SPRING/SUMMER

The sneaker race is heating up with a bevy of newcomers hitting their stride. First popular in Europe, the streamlined style has found ambassadors in the skateboard crowd. Now the low-profile sneaker is inching down to kids toddler set, in subtle colors with nifty design details.

The Colt by Patagonia

Price:

Retails for $55

Patagonia is incorporating its heritage into the low-profile sneaker with a footwear collection touting recycled rubber soles, EVA and hemp. For those with an independent streak and impulse to run, jump and climb, the Colt is a breathable mesh sneaker with a durable recycled outsole for traction and a double Velcro strap for easy on-and-off access.

Sneaker by Dickies

Price:

Retails for $25

The new Dickies uniform is the fashion casual sneaker, an all-suede number with frayed edges and sturdy toe bumper. It’s also offered in sand, brown and black.

Asia by Camper for Kids

Price:

Retails for $90

Camper for Kids breaks out of the sneaker mold with a modern take on the shoe’s typical retro vibe with its Asia style. The leather unisex shoe comes with Velcro double straps and a serious toe bumper for impatient kids who are pounding that pavement.

LittleTransfer by Quiksilver Kids

Price:

Retail range is $12 to $48

Sneakers, slip-ons and sandals bear the board-sport giant’s imprint with motifs like bold plaid prints and palm tree designs. Leading the pack is the Little Transfer, a low-profile sneaker blending a leather and mesh design, peppered with a camouflage print. It won’t be hard to tell that this is a Quiksilver product with its name and signature mountain and wave logo imprinted in key corners of the shoe, from the tongue to the strap.

Paris by Lacoste

Price:

Retails for $65

For fashion with a bite, France-based Lacoste offers sneakers with its signature crocodile. On the Paris sneaker, a top seller for men that’s now arriving in the children’s market, the reptile makes an appearance on the shoe’s single, thick strap, ideal for independent-minded little folks. The leather look with a perforated design is offered in crisp combinations of white/Celtic green, white sand/deep navy and white/petal pink.

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