Gorillaz x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star

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The latest instance of sneaker scene simulacra sees a band who at some level does not exist collaborate on a new release of the model that’s perhaps the single most identifiable in the entire history of athletic footwear. The Gorillaz x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star hightop was designed by the group’s co-founder, artist/designer Jamie Hewlett, who applied a novel camouflage print that might remind you of another primate-branded clothing label that rose to prominence right around the time of Hewlett’s band’s 2001 debut LP. So is the Gorillaz’ camo print better than Bape’s? Check them out in greater detail after the jump and stick with Sneaker News for updates on these and the other ‘Three Artists. One Song’ collaborations scheduled to release next February.

Medicom Toy Bearbrick x Converse Jack Purcell

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However ironic it may be that one of the world’s leading toy companies is known for their practically clinical sneaker collaborations, you can’t really argue with the results any time Medicom Toy gets up with a major footwear brand. Their latest collaboration comes on this new Medicom x Converse Jack Purcell, a lowtop cast in a milky white fuzz that looks soft as a cloud next to select grey accents including the Bearbrick ‘@’ head logo on the lateral heels. Click through for a closer view and source yours from Tokyo’s atmos.

atmos x Reebok Alien Stomper ‘Leopard’

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2011 has seen a marked increase in animal print sneaker designs, and especially over the last month-plus, we’ve seen this trend distilled down to where one particular motif now stands out above the rest. The combination of black leather and leopard spots has been done on a couple of Japanese stores’ collaborations with Puma, Big Seans’ upcoming adidas Originals Superstar shelltoes that match a pair of Forums released in early October, and now this new atmos x Reebok Alien Stomper joins the list. Compared to the Toyko retailer’s Puma Clydes, these offer a lighter range of brown tones, and this model’s laceless dual-strapped design is sure to attract a bunch of attention, even compared to the other designs with which we categorized them. Check them out in more images after the jump and stick with Sneaker News in case they happen to make it stateside.

Basquiat x Reebok Pump Omni Lite – Black – Brass

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The New York Times must’ve forgotten that young artsy types still pass copies of Downtown 81 among friends, but they were at least on the right track in noting that it was “Not until the rapper-producer Swizz Beatz’s public embrace of [Jean-Michel] Basquiat did his presence begin to grow.” Surely Madonna meant more to The Radiant Child’s career than the new curator of his Reebok Affili’art capsule, but there’s no doubting that Swizzy is schooling a whole new generation on Neo-expressionism via attention-grabbing kicks like the new Reebok Pump Omni Lites pictured above. This one goes further than any before it in pronouncing the artist’s name; could we one day see a similar theme on the Kamikaze or Swizz’ upcoming Time to Hold Court? Check them out in greater detail after the jump then grab your Basquiat Reeboks from Extra Butter.

atmos x Puma Clyde ‘Leopard’

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The Puma Clyde has enjoyed quite the resurgence in 2011, a comeback we should’ve seen coming after Sneaker Freaker commemorated the start of this classic lowtop’s fifth decade of service with a special edition book right around New Years. After this came a series of collaborations with Undefeated and most recently a two-pack designed by Tokyo-based sneaker specialists, atmos. The Japanese store is back at it again, this time taking a cue from UNDFTD’s ‘Stripe-Off’ pack for a new atmos x Puma Clyde LPD whose side panel Formstripes remain in tact, but who’ve had their signature gold foil branding removed. That draws more attention to the Leopard print uppers, but a black leather overlay will remind you that these are indeed crafted by a German cat. Click through to see more angles and expect these in stock at atmos come mid-November.

mita sneakers x Puma Suede Mid ‘The List’ – New Images

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Puma’s top-tier ‘The List’ collection has been producing premium quality limited releases for a few years now, and the latest comes from one of Japan’s most prolific collaborators on a variant of one of the German cat’s single most popular designs. The mita sneakers x Puma Suede Mid is crafted in a rich royal blue hue that naturally looks great next to the gold foil branding and a white cupsole. Worn with tonal laces, they’re a midly eye-catching blue suede shoe, but swap in the extra pair of yellow corded laces and you’ve got something only a solar eclipse could make you miss. Click through to see more of what’s in store when these release on Saturday at 10am Tokyo local time and let us know if you’ll try to import a pair.

Top 10 Classic Sneakers.

Having a hard time finding the right sneaker to match your outfits? This list of classic sneakers contain styles that have been tested through the decades and should be a staple in any guy’s closet.

Converse Chuck Taylor All Star ($45)

Adidas Stan Smith ($60)

Adidas Superstar 80s ($90)

Vans Authentic ($40)

New Balance 410 Retro Classic ($70)

Creative Recreation Torrio ($120)

Puma Roma ($60)

Lacoste Carnabe S1 ($85)

Ben Sherman Reading ($70)

Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 ($80)