Not too long ago being really into shoes was a rather niche hobby, like tending a bonsai tree or roller-skating. People willing to queue up for shoes (although most of it is done online now) were at the fringes of society but today trainers (or sneakers depending where you are in the world) has well and truly entered the mainstream and the more limited and harder to get a pair is, the more sought after they become.
Amongst the towering boxes in your bedroom, there are always a few pairs that you can't help but come back to. A few shoes come to mind - Converse All-Stars , Vans Authentics, Reebok Classics, Nike Air Force 1s. They go with everything, and a lot of the time they look better with a bit of wear on them. To join this formidable lineup is a tall order, to say the least for any newcomer but we think we may have found one with the Autry Medalist.
Autry Brand History
Autry have actually been around for a while, starting out in 1982 in the US and the shoe quickly gained mass appeal up and down the country thanks to the design and technical innovations at the time - and the fact that the shoe featured the star-spangled banner proudly on the side probably helped too.
By 1987, the shoe was featured in Sports Illustrated. The periodical was massively popular at the time and held a lot of clout for sportswear brands. The shoe was originally marketed as a tennis shoe and in fact, was voted by Tennis Magazine as the finest tennis shoe on the market in 1985. This also coincided perfectly with rise of the sneaker in popular culture as an everyday shoe and not just for sporting activities.
The shoes were discontinued until in 2019 when the brand officially relaunched with The Medalist - based on their original best-selling tennis shoe with all its vintage charm firmly intact.
What Makes It Great
Are Autry shoes comfortable?
The Autry Medalist features a clean, unbusy silhouette that makes it easy to see why it was so popular all those years ago. The perforated toe box with the subtle off-white chunky midsole, flat top laces all combining elements that we know and other combinations that are new and yet, work really well.
The other great thing about these shoes is they now come in a variety of colour combinations other than the classic white so you can switch it up easily if so desired. In terms of comfort, the shoes were built with mobility and shock absorption in mind giving a very cushioned and comfortable wear.
The Aurty Medalist has got all the makings of classic as far as we're concerned, so probably best to get on them early before they really blow up. Here at Stuarts London we've been stocking the shoes since their re-release for SS19 and we're excited to see where the brand will go from here.
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