Radical News
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Yes! Journal
Meet the True North Cross Body Clutch in Retro Blue
We're back in our design studio and we're talking about cross-body bags. In this episode we take a closer look at our True North Clutch in Retro Blue. We explore how our famous North Star Clutch evolved into the True North Clutch and what inspired this latest colour. Watch the video below. Bags that hug you back. true-north-nylon-clutch-retro-blue, north-star-nylon-clutch-mini-saphire-ripple, only-lovers-medium-nylon-bag-black-spot, messenger-pocket-bag, true-north-nylon-clutch-black, abundance-woven-book-club-bag-cocoa,
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6 of the Best Sneakers to Wear to Work
There is no denying the ongoing casualisation of the workplace. But while it may be getting more socially acceptable to turn up to work in your trainers, there is still a level of ‘put togetherness’ our radical creative customers naturally want to feel. With this idea in mind, when it comes to designing our sneaker collections we are always considering ways our products can help customers show up as the best version of themselves whilst still maintaining that all important hit of radical individuality (something mass made sneaker brands can’t hit). Here is our list of limited edition styles for ‘on-duty’ moments that will take you from the studio to the Boardroom, or even all the way to yard duty in exclusive radical style… Ballet Core Retro Sneaker in Crushed Gold Leather - made in a small batch of 140 Designed with a suit in mind. The lower profile cut of this sharp trainer speaks to the professional heart of what we do. Sleek and modern with just the right amount of shine, we dreamed this one up for the many architects and interior designers we work with who need a style that helps define their creative vision. Super Journey Velcro Sneaker in Metallic Silver - made in a small batch of 100 If you are a hairdresser or nurse - or just someone who stands on their feet all day, Super Journey is your new BFF. Set on a fully flexible, bouncy rubber outsole made intentionally double height thick this shoe also features a fully removable insole and is orthotic friendly. Featuring fast getaway velcro straps, the premium leather upper also makes the spills and thrills of these more active vocations easy to wipe off. Movement Buckle Shoe in Cement Leather - made in a small batch of 100 Dreamed up for the teachers, the librarians and all those workplaces where you need to have covered toes but still want to maintain your fashion dignity (we know who you amazing women are and we are here for you!). Part sandal, part sneaker (we sometimes call them a ‘shandal’), the Movement shoe has become the go-to work shoe staple for many of our customers. Pretty Sweet Sneaker in Black Suede & Nylon - made in a small batch of 80 Forget the ‘just got back from gym’ vibes sneakers at work can sometimes be at risk of falling into. With it’s all black everything finish, Pretty Sweet has the chameleon energy of a lace up loafer and loves being worn as such. Match with pull up black socks, a long line skirt and blazer for a more modern take on the your cross-city commute days. The Super Model Sneaker in White Leather - made in a small batch of 100 10,000 steps worthy! The best accent to a pair of black man-style pants is a fresh white sneaker. Our Supermodel sneakers were designed with a hint of yellow on the eyestay (the part where the laces go), for a conversational colour pop. Match these with a crisp white shirt and pull all the preppy vibes for your next PT meeting. All the comfort feels but still a kind of power play put togetherness going on. Radical and Yes. Ballet Core Retro Sneaker in Daisy Satin & Suede Colour, but make it all-work-occasion wearable. As noted by our stylish friends at Homeroom recently - this shoe is the “alternative to *those* sneakers but wanting a fun colour regardless.They’re made in small batches so you won’t be seeing them on every man and their dog.” See the sneakers up close. ballet-core-trainer-gold-crush, super-journey-velcro-trainer, movement-buckle-shoe-cement, pretty-sweet-trainer-black, the-supermodel-lace-up-trainer-white-and-90s-yellow, ballet-core-sneaker-yellow
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Patience Tall Boot: Will They Fit My Strong Calves?
This week in The Fitting Salon we unbox our new Patience Tall Boot and answer the most frequently asked question so far..."Will They Fit My Strong Calves?". We say hopefully yes - because of the way we designed them for you. Watch the video where we explain more and try them on too. You can also read more about our Patience Tall Boot as part of our Guide To Winter Boots here. You can see Patience Tall Boot and all our other boots here. Filmed and Edited for us by Tomorrow Films. Watch the video below. See more boots here patience-leather-zip-up-tall-boot-black, peace-leather-lace-up-boot-black, ari-chelsea-boots-in-leather-vermillion, reni-chelsea-boots-in-black-leather, lunar-boot-in-leather-red, shadow-boot-in-leather-cement, lead-the-way-leather-boot-forest-green,
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Our Peace Combat Boots: Are They Tricky To Lace Up?
