Review on Ysneakers x Astell&ASPR sneakers as designed by Yuri.

Back in July, it was announced that Singaporean footwear brand, Ysneakers, was collaborating with Astell&ASPR to release limited edition shoes designed by several members of Girls’ Generation. The members participating in this collaboration (Taeyeon, Sunny, Hyoyeon, and Yuri) have designed 2 sneakers each – a low top and a high top.

When these limited edition shoes were released in August, I quickly bought myself a pair of Yuri’s low top sneakers because it appealed to me the most. The shoes are packaged in a heavy black box and come with wooden shoe trees embossed with Yuri’s name on it. The box also contains a product guarantee and warranty card, a signed card by Yuri, a photograph of Yuri with a handwritten message, and a velvet dust bag.

The sneakers are predominantly white, with a dash of gray suede at the heel counter. Additionally, the side of the shoe features an Italian phrase embossed in gold. The tongue of the shoe also has an engraving of Yuri’s birthdate. The suede at the heel counter, coupled with the Italian idiom on the side, makes the shoe stand out from any other white sneaker. Moreover, the colour scheme of the shoe makes it classy and elegant. Some might find the shoes to be a bit too basic, but in my opinion, the simplicity of the shoe allows it to complement any outfit.

One of the perks of this shoe is the slight platform at the bottom. Because I am short, the platform is great because it gives me that extra height and a boost of confidence, which is always needed. Another strong point from a practical point of view is that these sneakers run true to size. These shoes are only available for purchase online and usually, I am a little apprehensive about buying footwear online because each brand has its own sizing. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that these sneakers are accurate in terms of its sizing.

Another great feature of the shoe is the quality. The sneakers are quite heavy since they are made of water resistant Italian calf leather. This makes the shoe perfect to wear even on rainy days. Despite the considerable mass of the shoe, it is not uncomfortable to wear nor is it weighty at all. Heavy shoes tend to be taxing and inconvenient because more effort is required to lift your feet up when walking. However, this is not the case with these particular sneakers.

In fact, the shoes are decently comfortable, albeit the leather is rather stiff when the shoes are first worn, which is only natural. For me, the tongue of the shoe edged and gnawed into the flesh of my feet at the beginning which left some visible red marks. However, after a few more wears, the leather started to soften up, and the shoes became quite comfortable. I am also very prone to blisters but these shoes did not give me any at all. The best way to avoid blisters when wearing these sneakers is to pair it with high socks.

As mentioned earlier, this shoe is predominantly white. One of the downsides is that it does become dirty easily. Another drawback is the price, as the shoe retails for US$349. Although the price is not exorbitant when compared to luxury labels, it is definitely on the costly side, especially considering that neither Ysneakers nor Astell&ASPR are famous brands. Some might argue that the shoes are relatively simple, which does not warrant its high price point. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the sneakers are handmade and crafted by the brand’s shoe artisans one at a time, so the extravagant price could be attributed to the shoe’s high quality.

All in all, if you are in the market for new shoes, you might want to consider purchasing these sneakers since they are unique, comfortable, and practical. A bonus is that the shoes will constitute part of your collection of Girls’ Generation memorabilia, as it certainly is for mine!

Rating: 4/5 

These limited edition shoes are available for purchase here.

You can take a look at the shoes designed by the other Girls’ Generation members here.