Every time we're planning a new season, reviewing the designs of a new line, we ask ourselves, "Are these designs taking us somewhere new? Are they distinct and memorable?" Without good product and design, brands wouldn't exist.

The second we become an "everything" brand or a jack of all trades, then we lose what made us so special in the first place. So, we have very specific points in our plan of how we begin to diversify and build those bridges to new spaces and expand the aperture of what HOKA represents as a brand.

I noticed that there's a lot of returning and archival silhouettes, not a lot of "on-trend" styles save for maybe the Mary Jane.

We always wanna break people's expectations. When we do [trends], we want them to be quintessentially HOKA. So when we built the Mary Jane, it was gonna be on a Bondi. It was that juxtaposition of something that's known to be so small and petite on our biggest silhouette — that felt to us as the only solution that we could offer the marketplace.

The way we answer other trends is gonna be the same: It has to be undeniably HOKA or we won't do it. It's too important to us to maintain our credibility and our point of view, especially as we're trying to stay focused.

Well, I have to ask: one of the defining HOKA factors are the thick soles. Will HOKA ever do a flat shoe?

This is what I'll say: HOKA has always wanted to do things that people don't expect. So, I would never say that anything is off the table for us. That's what makes the future so exciting.

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The chromed out NB ABZORB 5030, though? Well, that's a dad shoe straight from the future, and it has the avant-garde excellence to back it up.

Sleek but not slim, the ABZORB 5030 wears a padded chrome upper with paneled debossing throughout, giving the shoe its stainless steel appearance.

Underneath, the durable rubber split outsole incorporates New Balance's SBS Pods, which give the futuristic sneaker some serious grip and shock absorption for all-day comfort. That is to say, the ABZORB 5030 is more than just its (really) good looks.

It also has the technical functions to back it up. A true beauty and brains moment, if you will.

Now, even though it's technically a dad shoe, the ABZORB 5030 is still quite young. First released in the summer of 2025, New Balance's ABZORB 5030 is only a year old. But in that short time frame, the ABZORB 5030 has made quite a name for itself. 

From urbane black colorways to reflective white stunners, the ABZORB 5030 looks best in futuristic yet simple colorways. Even the metallic-esque ABZORB 5030 looks like it's part sneaker, part spacecraft. 

Where other New Balance dad shoes experiment with a variety of colorways, the ABZORB 5030 is at its best when it's doing monochromatic neutrals that look like they just landed on earth.

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​It works particularly well for Vans’ Old Skool 36. Enter the “Paint Splatter” version.​

It looks like it sounds. Paint splatters cover the upper, in an intentionally beautiful way, of course. Other than that “mishap”, the Old Skool charm remains. Literally, this is just an Old Skool that’s been put out to work.​

That’s what’s always stood out about Vans; it’s one of the few brands that has mastered the formula of its sneakers looking better with wear and tear. The skater effect, through and through.​

With fewer releases looking like stereotypical sneakers and more becoming sneaker loafers, sneaker mules or even sneaker mary-janes. It’s nice to see Vans sticking with the classics. Sometimes there’s just very little need to revamp what’s already seen as a fan favorite.​

What were you painting, you ask? Something red and white. That’s what you’ll find splattered across your toes.​

The beauty of already-destroyed sneakers lies in the lack of precaution. Go ahead, paint to your heart’s content.​

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If you’re not already familiar, get to know the Mundial Goal Soccer Shoes.

Classic adidas colorways, classic adidas aesthetic, but this one’s an ode to all the soccer enthusiasts out there. Especially the goalies.

With a soft split-suede leather upper, the Mundial stands out thanks to its soccer-inspired curves around the toe. From the front, you could easily mistake these for a cleat. From the side, it’s all sneaker, with an elongated gum sole at the rear that’s just the right amount of extra.

And speaking of elongated, that tongue is another nod to soccer, but don’t get it twisted, this has just as much street appeal as it does on the pitch.

If you do intend to partake in a kick-about, you’re more than covered. Thanks to the non-marking outsole, there’s no excuse for slippin’ n’ slidin’ around the place. 

We’re cosplaying as soccer players this summer, haven’t you heard?

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His latest version, “Shy Pink and Tropical Pink”, is the epitome of summer.

The collaboration has notoriously been fun colored. His standouts of course, include a bit of  baby pink and red, or a contrastingly moody brown and pink. Either way, it’s pink and fun. 

The real distinction between a Travis Scott AJ1 and a standard AJ1 is the playfulness, sure. But also that reversed swoosh on the side  is unmistakable. It’s the kind of detail that elevates a sneaker we’ve likely already seen in just about every colorway possible. 

Having Scott’s, or his brand Cactus Jack’s, name on Jordan’s premier sneaker has always been a beacon of exclusivity. Especially back in the day, these babies would sell out at rapid speed and end up resale for quadruple the original price. Whether or not that's still the case is yet to be seen. 

Regardless, you know you’re getting a damn good sneaker. Truly, the AJ1 can do no wrong. This colorway is set to release on Nike's website May 29.

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