Smart Sneakers Gen 2

Our notes

Welcome to the Gen 2 Smart Sneaker.

The white sole now runs unbroken from the stitched sidewall through to the ground — one continuous piece, clean the whole way round. The cupsole is built as a single cup (100% rubber) that the upper sits down inside, then stitched through the wall rather than glued to it, which is what holds the shape of the shoe over years of wear. They are grippy underfoot, and lightweight at 870g a pair.

That lightness comes from how the upper is built. Gen 2 is Strobel construction — the upper is stitched to a soft fabric base that runs the full length of the foot, then set into the cupsole. It's how proper sneakers and trainers are made, and it does two things: there's no rigid board underfoot, so the shoe flexes with your foot from the first wear rather than needing breaking in, and there's less weight in the middle of the shoe where you feel it most.

Inside you will find deep removable EVA contoured sports insoles that really cushion your feet, and a breathable sports mesh lining (100% recycled polyester) that helps move air through the shoe and keeps your feet cool. Wide woven laces (100% recycled polyester) with metal tips sit flat across the facing. A discreet WVS emboss is pressed into the tongue.

All of it layered onto a shoe we've been refining for years.

The uppers are our signature Italian bio-based vegan leather (62–66% plant-origin materials), smooth with a matt finish. It's a low-cut sneaker — the collar sits well below the ankle bone and the vamp runs long and low over the foot, which is what gives the shoe its line and what stops it reading sporty. No logos, no panels, no contrast.

The stitching is where the making shows. A single clean seam down the centre back, the facing stitched twice along its length, the topline turned and stitched flat so nothing rubs, and the sidewall stitch running visibly right round the join. Nothing decorative — every line of thread on this shoe is holding something together.

Wear them with a charcoal or navy suit, trousers cropped just above the shoe, no sock showing. With a wide-leg pleated trouser and an oversized shirt worn open. With a knitted polo and a straight leg for dinner. They'll take a black tailored short in summer and a heavy raw denim in winter, and they'll sit under a long coat without looking like you've given up on the outfit. If you own one pair of sneakers that has to work Monday through Sunday, this is the shape to own.