Common Projects Pros & Cons
- Can be worn with any outfit
- Stitched sole
- Toe box quite shallow and narrow
- Sizing is tricky
- Can be stuffy in hot weather
- Phenomenally expensive
Good God, these shoes are cool.
Theyre just the coolest shoes. The whole breezy but dressy, casual but formal, minimalist but unmistakably branded look, from top to bottom there just isnt anything quite like them. They go with every single outfit, it doesnt matter how casual or formal it is.
I love the fact that the upper is stitched to the sole so you wont get the dreaded toebreak holes.
Theyre very comfortable, I love the softness of the footbed coupled with the weight and durability of the sole.
Now, theyre not sneakers exactly. That word has connotations of beat around shoes you dont have to care for, you know? Common Projects need shoe trees, for goodness sake they need more babying than the average sneaker out there, which is a turn off to some folks.
Its also too slim and sleek for some people, not only in its width, but the toebox is quite shallow and narrow, squeezing the toes of the bigger-footed among us. They should do half sizes and wider widths, and they dont.
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Reebok Club C 85 Sneaker
If Pete Doherty’s lyrics and every issue of NME from the 90s are to be believed, the Reebok Club C is the most-worn sneakersorry, trainerby wayward youths in the British Isles. It’s also the very same sneaker that Harry Styles himself turned to for a clean look. What makes the Club C such an ideal all-purpose shoe? It’s nondescript enough to work with everything in your wardrobe, but still distinctive enough to not look totally bland. If you’re keen to switch up your regular rotation of Chucks and Stan Smithsor you’re a really big Pulp fanthe Club C is the way to go.
Common Projects Original Achilles Sneakers
Launched in 2004, Common Projects Original Achilles Sneakers have stood the test of time. Designed to work well with both tailoring and casual outfits alike, these lace-up tennis sneakers are expertly crafted from leather or suede and come stamped with a gold serial number. They are available in both low-top and high-top silhouettes, and come in a variety of colorways.
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Vanessa Hudgens Channels ’90s Vibes In A Green Crop Top Cow Print Pants And Chunky White Sneakers
The breakthrough model for Common Projects is widely known as the Achilles a low-profile sneaker that riffs off the aesthetic of classic sportswear staples like the Adidas Stan Smith, Converse Chuck Taylor and Puma Gazelle, only to upgrade the materials drastically and drop conventional big branding.
The Common Projects Achilles features its signature gold labeling across the heel portion of the upper. These 10 golden digits on the upper distinguish the model number through the first four integers, the European shoe size via the next two numbers and lastly the color code on the final four. While this delicate denoting appears on an array of Common Projects models, it is viewed by some as a defining attribute to the Common Projects Achilles only because of the models mass popularity.
Over the years, the Common Projects Achilles has been revered in the world of menswear, bridging the gap between hyped sneaker culture and lavish runway fashion as a muted midway point. Running roughly $400 a pair, the Common Projects Achilles comes in at a price thats higher than an Adidas Stan Smith or even an Air Jordan 1 Low.
Throughout the 2010s, the Common Projects Achilles became incredibly popular, stocked at over 200 retailers around the world.
While the world races to chase the latest trend, keep up with the industry or even make a quick buck, Common Projects proves more poised than some of its peers, offering its opinion only when asked and driving smoothly in its own lane.
Top 4 Common Projects Alternatives
The Koio Capri is our top choice if youre looking for an alternative to Common Projects.
Made with the highest quality Italian leather and manufactured in the Marche region, both the Capri and Achilles are outfitted with Margom soles.
The toe box and eyelets are nearly identical when comparing the two together. Koio does offer a version of the low top with a suede accent on the heel, which we really like.
With nine different colorways, you dont have to feel restricted to the all-white look. For instance, the Fiore colorway, while a little bolder, stays simple and will help you stand out in a crowd.
The Capri is lined with the same full-grain calf-skin leather found on the upper. The padding around the ankle and suede in the heel truly conveys a sense of luxury.
Were big fans of the Koio and think theyre worth every penny. When you compare the quality of Common Projects and Koios, youre getting nearly the same thing. The extra 40% markup is for the CP brand name.
If the price is the number one reason youre staying away from Common Projects Achilles, but you want the same quality and experience, youll be happy with the Koio Capri.
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Common Projects Resort Classic Sneakers
Taking a fresh approach to the brands classic BBall style, these Resort Classic Sneakers feature grid stitching and perforated toe boxes yet still feel classic and sleek. Made in Italy, each leather-lined pair sits on durable rubber soles and comes with the signature gold serial numbers that make it instantly recognizable as Common Projects. Expect everything from suede-trimmed to two-toned and shearling-lined iterations.
The Common Projects Sneakers Sizing Guide
Not sure what size you are in Common Projects sneakers? The brand uses European sizing, and you will be able to find your corresponding mens size in UK and US sizing in the below chart.
