The Stylish Insider

New Balance and rapper Aminé have officially unveiled the 992 "Outdoor School". This collaboration marks Aminé’s first MADE in USA release, inspired by his memories of attending an Outdoor School program in Oregon. The sneaker features a reddish-brown mix of mesh, suede, and patent leather. It includes custom Club Banana branding on the tongue and heel, along with insoles that reference the Outdoor School curriculum. Each pair comes in a box designed to look like a fishing tackle box. Special accessories include a wooden “wood cookie” hangtag stamped with “Horizon Cabin,” which can be decorated with charms shaped like a frog, compass, whistle, slug, and fish. The Aminé x New Balance 992 "Outdoor School" sneaker drops on October 2 exclusively via Club Banana for $220 USD.

BEAMS BOY and Birkenstock have reimagined the Boston clog with a "Brown Patchwork" design. The new collaborative clogs replace the usual smooth upper with three shades of suede in Taupe, Mink, and Mocha pieced together in an asymmetrical pattern. The mismatched panels give the shoe a handmade, one-of-a-kind feel to the classic silhouette. Because of the specific arrangement, each shoe features a slightly different mix of leather surfaces. Branding is subtle, appearing on the leather footbed rather than the exterior. The pair arrives in BEAMS’ signature orange box to complete the look. Look for the BEAMS BOY x Birkenstock Boston "Brown Patchwork" clogs to drop on Saturday, September 12 via BEAMS for ¥36,300 JPY (approximately $230 USD).

In addition to the obvious practical purposes for doing so, wearing sneakers has long been a method of self-expression. People have been wearing Converse Chuck Taylors long after their use on the basketball court had grown outdated due to their undeniable rock-and-roll cool look. The same is true for the adidas Superstar and hip-hop, and there really is no need to go on about street culture’s obsession with Air Jordan retros over the last two decades plus; young people rock Jays who are not even old enough to have watched MJ lace them up and grace them on the hardwood. So why not a faith-based sneaker? It is no secret that Christian-themed clothing has long had a presence in American culture as well as in other countries. Everything from cross necklaces to graphic tees to WWJD bracelets are all around, worn by believers and readily available to be purchased. Until now, though, Christianity has not established a strong foothold in the shoe game. Enter Alma Savior and its first of...

Wagyu and Nike are releasing a special edition pair of Black and Anthracite Air Max 90 sneakers. The Harlem-based label adds its beef-inspired branding with metallic Swooshes, a custom cow-head heel badge, and Wagyu letting on the mudguard. The upper mixes shaggy suede with perforated leather, while thick white rope laces break up the dark design. The theme carries over to the packaging, which includes a certificate of authenticity modeled after beef-grading forms. A matching Nike Tech Fleece jacket and pants join the drop, featuring the same print motif inside the jacket. The Wagyu x Nike Air Max 90 sneaker drops on September 12 via Nike SNKRS for $150 USD.

Continuing their partnership, nonnative and Paraboot present a refined take on the Briac moccasin. The silhouette is dressed in "Charcoal Gray" suede and features a comfortable McKay construction. A bulky black JANNU sole provides support, while branding is limited to a hidden embossing on the footbed. The nonnative x Paraboot Briac Cow Leather moccasin drops today exclusively via nonnative for ¥75,000 JPY (approximately $480 USD).

Benny the Greek is blazing a trail in the Aussie trap scene. He released a music video for his new single “Hand of God”. Benny the Greek is a Queensland-based rapper, model and fighter. The video was filmed by Stavros Vlachogiannis . This song is an excellent introduction to Benny the Greek. In it, he lays the pain of his heart on the table and gives us a glimpse of his spiritual depth forged on the street and sharpened in prison. He immediately sets the tone of the song with a sample that asks us two questions: Does the music have a message for you? Does it tell you something or is it just loud noise? My brother, we must pay homage to My brodie back in jail. Got me missing in prison ain't designed for you to fail, but the system is. No more getting mail. No more visiting. People see the outcome but never see the discipline. Benny the Greek’s life after prison required readjustment through hard work. Taking all of the burpees, books and prayers from jail and applying tha...

When Smoke Clears is a brand born in fire, and they have returned to New York 10 years in the making. I had the opportunity to visit When Smoke Clears’ “D R Y MUSEUM” at Capsule NYC in Harlem on August 21st. Rather than organizing a standard popup, K$ace and Thermal curated an exhibit that tells the story of the brand and captures the resilience that fuels this brand’s progress. In the center of the sales floor were plinths covered in burnt fabric. On them sat a picture of When Smoke Clears’ original studio, an incident report, and a burnt piece of jewelry. They were all relics of the fire that destroyed their original Yonkers studio where they were just beginning to make jewelry in 2016. As a result, the brand includes handmade jewelry in many of their designs. Every piece in their collection has handmade elements either through printing, sewing or intentional distressing that makes each piece truly unique. When Smoke Clears already had their name before their studio fire, but...