HUF footwear present “The Gillette”, the first signature shoe release from team rider Austyn Gillette.
The latest release from HUF’s ever growing footwear line follows on from the “Dylan”, the much talked about effort of fellow ‘team handsome’ member Dylan Rieder, that was introduced around the same time last year to a mixed reception. At first glance you would be forgiven for mistaking the Gillette for the Dylan, both opting for a slimline look and referencing a more dressy style, but as you look closer there are differences that appear. Gillette has been fairly quiet over the last year or so, following knee surgery and a lengthy recovery time, he’s now back on the board and has returned with this considered and honest design, as well as a solid video part to promote it. He’s largely respected worldwide for his skateboarding and work ethic, and Gillette’s shoe reflects his style both on and off the board, designed to be versatile and still deliver a performance silhouette that can handle the rigours of skateboarding.
The low profile shape features a hard wearing, full grain leather on the upper with a one piece toe box and minimal stitching. The shoes sole unit shows a slight heel which is a new feature in a skate shoe, however it still provides the same levels of protection and cushioning from the rubber cupsole and molded PU insole. Avoiding any bold details or logos, a subtle H is debossed into the quarter panel while the ‘Gillette’ emblem has also been embossed into the tonque. The shoes tread is also a new feature to HUF’s footwear designs with the flexible outsoles hexagonal pattern only featuring on this signature design for added grip to the board. All round it’s a far cry from Gillette’s past footwear ventures with previous sponsors Habitat Skateboards.
Whether you love or hate the shoe, it brings something different to the table and thats everything we would expect from one of skateboardings most exciting riders. One thing that is undeniable though is Austyn’s skating ability, which is perfectly showcased in the short but awesome promo clip below, following him through various cities including New York, Berlin and Copenhagen. The HUF “Gillette is available at all good skate retailers now including Flatspot. and Slam City.
Be sure to check out this INTERVIEW from the guys at Sidewalk, who caught up with Austyn Gillette prior to the shoes release.