For example, if you typically wear a mens UK 9 or a US 10, you should buy your Common Projects sneakers in a size 43.
| EU |
|---|
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The Mens Common Projects Sneakers Buying Guide
Common Projects sneakers specialize in creating men’s footwear that have a sleek and minimalist style. The label’s range of kicks includes high-tops, slip-ons and low-top sneakers available in leather and suede. Using a varied color palette from brick red to jet black, sneakers like the Common Projects Achilles have gained a cult status over the years. Expect to see every pair stamped with the signature gold numbering at the heel.
Common Projects sneakers are defined by their clean-lined look, premium craftsmanship and high-quality materials. The New York-based labels cult-favorite Achilles tennis sneakers are said to have kickstarted the luxury sneaker market and Common Projects continues to stay true to its minimalist roots today with a wide range of pared-back styles. Read on for our Common Projects mens sneakers buying guide, which will help you decide on the style and size that works for you best.
Common Projects Achilles Aesthetic
- Streamlined and slim
This is the simple mans sneaker.
The Achilles has an incredibly clean design. Its completely free from branding the companys name doesnt even appear on the tongue or the sole. The only bit of design is the iconic gold foil stamp on the outside heel, which is the style, size, and color of the shoe.
Sure, some feel the gold foil stamp is incongruent with the minimalist aesthetic, others love it because it glamourizes something so simple and mundane that its normally only found on the inside of your shoes on the tag.
Otherwise, its a totally monochromatic shoe that manages to be as low key as it is luxurious. Meticulously designed with nice, smooth, white leather overlaid with leather eyelet panels running from the forefoot to the ankle collar, theres also a minimal ankle tab above a seam that splits the leather at the back of the shoe, running up the center of the heel.
White suede lines the inside of the heel for some added traction on rear of the foot, and the rest of the inside is lined with white smooth leather.
A big selling point that some people might miss is that the sole is actually stitched onto the upper. Its glued as well, but that stitching means that you wont get those dreaded holes at the toebreak that so many cheaper sneakers eventually develop, and its one of many very subtle ways the sneakers tell you that they are not your average kicks.
High Snobiety had this great review where the author Aleks Eror said,
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Nike Air Force 1 ’07 Sneaker
All real sneakerheads know that black Air Force 1s are a bad omenif you see someone in them, it means you should turn and run. White Air Force 1s, on the other hand, are a sign of nothing beyond the wearers very fine taste. Since 1982, when they were introduced as Nikes first basketball shoe to feature its revolutionary Air tech, the AF1 has held it down as the Swooshs single most reliable model. Its hardly the flashiest Nike ever released, or the best performing on the court, or the most storiedbut its tasteful, understated, and wholly timeless, three adjectives that dont get thrown around in sneaker circles often enough. Long before Balenciaga made clownishly oversized sneakers a thing, Air Force 1s were chunkier and more bulbous than any of the sneakers that came before them. When doused in all-white, those proportionsalong with the perforations on the toe and the panelling along the sidesfeel all the more statuesque. And while they look incredible fresh out the box, they’re among a rare class of white leather kicks that genuinely still look killer smoked to high hell. Whether you’re on your first pair or your 40th, it’s never really a bad time to pick up another.
Review: Is Common Projects The Goat White Sneaker
The GOAT.
The apex.
The pinnacle of white sneakerdom.
The greatest white sneaker of all time, thats what people say about the legendary and phenomenally expensive Achilles low sneaker from Common Projects and if youre reading this, your question is probably this: are they worth the eye watering price of $400+?
Well, friend, youve come to the right place. I did not get these shoes for free, this is not a paid post, I picked these up at the Nordstroms in Columbus Circle here in New York City and I felt the gut punch to my wallet just like you would.
Ive been wearing these sneakers on and off for several months so you and I can properly explore the super clean, timeless, sleek, youthful-yet-very-grown-up Achilles low sneaker from the very mysterious footwear company called Common Projects.
- Started by a New York art director and Italian creative consultant
- No money spent on marketing
- Cult-like following
Common Projects started in 2004 as a collaboration between Prathan Peter Poopat, an art director in New York City, and Flavio Girolami, an Italian creative consultant.
If you can believe it, even though its the most talked about white sneaker on Earth and its the cornerstone of every outfit on the malefashionadvice subreddit, the company has never spent a dollar on advertising.
On top of that, their website is complete dogsh*t , is hideous and seldom updated, they really do absolutely nothing to market except let the product itself fuel word of mouth.
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Common Projects Achilles Price
Theres no getting around the fact that these are expensive shoes, usually costing between $400 and $450.
Look, I get it. Theyre expensive, and there are similar shoes from New Republic and Kent Wang that look pretty similar, but Ive seen older pairs of those shoes and they simply arent as durable. Its different leather and different craftmanship. Common Projects really will age the best and out of the many alternatives out there, while some come close to replicating the style, they are not going to hold up as well over time.
There are a lot of little things they do, like the fact that the sole is stitched down to prevent it from coming apart, the high quality leather is easier to take care of, the outsole is renowned for its quality, and so on.
