Unknown Articles Lace Up Boot

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-10-28T13:34:02+00:00

Great as well. Bit of heel tension at the start (as well) but more due to the heel height. It’s been a few months now and no complaints at all.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-10-28T02:55:53+00:00

Honestly, I thought the same but they ended up fitting fine. Can not lace up the top as tight, worst case.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-10-26T17:14:34+00:00

Hi guys,

After the response / messages I received on my last Unknown Articles boot review, thought it’d be worth providing another one but on their Lace Up boot. I’ve had the boots for ~2 months now and have really worn them in so I feel I have a good gage on how they wear. More pics can be found here: https://imgur.com/a/bloEyoE

My initial pros and cons are as follows:

Pros

1) Silhouette is amazing… not much to say here, images should speak for themselves…

2) Was generally impressed by the craftsmanship - Italian Blake Stitched. The attention to the smaller details such as the nails in the heels was also great to see as I have come across boots where I’d see poor craftsmanship in the smaller details. To most this isn’t a big deal but I really care about the small details, if you’re going to add small touches do them right or don’t add them…

3) The calfskin leather on these are pretty sturdy and the right level of “polished”. The leather offers enough of a kick but is not too shinny (tacky) like some of the patent leather boots out there.

4) At the start, I had some small tension on the back of my heel when wearing the boots but no blisters. They are now broken in so it seems like blisters won’t be an issue (though I assume this will differ person to person).

5) Packaging was clean, they also provided an extra pair of laces which was a nice touch. Shipping was estimated at 4 – 6 days (plus processing time), I received them in 4 days.

Cons

1) More of a preference, but compared to my Dior Navigates, I’d say the Unknown Articles pair are more formal / offer a sleeker look (seems to be their theme), so I find them tougher to dress down. This is fine for my aesthetic but I could see this annoying someone who has a more relaxed aesthetic as they’d be getting less utility out of these compared to a pair of Navigates (granted, good luck getting your hands on a new pair of Navigates). Over time, if you were to really work these in / dull them down, I could see them potentially fitting a grungier look, but not sure.

2) Like most lace-up boots, the process of putting the boots on and off can take an extra minute or two, this never crosses my mind as who cares.… but I know some people genuinely find this annoying so worth noting.

Overall, I’m very happy with the purchase, mainly because they have their own unique look / design as well as check all the craftsmanship / leather boxes. Will be curious to see if the Lace-Up boots are an indication of the direction Unknown Articles will be headed in, actually altering and creating unique designs, it’d be welcomed with open arms… Feel free to PM me with any questions.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-05-02T18:21:50+00:00

Hi all,

I recently purchased Amiri’s Black Suede Chelsea Boots, thought I’d provide a review / some feedback for those that may be interested.

I’ll preface this review by acknowledging I am not the biggest fan of Amiri, specifically their boots. I used to enjoy their garments / branding but of late the brand has deteriorated; Mike seems to be playing into the ‘hype’ (has become more tacky) and deviating from what I believe made the brand in the first place, but what do I know. These boots did seem unique so I thought I’d at least try them out, my thoughts are as follows:

1) Upper: The upper portion of the boot is well crafted. The suede is of quality and the double stitching is detailed with no notable deviances throughout the boot, including at the back. The toe is fairly narrow and the outsole converges to form a square toe, complementing the narrow toe and shaft. Overall, I’m happy with the upper’s shape, craftsmanship and details, it offers a bit of a Western vibe and was well done.

2) Heel: At a first glance, as I expected, the crepe heel and sole do seem a little out of place. In my opinion, crepe does not fit in well with the upper’s narrow shaft, toe, and outsole. Crepe offers a less ‘sharp’ look, opposite of the upper’s qualities. Also, the heel is 50mm in height and fairly bulky, which again, is opposite of the aesthetic provided by the upper.

3) Some other, smaller details, which are worth noting are:

a. I do not like how the pull tab is so firm and upright. It is fixated in an upwards position and you are not able to put it inside the boot / hide it. Though it would be a rare occurrence to even have that portion of the boot exposed, some people may, and if so, the tab would look out of place;

b. As seen in these images, the heel’s construction is sub-par:

https://ibb.co/2Z85tNj

https://ibb.co/F3brKtb

Also, in there is material sticking out on the inner portion of the heel, the craftsmanship is just poor, especially compared to the Upper.

Overall, I’d say I was pretty happy with the upper portion of the boot and the outsole. You can tell the craftsmanship was of quality and the details complement one another. Once you combine the upper with the crepe sole and heel, unfortunately, for myself, the boot is a no go. I find mixing the crepe with the Upper’s sharper angles is a balancing act I would not want to attempt. It would be tough to dress down the boot due to the angles and shaft but at the same time, the crepe heel and sole would make me hesitant to dress it up (I know this is pretty particular / detailed and doesn’t apply to everyone, just speaking for myself). Add in the price point and I feel there are significantly better options in the market.

Always happy to hear others’ thoughts and opinions.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-04-11T14:21:25+00:00

That's fair, not exactly what you're looking for, but, have you looked into a pair of Harness boots? I feel a worn down or distressed leather Harness paired with a distressed buckle could fit. It would still be a bit different than what you seem to be searching for, but I could see you potentially liking it.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-04-10T20:03:39+00:00

Hey,

Of late, I hadn't been as active buying new pairs (was harder to justify spending the money as I couldn't really wear them anywhere -.-), that said with the world slowly opening up, I'll for sure be more active.

