Hogan men's shoes AW13 presentation

I learned about Hogan when I first visited Milan about five years ago when I friskily walked the vast high-street of Corso Buenos Aires in central Milan. Hogan is a mid-range shoe label under the Italian luxury company Tod's Group umbrella (which includes Fay and Roger Vivier, besides the popular driving shoes label Tod's - all presided over by businessman Diego Della Valle). Considered a lifestyle brand Hogan was founded in 1986 when the Traditional range was released, taking cue from cricket shoes. Handbags were added to the collection later in 2000. The label evolves into a full-fledged lifestyle name with the inclusion of ready-to-wear which further blossoms into commercial success, partly thanks to the collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld (beginning from 2010 till now).

We were honored to have the opportunity to visit Hogan Autumn Winter 2013 presentation during Milan Men's Fashion Week. Reaffirming its sportswear DNA, the collection revolves around the 'casual business' attitude. In this concept the footwear possess a sporty feel yet is sufficiently appropriate to be part of a traveling businessman's attire. Rubber soles is a fundamental element in this collection, found as the base of the collection's shoes - utilitarian enough for, say, a regional manager rushing to catch a connecting flight. At a first glance I thought that this style is a bit ubiquitous (I might be erring in this but the thought of another specific Italian brand came to mind). But studying Hogan's previous collections it is difficult to accuse which brand is the impostor, when Hogan steadfastly holds to its sportswear values ever since its inception…

Words and images by Hafidzudin Zainal