On the Zelen Blog you can read about Converse, Vans Shoes, Dr.Martens and more. You can also buy shoes with us as well!

It looks like Dr. Martens is introducing a classic English feel into their upcoming collection of shoes and boots.It makes since that there is such a strong British influence to this year’s lineup of Docs; London was where their popularity really took off, worn by the punks and skinheads (not the Neo-Nazi kind).

For fall 2011, Dr. Martens shoes and boots are quite different than their core range. There are the Dr. Martens Brook and Corin styles for the ladies, with a low cut for a feminine look – modern, yet still retaining the Dr. Martens classic silhouettes. Wear with: dresses or jeans.

Another ladies Dr. Martens for fall: the stunning Zita line, which are high fashion, high heeled boots and shoes with fine gold eyelets.These ultra-feminine women’s Dr. Martens are also geared for maximum comfort, with a non-slip grooved sole. Wear with: dresses, skirts or business clothing.

The Sovereign collection is for the guys and the girls, made of tanned leather with a leather insole, with detailed finishing and upper stitching. Wear with: jeans or tweed.

Read more about the Dr. Martens fall 2011 lineup.

See photos of new British-themed Dr. Martens here.

Converse has been a coveted brand since the early 1900s (how many shoe brands can say that?), and has remained a go-to style for guys and girls over the years. Part of the reason that Converse stays so popular is that they create durable, affordable footwear, and while they modernize their brand all the time, they always stay true to their classics, reworking original shoes such as the Chuck Taylor and the Jack Purcell.

Converse’s has just given glimpses of their upcoming FW11 Collection, and there are a number of very cool looks for the guys. Like we just mentioned in a previous blog post, leather Converse shoes are going to be big this fall/winter. Some of the highlights of Converse’s FW11 men’s collection:

• Licensed Converse DC Comics shoes (I expect these will be huge with comic fans and even non-comic fans!)
• Double-zip leather sneakers
• Converse desert boots (you don’t see many of these so this is pretty exciting)

This year Converse is also releasing a line of great bags and accessories – check out the belt with a hidden bottle opener behind the buckle! See photos of he Converse Fall 2011 collection here.

Leather Converse shoes have become incredibly popular in the past few years, and we’re seeing a bunch more the scene this fall. There are a couple of new styles of leather Chuck Taylor’s – choose these classics in low or high-top styles.

Next up are the Converse Pro Leather Mid shoes. The Converse Pro Leather Mid shoe was made famous by some of the greatest NBA players out there. While some things haven’t changed since 1976, such as the classic colourways, the shoes are much more lightweight than they were in the earlier days. The Converse Pro Leather Mid shoes are available in three colourways: charcoal/maroon, dark green/black and black/off white.

Finally, there is a sweet line of limited edition leather Converse shoes, for those who are willing to spend a little more for stylish footwear. The leather John Varvatos feature handmade leather uppers, interior leather laces, a chevron stripe and rubber sole.

Check out photos of these new styles of leather Converse shoes here and here.

Converse has long been a brand associated with rock stars and fledgling musicians. In the past, Converse shoes have been adorned with Blondie, The Ramones, The Clash, and many more. It’s fitting, then, that Converse has just announced that they will be opening a recording studio in Brooklyn, called Converse Rubber Tracks.

The Converse recording studio sounds like a musician’s dream: you get to record for free but keep all the rights to your jams. Or, if you want, you can lend Converse the rights to your music so you can easily record it online. Converse has stated that they want to provide aspiring musicians with recording time and a professional engineering staff after being accepted through an online application process.

“One of our goals as a brand is to give back and help inspire a new generation of musicians,” said Geoff Cottrill, chief marketing officer of Converse, in a statement.

If you do play in the Converse recording studio, you may be the subject of a short Web documentary that will be documenting clips. You may also be in content on the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Seems like a fair trade, no?

Havaianas are the most popular flip-flops in the world, and now they’re bringing Brazilian style to California. Havaianas flip-flops became ultra-popular internationally for their comfortable rubber footbed and straps, and their durability – buy a pair of Havaianas, and you’ve got sandals for years.

It’s just been announced that Havaianas is going to launch the first-ever pop-up shop in California! Pop-up shops have been appearing in many cities across North America – basically, rather than renting out a prime spot and paying a hefty monthly fee, many businesses are taking advantage of these limited-time rentals where they can sell their stuff.

The new Havaianas space is situated in the 1000-square-foot Urban Outfitters rotating designer concept boutique (1520 North Cahuenga Boulevard). It’s decorated as a traditional Brazilian marketplace and sells the largest assortment of Havaianas in Los Angeles. Also available at the Havaianas pop-up shop: a unique graffiti collection and the new “Soul Collection” line.

“Los Angeles is the perfect city for Havaianas and through this partnership with our friends at Urban Outfitter’s, this Pop-Up shop is a stunning way of bringing a slice of Brazil’s vibrant culture to West Hollywood, “said Afonso Sugiyama, president of Havaianas USA.