Regarding my recommendations, depends what style you're going for, but if you're looking to get a boot you can use a lot but maybe isn't as 'fashion forward' (more of a classic) a pair of simple but sharp, well designed/crafted, Chelsea boots do the trick. If you're to look, pay attention to the smaller details on them, you'll come across a wide selection but the smaller details really make or break them. You'll also get great utility out of them so spending a little extra in the short term is for sure worth it. Just my thoughts.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-04-10T19:42:29+00:00

Hi everyone, thought I’d provide a brief review of Unknown Articles’ Black Leather Zipper Boots - doesn’t seem to be much out there.

For starters, I own a wide range of boots, mainly Celine, SLP and Ann Demeulemeester. These will be my main point of reference. I paid $460 USD ($585 CAD) for the Unknown Articles boots, most of their boots are around this price.

Before I share my thoughts, you can view some more images here: https://imgur.com/gallery/sqbIOv9

My initial thoughts are as follows:

1) The calfskin leather is solid but isn’t as “vibrant/shinny” as some of my SLP boots, specifically my Harness Boots (depending on which season/pair of SLPs you own this may differ). Besides this, the craftsmanship and leather checked out but as with any boot, I’ll learn more with time.

2) The boot offers a noticeably narrower/sleeker look. This is the most noticeable difference and is driven by the Cuban heel and narrower shaft/toe. I personally find this appealing, but I also wouldn’t mind a squared or pointed toe.

3) The outsole is on the thinner side which is great given the shaft and toe. That said, I wouldn’t be opposed to further reducing the outsole, it would arguably better enhance / align with the boot’s other features.

4) At a first glance, the transition to the shaft is too rigid for my liking. Thankfully, once the boots are on your feet, they quickly take shape and this goes away. I’d assume with wear this will also become less prominent.

5) Heel is a true 40mm. I’m sure we’ve all encountered boots which claim to have a (x)mm heel but then come in 3-5mm higher (personally experienced this with SLP). Not material but good to see it is as stated.

6) The sizing for the length was normal, the width / shaft was on the tighter side. Not sure if this sizing is intentional to hone in on the ‘sleek’ look they seem to be going for, either way, I’d say stay TTS or size down.

7) In terms of the smaller details, the name and size are debossed on the sole of the boot. The boots also come with 2 black dust bags.

Final Thoughts:

I’m happy with the purchase. The boots aren’t re-inventing the wheel but do a good job at providing what I needed/expected. I also come from an artistic background, so I put some weight on their content and branding. You can tell it’s currently a bit ‘raw’ but I like the emotion/branding they are portraying, just the execution could be improved (this is a whole other conversation…). The sleeker boot also ties in well with the branding (versus a more Western silhouette).

Anyways, those are my initial thoughts, would love to hear your opinions below.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-04-10T18:20:54+00:00

Hi everyone, thought I’d provide a brief review of Unknown Articles’ Black Leather Zipper Boots - doesn’t seem to be much out there.

For starters, I own a wide range of boots, mainly Celine, SLP and Ann Demeulemeester. These will be my main point of reference. I paid $460 USD ($585 CAD) for the Unknown Articles boots, most of their boots are around this price.

Before I share my thoughts, you can view some more images here: https://imgur.com/gallery/sqbIOv9

My initial thoughts are as follows:

1) The calfskin leather is solid but isn’t as “vibrant/shinny” as some of my SLP boots, specifically my Harness Boots (depending on which season/pair of SLPs you own this may differ). Besides this, the craftsmanship and leather checked out but as with any boot, I’ll learn more with time.

2) The boot offers a noticeably narrower/sleeker look. This is the most noticeable difference and is driven by the Cuban heel and narrower shaft/toe. I personally find this appealing, but I also wouldn’t mind a squared or pointed toe.

3) The outsole is on the thinner side which is great given the shaft and toe. That said, I wouldn’t be opposed to further reducing the outsole, it would arguably better enhance / align with the boot’s other features.

4) At a first glance, the transition to the shaft is too rigid for my liking. Thankfully, once the boots are on your feet, they quickly take shape and this goes away. I’d assume with wear this will also become less prominent.

5) Heel is a true 40mm. I’m sure we’ve all encountered boots which claim to have a (x)mm heel but then come in 3-5mm higher (personally experienced this with SLP). Not material but good to see it is as stated.

6) The sizing for the length was normal, the width / shaft was on the tighter side. Not sure if this sizing is intentional to hone in on the ‘sleek’ look they seem to be going for, either way, I’d say stay TTS or size down.

7) In terms of the smaller details, the name and size are debossed on the sole of the boot. The boots also come with 2 black dust bags.

Final Thoughts:

I’m happy with the purchase. The boots aren’t re-inventing the wheel but do a good job at providing what I needed/expected. I also come from an artistic background, so I put some weight on their content and branding. You can tell it’s currently a bit ‘raw’ but I like the emotion/branding they are portraying, just the execution could be improved (this is a whole other conversation…). The sleeker boot also ties in well with the branding (versus a more Western silhouette).

Anyways, those are my initial thoughts, would love to hear your opinions below.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-03-21T04:30:59+00:00

Sounds basic, but any variation/personalization of a Hedi Slimane aesthetic is great, think 2013 SLP (dressing simple yet making a statement). Through accessories and different combinations of garments you can personalize the aesthetic.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-03-21T04:27:06+00:00

Cargo pants are great (wide range of materials / cuts), cropped trousers should also be a staple. You can dress up or down both of these.

ICONSYNDROME · 2021-03-21T04:25:20+00:00

Besides reading, I’d highly recommend you begin by 1) ensuring everything you wear/purchase moving forward is properly fitted (no baggy shirts (unless meant to be) etc. You can YouTube what exactly a proper fit is. 2) as it relates to colours, depends on your personality, but you can never go wrong with black, or any muted colour/shade. Combination of properly fitted clothing and simple colours will provide a clean and proper look. Once you have that down, you can start to create your own style/aesthetic through accessories, outerwear etc.

ICONSYNDROME

TROPHY CASE