California Kicks

Where do you go in L.A. if you're in need of a HOT pair of sneakers?

Well, if you’re Nick Young of the Washington Wizards then it ain’t Foot Locker. Young, along with former and current Kardashian love interests, Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints and Lamar Odom of the L.A. Lakers have all been rumored to head south of the Hollywood border to the quaint, yet trendy town of Manhattan Beach, Ca. where ATEAM SHOE SHOP is located.

Family owned and operated by former Sketchers marketing guru, Adrian Vaughan, ATEAM is a hip, upscale sneaker boutique that carries up & coming brands like The Hundreds and Home, as well as national brands like Converse and Adidas.

Slowly taking the L.A. retail market by storm with its relaxed and chill environment (two blocks up from the beach) and it's friendly customer service (return clients come into the shop greeting Adrian by name), ATEAM is quintessentially "L.A." in terms of style -- laid back & cool.

"Reggie likes the black and whites," says Vaughan of the Superbowl champ's taste in sneakers. Bush, he says, bought the sneakers pictured above the last time he was in the store.

Vaughan says, much like "black and whites" shown above, the trend in L.A. these days for sneakers are "alternative" brands that are more dressy than athletic. Indeed, finely detailed leather and patent leather and suede kicks in an array of colors, from pastels to bold primaries, line the walls of ATEAM (and quickly fly off the shelves as shoppers and window shoppers flock in and out of the store).

Being born and raised in Southern California, I never really had an appreciation for the L.A. style scene until I moved to Washington. So, while I was at ATEAM I let Vaughan and my 16 year old sister, Mariah (who is a total skater chick and bona fide sneaker aficionado) help me pick out some kicks... a pair of green patent leather Supras on sale for $50 bucks.

I dunno. They swore I would turn heads in D.C. walking down the street in these. What do you think?

xoxo,

Markette