Common Projects Achilles Sole
- Thick, good quality Italian rubber
- Stitched and cemented to upper with Stroebel stitching
- More durable than standard sneaker construction
The upper is attached to a one-piece rubber Margom sole, which can take a beating without crumbling and wearing away like most sneaker soles its really thick and great quality Italian rubber, with Gear Patrolcalling Margom,
a revered Italian brand creates many of the outsoles for top luxury footwear brands because they genuinely are the best of the best.
Its attached with whats called sidewalk stitching or Stroebel construction, a mixture of cementing and stitching which is super rare. Most sneakers have the sole glued, on this is glued andstitched, with the stitching being the main method of attachment. That means maybe, possibly you could get these resoled when the time comes. Maybe.
More importantly, as I mentioned earlier, it means that with age you wont get holes around the toe break like every other sneaker you own.
- Thick, soft leather footbed
- Surprisingly heavy sole
There are four reasons the fit & sizing is a bit of a pain in the ass with Common Projects:
After a very long deliberation I wound up going with the 45s: today theyre a hair small, but they stretched a teeny tiny bit and theyre still comfy as all hell.
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Common Projects Bball Sneakers
Inspired by classic basketball styles, Common Projects BBall Sneakers are subtly detailed with perforations at the vamp. Set on rubber soles for traction, these lace-ups keep all detail to a minimum except the signature gold serial number stamped at the heel. Expect styles made from suede or leather, or offset by a contrast-colored lining or sole.
Common Projects Bball Leather Sneakers
When it first landed on the scene in 2004, the Common Projects Achilles Low felt revolutionary: a simple, streamlined tennis shoe crafted by hand in Italy from fine Napa leather. In 2021, the luxury sneaker market is flooded with riffs on minimalist low-top sneakersbut CP still does em better than anybody. Our favorite model these days is the BBall, which marries the labels signature no-frills aesthetic and high-quality construction with hallmarks from timeless classics like the Air Force 1 and Stan Smith. Still clean and supple and built to last, but a little less stark and plain than its predecessor.
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Converse Chuck 70 Sneaker
Looks-wise, the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star has hardly changed at all since it first hit the hardwood in the early 1920s. In terms of construction, though, the no-frills GOAT hit its peak in the ’70s: the canvas upper was weightier, the rubber midsole rode up a little higher, the toe cap was a touch smaller, and the patch on the back of the heel was a cool retro black rather than the standard white. A few years back, Converse decided to make them that way again. For a cool $85, the Chuck 70 gets you all those key design upgrades, plus the benefit of modern cushioning installed into the thicker vintage outsoles. They’re the same Chucks you’ve always loved, only better.
Between $100 And $200
If youre willing to spend more than $100, youll find a lot more options, including some very respectable choices.
The COS Leather sneakers have a thick rubber sole with a serration grip. Theyre a little chunkier than CPs, but thats by design.
They feature the same contrasting lining through the heel, though the shoe is largely unpadded.
With both white and charcoal colorways, you can match your Cos sneakers
The Axel Arigato Cap Toe sneaker has a similar gold foil stamp as CPs, but one major difference.
These sneakers are primarily suede. The soft texture gives Arigatos an extravagant feel and the suede is surprisingly durable. The toe cap is genuine leather not the best, but a worthy sacrifice at this price point.
These sneakers are full-grain leather, fully lined with padded tongue and ankle, Margom sole, and manufactured in Italy.
Sound familiar?
Svenssons feature more detailed stitching on the upper which sets them apart from the others on this list. These can compete with Greats and Beckett Simonon as great CP alternatives.
dont stay pure white forever. Gustin proudly advertises that fact, too.
The more you wear these, the more they become yours. The quality Nappa leather upper will develop a patina instead of tearing at the creases.
The Bradley makes our list because of Claes interesting colorways. The green waxed suede is a departure from the all-white look that dominates our top alternates.
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Which Achilles Low Alternative Is Best For You
Its not an easy choice dropping over $400 on a pair of white sneakers .
Its even more difficult knowing you can get the same quality at nearly half the price.
Whether youre after a luxury sneaker experience or youre looking for a versatile wardrobe essential on the cheap, we know your next favorite.
How To Clean And Care For Common Projects Achilles
- Clean regularly with damp rag
- Occasionally brush with horsehair brush and use leather cleaner
- Use white leather crema for scuffs, like Saphir or Kellys
- Magic eraser on the sole
- Use shoe trees
Cleanliness is next to godliness, and it says a lot about a man if his sneakers are white and spotless. Boys like their sneakers beat up and dirty, but do not be that guy who spends $400 on shoes and lets them get ugly. Keep them as clean as you can itll extend their lifespan and make you look like a guy who gives a damn.
The good news is that this is smooth leather, so there arent many places for dirt to get trapped and its easy to wipe them down with just a damp rag now and then.
Sometimes theyll be a bit too dirty for that, so when it comes to cleaning them:
Treat them well and theyll last you at least five years, maybe more.
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