Exclusive FEIT sneakers now available in TO

Calling all sneaker heads, if you have been looking for FEIT they have arrived at M-ONE-11, your Australian street wear connection in Toronto. Branching into the shoe market, M-ONE-11 is now part of an exclusive network of worldwide retailers that sell these shoes for men. FEIT has been making in waves with the sneaker heads at High Snobiety, Crooked Tongues, and Sneakerfreaker.

FEIT is a luxury sneaker line created by Tuff Price and Rodney Adler. The footwear industry knows the Australian duo very well. They have worked at all the big companies and they are the reason for Royal Elastics's success. After leaving Royal Elastics, they started FEIT. The best materials and artisans are paired together to create a high quality shoe.

In FEIT-speak, the individual parts that make up a shoe are Komponents. Footwear specialists design and develop each komponent separately. FEIT focuses on the most important komponents, the soul unit, footbed, detailing and the all-important last.

A last is a shoemaker's model for shaping a shoe. A great last will produce a great shoe. FEIT acquired the services of a master last maker, 74-year-old Verdiccio Paderone from Italy. He has an impressive resume that includes making lasts for many of the high-end dress shoe brands. Hailing from a family of last makers, Verdiccio continues to use traditional techniques.

Vibram the world's leading outdoor sole manufacturer creates the soul unit. You can find their soles on many footwear brands. A collaboration between the two companies resulted in reengineering an existing design in order to meet FEIT's needs. The footbed uses military designs for comfort and stability.

The shoes are you classic court shoe but with a tailored feel. I don't often suggest the sneaker and suit combo, but I think with these shoes pictured the right person could make it look good. The added bonus of thumb straps to help you put on the shoes and position the tongue is a very nice touch.

I'm hoping that the rumours of them producing a women's line are true because these are some great looking sneakers. I handled the shoes a bit at M-ONE-11 when I visited. The shoes are very well constructed and the materials are top notch. They carry men's sizes from 8 - 13 and in a variety of styles. Unfortunately, I am a 6.5 in men's and this leaves me with no purchase options.

Steve Ferrara decided to bring the two biggest street wear companies from down under, M-ONE-11 and Mooks to Toronto. After a visit, Steve knew there was a market for the laid-back subtlety of the designs and quality materials. "The clothing is timeless", Steve told me when we met, "I wear stuff from 7 years ago and still get lots of complements". They haven't forgotten the girls and have also brought Sandolls another Australian company dedicated to women's footwear into the TO market. The easy nature of the shoes reflects the company's surfing background. If shoes aren't what you are looking for check the Fall 2006 clothing collections available now.

images: fixins.com, Steve Ferrara, me