If you’re looking for a great assortment of Havaianas flip-flops, you can always shop ZelenShoes.com for the lowest prices and free shipping in Canada!

There’s a cool video circulating of three new styles of Converse Chuck Taylor’s, starring the Beijing-based indie rock band Queen Sea Big Shark. Queen Sea Big Shark’s popularity has slowly been growing in North America after their 2010 release Wave. The short video highlights the band’s trip to SXSW in Texas earlier in the year, then follows them as they perform at venues wearing Converse sneakers.

The three new styles in the Converse Summer 2011 collection are slimmed-down versions of the Chuck Taylor and are fully beach ready. The first one, the All Star Thong Sandal for women, is a completely unique take on the Chuck Taylor. It’s as if the bottom of a Chuck Taylor shoe was cutaway to reveal a canvas flip-flop. The All Star Cut Away Sandal is another summer sandal from Converse. It is a sturdy open-toed sandal that’s unisex.

Finally, the Converse All Star Chuckit has two distinct looks: there’s the All Star Chuckit canvas, which doesn’t look a lot like the original Chuck Taylor! It’s a low-top shoe with eyelets on the side of the sneaker, and it’s made of a cool stonewashed canvas. The All Star Chuckit Mule has a breezy mesh upper with a wide open back – perfect for long days on the beach.

Check out the video!

One of the highlights of Dr. Martens summer 2011 collection is definitely the Langley Windsor boot. The entire Dr. Martens summer line is updated, offering shoppers a something different look than the traditional boot. The Dr. Martens Langley Windsor boot fits with many other footwear styles we’re seeing this fall, which are similar to the chukka boot that we see from numerous brands each season. It’s not meant for the warmer months, but come fall, this sturdy yet soft boot will look great with sweaters and corduroys.

The Dr. Martens Langley Windsor boot is a lightweight and comfortable desert boot, with a number of modernizations. While a classic desert boot is made of suede, the Langley Windsor boot is made of formed canvas with double laces. Of course, the Dr. Martens Langley Windsor boot has the signature Airwair soles and white Docs tag on the heel.

Choose between distinctive blue, grey, and brown Dr. Martens Langley Windsor boot with contrasting white trim – perfect for a casual fall outfit or something slightly more formal.

Converse is a brand that has continuously come out with new and improved versions of their classic sneakers. While Converse sneakers are known for their casual and comfortable look and feel, in past years they have become more fashionable, thanks in part to collaborations with designers such as John Varvatos.

The Converse fall 2011 collection has a lot of slimmer cuts, full-grain leathers, and sleek canvas, making them a solid option to wear with dress pants or a blazer. Two of the highlights of the Converse line for men is a rich brown suede boot-style Converse All Star, with four eyelets and a small white star on the outer side. The other is a smart brown plaid low-top Converse All Star.

For women, there’s the low, slim and sleek Converse All Star in a rich grape colour. The other is a distressed charcoal Converse All Star, again in the sleek, low-cut style that has become so popular in the past few years.

The Converse sneakers fall 2011 line hits stores (and the internet!) in the late summer.

The popular London street fashion brand Hideout is collaborating with Converse for a new twist on the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star shoes. The limited edition collection for Fall 2011 features both high-top and low-top versions of the Chuck Taylor All Stars. Chuck Taylor’s are one of the top-selling shoes of all time, so it’s no surprise that they are continuously used for collaborations.

The low-top versions of the Hideout x Converse Chuck Taylors feature heavy duty duck canvas uppers, while the high-top is suave in all suede. You have your choice of white or burgundy low top canvas, or black high top suede. The best part about these unique Chuck Taylor’s is the detailing: things like triple-needle fabrication, contrasting canvas heel stripes with stitched leather overlay detailing and a black license plate logo on the heel.

Because Hideout is a brand well known for their utility-styled goods, these simple, rugged shoes fit perfectly with the brand’s work-wear inspired look.

Vintage clothing, shoes, handbags…vintage everything has made a comeback in a big way! ASICS Onitsuka Tiger Shoes are the first ever ASICS ever created, and have enjoyed a vintage appeal ever since. The ASICS company goes all the way back to 1949, when it was established in Tokyo, and it operated under the name “Onitsuka Tiger”. From there, ASICS grew from a basic sport shoe company to a manufacturer of footwear and equipment for a variety of sports, including football, tennis, running, golf, squash, and volleyball.

The ASICS Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 were the shoes that really accelerated ASICS’ popularity. They were designed for use by athletes in the Olympic Games in Mexico, and these tiger-striped shoes became instantly popular around the world.

Made of leather and suede, the ASICS Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 are extremely durable, making them perfect for long distance running and other high-intensity sports. They are lined and have a very flexible midsole to keep feet dry and comfortable, and also have great traction. Although they were designed for sports, you’ll more often see ASICS Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 on the feet of people walking on the street; they are more fashionable nowadays than they are functional.