Zeha Berlin

Graham Gartside

A collective sigh of relief was heard when Vintage announced its much anticipated return to fashion’s centre stage. This revival has unearthed older, more distinguished brands like Zeha Berlin, a high-end designer in sport and urban footwear, whose roots were planted long before Adidas and Puma took their first breath.

Fast-forward to today and onto the German streets of Hamburg, Düsseldorf, and Munich, where designers Alexander Barré and Torsten Heine are capitalizing on Berlin’s booming fashion scene by bringing back Zeha’s retro style. The signature shoe is modelled after the original soccer boot of the 50s. After two professional athletes wore Zeha during the 1962 Olympics, the double-striped, durable shoe became a must-have for urban trendsetters.

High-grade Italian horsehide and calfskin leathers are tanned using vegetable tannin, resulting in a pre-owned, slightly worn appearance. All models are uniquely leather-lined and with handcrafted outer soles, making the shoes comfortable and their purchase sweetly justifiable. Simply put, they last forever. The style of each shoe mirrors the originals, which are unmistakably chic and unapologetically retro, from the simple leather “Liga” to the bright canvas colours of the “Club Spezial.” One cannot mistake the double white stripes, a design often replicated, but never duplicated. With 100 years of experience, you simply can’t beat the style of an original Zeha.

With the launch of the new Fall/Winter collection, Zeha Berlin will be unveiling a sneak peak of its destined-to-be-desired 2008 Spring/Summer collection, which will comprise a bevy of fashionable footwear, from charming kitten-heels with smooth almond-toes to sexy T-straps. Women searching for a quality shoe with classic appeal will swoon over Zeha’s “Urban Classic” collection, as well as a new line of buttery-soft leather handbags.

Zeha Berlin emerged like a fashion phoenix from the rubble of the Berlin Wall, gracefully resuming its rightful place as the king of revamped, urban footwear.

Zeha Berlin (www.zeha-berlin.de) is available in Toronto at UKULA, in Calgary at Brooklyn Clothing, and in Vancouver at Lark, Sand, and Brooklyn Clothing.