Image Keds Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

[Arcolyte]

I just spent a week in London, and I've got a bit of news to report.

Keds. Lots, and lots of Keds. I haven't seen so many Keds since I was a schoolboy in the 90s. Everyone's wearing them, and it's definitely the 'it' shoe right now. Even the guys are wearing the 10-eyelet variety.

Unfortunately only about 5-10% are genuine Keds, most people are wearing knockoffs from H&M and similar stores. What this really says though is that Keds is missing a huge market right now by not selling the Champion as effectively in Europe, and, as fashions usually start in Europe before they make it to North America, we're in for a possibly keds-heavy season this summer. It's just too bad no one makes real Keds anymore, just the new "classics" we're all forced to deal with. :icon_mad: The real irony is that the genuine Keds I did see being worn were all the old pebble-sole variety we all love. No one's buying the new crap.

That said, it's only about $500 to fly out to London from the US West Coast (and probably even cheaper elsewhere) to get a peek for yourself. You'll see it's worth every penny as soon as you step off the plane and see tons of [hot] British girls in shiny stirrup leggings and Keds everywhere...!

Cheers,
website2

 

[consforever]

Re: Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

I don't belive a word you say Website2.. I need pictorial evidence mate.. :icon_wink Ha Ha.. Thanks heaps for that report but where are they getting the pebble soles..??.. The knockoffs... One or two girls around here are wearing the shiny leggins but with Nikes ect... Not with Keds or Cons or Plims which is a real bummer..
Speaking of those great looking shiney leggins.. Saw a realy scary site in the supermarket the other day.. There was this grossly overweight, and man I mean overweight woman about 40 in shiney just below the knee leggins,... with freakin flip-flops and a white T shirt.. And yeah she was stuffing her face as she waddled along... Please before you all erupt with political correctness.. I am not knocking overweight people cause not all are self inflicted gut stuffers.. But this realy looked off.. :icon_excl:icon_excl Walk softly people..

 

[AK185]

Re: Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

They don't wear Cons in Ozz? I should move there....People here on the East Coast wear them so much I'm sick of them....NO keds though, not a single one. And, if someone is wearing one (always an unlaced, beat-up ugly knock off to show their "individuality", or whatever it is they call their insistance on nonconformity), it's one of those "free spirits" who looks like they just woke up from a drug-induced coma, with spiky hair dyed thirty different colors.

I personally HATE converses...huge turn off...but that's just me....

Ah. An overabundance of Converses and no Keds makes a Kedslover unhappy this night. 🙁.


Back on Topic: So, any mouthwatering streetshots of these so-far unfounded tales of delicious euforia?

 

[Killerkeds]

Re: Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

I agree AK185, cons are evil.:icon_evil I respect other peoples preferences (consforever) but cons are more of a guy's sneaker. I blame grunge for turning women against Keds, its like it was bad to be fem back then, so they said to themselves "lets all be unisex and wear cons"!? I have seen some people wearing Keds and knockoffs here but its mostly young female teenagers.

 

[AK185]

Re: Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

Thanks! Most others would disagree with me on that point.

But I seem to be the one here that does not see attractive girls wearing keds, or girls wearing attractive keds (I'm not into beat up, torn up knock-offs. If you are, don't get excited. I've seen maybe two girls wearing them, and they were not attractive).

The only sexy sneaker I still see in abundance in real life are Nike brand sneakers, mostly worn by black girls (and, not sexily, the black guys). Which brings me to another point: Vans, it seems, has released a Keds-clone shoe that all the black guys (not girls, unfortunately) seem to want to wear. Woe is me!

How Britain? What colors are you seeing?

 

[keds2001]

Re: Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

What is the clone?? The thin soled vans? They only go up to size 11 I think as I was thinking a pair would be very cool! Love the look of them. Are they the Vans you are speaking of??

 

[Killerkeds]

Re: Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

I know where you come from AK185 however I still enjoy the knockoffs its better than nothing at all. I am on point with you about torn up or really messed up and dirty Keds or knockoffs it does not float my boat either. What colour do you prefer?

 

[badmonkey]

Re: Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

I just wanted to say, I live in London... It's brilliant spending an hour thirty on the underground every morning :icon_chee

 

[AK185]

Re: Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

I like white keds. 🙂 Beautiful 🙂.

Hmmm.....it would seem that London's traffic is a very happy place for you, badmonkey. Any chance of snapping some pics while behind the protection of a window pane? 🙂

 

[carepapa]

Re: Goldmine on the Other Side of the Pond

If you go to Europe you could make an sneaker tour:

In UK you will see lots of keds (I´ve lost a little my interest for them since the company changed the soles), In France you will find BENSIMON (they are really extended over there and they are really nice), In Italy SUPERGA (they smell like heaven) and in Spain VICTORIA (they are like keds but with a harder smell, and that´s much better than the latest keds. In addition they could be considered as original, not as knockoffs). I´ve seen people wearing VICTORIAs AND SUPERGAs even snowing !!. In any case, for bad weather we also have HUNTER wellies to consider.


Europe is nowadays like a sneaker festival with lots of women wearing them :icon_razz . I go to Florida every winter since 5 years ago and it´s really difficult to find a good pair of keds worn by beauty. This winter I only saw a couple.:icon_cry: