After years of SneakersHead dominance
Songwriter DJ Khaled's "sneaker room" is worth tens of thousands of dollars.
A dream for many young and old, idolizing brands like Supreme, Nike or Adidas. They regularly produce limited series for the pleasure of the craziest collectors.
The major fashion houses have also invested in this profitable market: even Berluti, the century-old shoemaker, has created two models among its shoe references.
The "PlayTime" model from Berluti, made from a single piece of leather and sold for more than 1000 euros, is available in a low version and in other colors.
Parallel to this frenzy, there is a more "utilitarian" market seeing the rearguard of sports brands confronting each other, which produce tons of shoes aimed at people who have little interest in the notion of rarity.
Even they ended up getting into racing and want to refocus on casual sneakers or urban running .
The world of sneakers has exploded and allowed the appearance of very marked trends: retro, running, designer... Today, I am going to present to you ETQ sneakers , which has chosen to go against traditional urban codes. .
ETQ: sneakers with a minimalist design
A minimalist look...
If ETQ has forged this image of reliability, it is first and foremost thanks to the description that the brand's designers make themselves:
Honest, clean, timeless and exceptional.
Lovers of design, you will find this refined side so appreciated by Scandinavian brands: Norse Projects, Bang&Olufsen, COS or even Filippa K. Because yes, ETQ is a Dutch brand, fully dedicated to this modernity marked by minimalism.
Their models are very easy to integrate into an outfit due to their lack of too strong character.
The first generation of sneakers, a design that will evolve.
A first shoe in line with the brand's ambition: this minimalism allows it to combine sporting influences and stylish design.
We can easily imagine these shoes in a dressy context. They are reminiscent of those of Lanvin, with a patent toe, very elegant and easily integrated with a blazer.
New shapes complete the offer, here a "mid" pair between the low sneaker and the high sneaker.
The brand is entirely built around an essentialist philosophy. From the creation of the label to the design of each product, everything is based on these three principles: simplicity, timelessness and quality .
Their original model remains one of the brand's best-sellers, proof that the design work carried out upstream delights many customers.
...Despite more marked designs
Croc effect embossing is a more pronounced stylistic choice than the usual minimalism.
ETQ continues to stand out by offering more daring models , both in terms of colors with sunflower yellow, and in terms of textures: imitation crocodile, micro-perforated leather...
The cracked leather reveals a striking black/white contrast highlighted by the black edges of the shoe.
Finally, the shoes are made in Portugal , now the stronghold of leather and shoe know-how.
For the sake of quality, the creators of ETQ visit several European tanneries each year to choose the skins that best suit their requirements.
A flagship in the image of the ETQ brand
Last year, ETQ opened a flagship in Amsterdam to embody its vision of fashion and design, through architecture and product scenography.
A concentrate of aesthetics and minimalism that gives the impression that time has stood still. All signed by Jos van Dijk from studiojosvandijk (obvious, right?), who has worked on concept stores for Nike and Scotch & Soda.
The brand thus frees itself from the shoemaker image to become a full-fledged multi-brand, while retaining its minimalist philosophy. Its entire identity is expressed through this store.
Minimalism at its peak. At least it doesn't cost much to paint...
A display of clothing rather than a sales space.
A surface area of 320m2, where each product is an integral part of the aesthetic of the store. Opening Ceremony, Maison Kitsuné, Études Studio and ClothSurgeon are on display for sale.
Van Dijk even declares wanting to “do more with less”, in reference to the low number of products per square meter.
A concept that would make our Parisian department stores tear their hair out in search of maximum profitability per square meter, to the point that we sometimes feel suffocated.
A diversifying offer
The brand did not stop there and decided in 2014, once well established, to try products other than sneakers. Starting with sunglasses, then t-shirts and leather jackets , enough to fill the wardrobe of fans of the brand.
ETQ sunglasses with polarized lenses.
For the launch of the leather jacket collection, ETQ offered three jackets customized by an artist close to the brand, as well as a 300 euro voucher. Hold your saliva, it's already too late.
A premium leather biker jacket with a sober but studied design.
Personalization of the leather jacket by an artist close to the brand: Luke Vicious.
How to avoid the “big feet” effect when wearing sneakers?
In the idea, I wanted to offer a "practical" test where I could show the usefulness of using sober sneakers in your outfits, but also more elaborate models , rarer.
To explain, ETQ does not have 40 different model names: they are named LOW, MID or HIGH followed by a number 1, 2 or 3, depending on the number of different models.
Now look at the three LOW models, and think of a word or image that the shoe evokes for you. I'll explain why a little later.
ETQ Low 1 - Desert Taupe
ETQ Low 2 - Meriva Ice
ETQ Low 3 - Falcon Gray
If models 1 and 2 are a little hard to differentiate, model 3 is not at all the same!
A matter of lines and proportions
I will now ask you to return to the words that came to you while looking at the previous models. Did you notice that model no. 3 appeared larger than model no. 1, even though it was exactly the same size that was photographed?
In fact, if I had chosen a LOW 3 model, the result would not have been the same for me.
We see that the lines of the shoe are dynamic and visually lengthen the size of the model .
Here, the presence of rounded edges breaks up the lines of the shoe to make it a more sober model.
If you have thought of words referring to sport, speed, volume, etc... you have clearly spotted the sportswear dimension of the LOW 3. It is similar to the Nike Dunk low: an old-school sneaker model. school designed for basketball players.
On big feet, can you imagine the effect this can have? Unless you cheat a lot in terms of proportions, you are already starting with a handicap.
The LOW 1 is close to a Stan Smith in proportions: a light and thin tennis shoe, suitable for everyday use. Its more refined design can be used in many outfits, as long as the color works with the outfit.
Yes, I have big feet (size 45, yes), so it is even more important for me to pay attention to details that can impact their overall appearance.
Testing ETQ brand sneakers
Test of the ETQ LOW 1 model - Gray
We might as well start with the easiest, this model is versatile, almost all-purpose. I haven't found a single outfit where it didn't look good and you already know why.
Its color and general aesthetic make it a discreet but reliable ally, which highlights your good taste without overly pronouncing your foot line .
Let's take a closer look at the details that make the shoe:
Metal eyelets and double stitching reinforce the durability of the shoe.
A “cap toe” characteristic of ETQ.
A comment on the "captoe", which we call "bout" in French: you often see it "straight", like on Lanvin sneakers. Here it is rounded towards the tongue and gives the impression of being lined.
Quite honestly, it was a huge obstacle for me at the beginning because I was so accustomed to a rather widespread aesthetic of straight ends, clean cut. Admit it's stupid, right? Block on an element of the shoe at this point.
I got used to it very quickly and I even find that this toe fits more harmoniously into the aesthetic of the shoe. The Lanvin tips, which serve as a material contrast, need to stand out more from the rest of the upper.
Ventilation eyelets (we won't tell you what to do...).
A lot of details, all well thought out. The Margom style glued and sewn sole
Test of the ETQ LOW 2 model - Croco Embossed White
Let's move on to the brand's more creative model: the LOW 2. It is not necessarily a very designer model, but the choice of crocodile embossed leather makes it a little different.
Do you like an all-white imitation crocodile shoe?
It was even a challenge to say to myself “Come on, take something you would never have taken”. So I chose the “raciest” pair ETQ could offer at that time.
The notched sole is also stylish!
I told myself that it was not an easy choice to make and that I had to have a fairly advanced wardrobe. And maybe you're saying the same thing to yourself!
So, I forgot about the crocodile, and I considered them to be simple white sneakers to wear as such . It doesn't seem like anything like that, but it's already a bit of self-hypnosis at this level: I was really blocked by embossing.
The "cap toe" has been replaced by a reinforcement across the entire front of the shoe.
So, here is the result:
BonneGueule chambray shirt, PATRONS chinos, Cap: Norse Projects, Sneakers: ETQ.
A palette of light tones to echo the sneakers. In fact, they bring a different character to the outfit .
Where, if I had worn Stan Smiths, the result would have been expected, here the overall result is modified. Indeed, this pair has much more character thanks to its overall design and the choice of embossed crocodile.
My opinion on the ETQ sneakers
What I wanted to show is ETQ's ability to offer basics that are renewed every season . You will find the gray model that I tested with a slight change in color. The crocodile is no longer present this season, replaced by the “Meriva Ice” embossing that I showed you at the beginning.
In terms of price, count between 220 and 230 euros for the LOW models and up to 275 euros for the HIGH .
Their design is reminiscent of that of a competitor, Filling Pieces, in its refined side (at least at the beginning). Pure coincidence, the brand shares its origins with its most assertive competitor, but they quickly stand out from each other by multiplying their stylistic biases.
Filling Pieces will offer many more different models and designs but in limited series, where ETQ will release fewer models but more accessible (difference of minimum 30 euros between the two brands).
ETQ is a very good alternative to usual sneakers , they have a certain freshness that I appreciate.
