Reebok's Club C sneaker is one of the world's great basic shoes. Inherently versatile in its unassuming low-top form, the tennis shoe has recently been adopted as a go-to daily driver for everyone seeking a shoe sleeker than the Air Force 1, beefier than the Stan Smith, and with more retro cool than, say, Common Projects' Achilles.
So, when Japanese retailer UNITED ARROWS strips the logo from Reebok's inherently timeless Club C 85 UA, it makes a classic shoe that much more, uh, classic.
Thing is, this isn't necessarily a new thing for what may be Reebok's most minimalist sneaker. It's just one of the most obviously understated colorways the Club C has ever worn.
Available exclusively on UNITED ARROWS' web store on April 21 for ¥14,300 (about $106 at current exchange rates), the all-white Club C is basically the same thing as what you can currently get on Reebok's website for $75, except the Reebok logos on the heel, midsole, tongue, and upper are whited-out or missing entirely.
It's boring, sure, but there's something charming about this incredibly anonymous iteration of an otherwise familiar shoe. I don't think it's necessarily an improvement — one of the things I love about old sports shoes is the inherent charm of the clunky branding — but I get the appeal and, frankly, it might not be a bad idea for Reebok to consider making this a staple Club C colorway.
We've seen brands do Reebok sneakers with their own branding in the little window on the leather upper — JJJJound is probably the most famous example but furniture company Eames and Japanese store 1LDK have done the same — but the logoless Club C upper is new, at least to me.
It only serves to heighten the minimalist appeal of an inherently versatile shoe. For some people, that probably is actually quite exciting.
