





The sneaker market is a notoriously hard one to break into – after all, you're going up against some of the biggest brands on Earth. But that hasn't stopped a few runaway success stories emerging in recent years, and hot on their heels is AKIO. This fresh-faced (or should that be "laced"?) new sneaker brand is launching its debut silhouette, the Orion, next month, and it's looking pretty darn clean from where we're standing.
Blending traditional, urban design with more rugged, outdoorsy elements, the Orion's upper is fringed with water-repellent Scotchguard tape, set with hiking boot eyelets and sat over a meaty, raised midsole. At present, four iterations of the shoe are on offer – with uppers made from nubuck, soft-shell polyurethane, melton wool or tumbled leather – all spread over a generous 10 different colorways. The brand has also promised more silhouettes for Spring/Summer 2016.
The Orion goes on sale on August 15 and will be available the first two weeks exclusively at KITH. Following that, you can snap up a pair via the AKIO website.