Our first ever combat boot is here and we called it Peace. In our latest video we show you how soft it is, how it looks on the foot (dressed UP with a suit) and answer the burning question we have been asked the most, "Are They Tricky To Lace Up"? You can see Peace Combat Boot and all our other boots here. Filmed and Edited for us by Tomorrow Films. Watch the video below. See more boots here peace-leather-lace-up-boot-black, ari-chelsea-boots-in-leather-vermillion, reni-chelsea-boots-in-black-leather, lunar-boot-in-leather-red, shadow-boot-in-leather-cement, lead-the-way-leather-boot-forest-green, patience-leather-zip-up-tall-boot-black,
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5 Minutes with the Radical Yes Eyewear Designer
Meet Our Eyewear Designer, Alana Van Ewyk. A long time friend of our brand, Alana has worked in eyewear for over 20 years, including more than 10 spent as the head designer for Karen Walker Eyewear after starting her early career honing her skills on Disney branded product. A long time friend of our brand, Alana has worked in eyewear for over 20 years, including more than 10 spent as the head designer for Karen Walker Eyewear after starting her early career honing her skills on Disney branded product. “It was very intense for a junior designer. I recall possibly shedding some tears when the angle of Winnie’s honey pot was off. Everything after Disney felt much easier, but it really instilled in me that the devil is in the detail, and I love that comes so naturally to me today but may annoy others!” Many of our long time customers will remember we released a small range of eyewear back in 2016. But with only a limited product development budget we decided to take a break from this category to fully focus our efforts into our footwear R&D. Then Alana became available to help us create an entirely new level and direction for our eyewear. A collaboration which would mean we could execute our eyewear with the same approach and quality level as the shoes - working with best-practice manufacturers and exploring new and innovative materials. We spent some time chatting to Alana about her thinking behind her first collection for Radical Yes. Alana, We asked you to respond to Radical Yes 'the brand' in an eyewear capsule - what were some of the immediate considerations / values that came to mind when thinking about how to translate the brand into this category? The best part of working with brands is when they have a very precise customer, focus, and brand DNA. For me, Radical Yes already had all the parts ready to make the machine. Your philosophies around the end use, how the customer is going to wear it, its practicality, comfortability all these things really help any designer think about how best we can wear this, even down to how useful we can make the sunglass case, all these questions had to be answered in the product. The existing branding was so easy for me to pull from and create concepts for hardware, it has an element of fun and joy but must be sharp and considered. I loved those important key points about the brand, it helped really nail down on a concise collection. And the last part of the magic is colour, RY is known for its incredible use of clashing colour. Pallets that aren’t necessarily the ‘norm’ but RY has a way of pulling them together and making them a must. This was fun, working with some colours and finishes I’d personally not worked with in eyewear in the past like a solid lavender and a milky lime, this feels totally on brand but so fresh to the sunglass world. A selection of coloured frame samples from our factory. Let's talk about the collection itself. Tell us about the shapes you have picked for the launch range and how they relate to our customers IRL end use? We never really started this collection with a final range plan in terms of size. We just designed and created and then worked out who and how each shape would be worn. Radical Yes has an incredible customer mix so we were able to be really specific with our shapes and sizes, and even our branding detail. For example, we have a spinning disc we created for the temple, we were torn on colour and how it would be worn. Do we go black and keep tonal to the frame, so it’s very classic or do we have fun and go for our brand colour yellow? We decided we could do both, let the customer choose how they want to wear it, feeling classic keep it on the black side, want to stand out and have some contrast, just spin to the yellow side. All very fun, but still from an end use POV had to be smooth and really clean. "We also had the opportunity to do gender neutral styles, we have some beautiful cat-eye shapes, but then some classic rounds that are so perfect for so many faces" A universal range, with each pair feeling (hopefully) like it’s made specifically for you. Fits, materials, componentry are all very important to the durability and comfortability on your face when wearing for long periods of time, so we made sure to focus on those points in design. We do hope that our customers find the perfect fitting frame for their face and their personality. Like the shoes, we have approached the new collection with lots of colour pops. What advice would you give to our customers about picking the best palette for their face? Any advice on how to wear a statement shade? Eyewear is so great to completely change your mood and your outfit. Just like shoes and bags, so approaching this collection with the Radical Yes colour DNA was fun and easy. I’m totally of the mindset that you can really pull off any shape and colour. There are a few rules for me I believe should never be broken, one of those is fit. It must fit, your nose bridge, cheekbones, and temple lengths. If it isn’t comfortable, it doesn’t fit and you’ll never love wearing them. That’s my first, and my second when it comes to colour always wear something that makes your skin tone pop. Ensure you’re not being washed out, that usually means wearing a frame colour that is too close to your natural skin colour. And have fun! Eyewear can make an outfit and is always front and centre when you’re taking photos! As a brand obsessed with function as much as form - can you share with us which frames are the best choice for our customers who want high level sun glare protection. And what about the old favourite 'are these polarised?' myth. Ahhhhh yes form and function, one of the reasons I initially choose eyewear to work on was because of this crossover. All our frames pass the mandatory and strict Australian/NZ standards. So, feel secure that whenever you purchase a pair of Radical Yes frames, they will never harm your eyes. Our lenses do have different categories that relate to how much glare reduction and protection they provide you with. Category 3 which offers the highest, is used in 95% of the range. We do have a CAT 2 lens as well; this just offers a lower form of sun glare reduction but still completely protective for your eyes. In the future we may try some lighter tinted lenses, but they too will always cover mandatory standards and reduce overall sun glare. “And polarised is kind of a buzz word. Super helpful if your sailing, fishing or always near or on the water but not so great for everyday IRL use.” We recognised that our customer didn’t want a performance lens, but they still require the maximum amount of protection so CAT 3 lenses meant our customers could wear near the water and while driving, so provided that multi use option opposed to changing glasses depending on what you were doing. Polarised lenses are not suitable for driving or looking at specific colours, so we decided to stay away from that as an option. “Polarised lenses are not suitable for driving or looking at specific colours, so we decided to stay away from that as an option.” One of the key driving forces on our decision to move back into eyewear category was the improved traceability we could have on the supply chain. Can you tell us more about the materials that have been used in the new collection and share more on the make process itself. How long does it take to make a pair of handmade frames? Yes! Sustainability and traceability is finally happening in eyewear. It’s not as progressive as some of the other categories in fashion but it’s happening, which is super exciting for the industry. In the Radical Yes range we use acetate, which is a handmade material, meaning each pair is cut, filed, and fit to a template design. Each part of the frame is filed down, tumbled, and polished with each of the artisans in eyewear working on one part of the frame. This means over 100 pairs of hands touch each frame, while they all work to the same design template, they are handmade so sometimes there will be some slight differences. The timeline for production is around 6 months, sampling 3-4 months so we take around 12 months to complete one range. We use acetate because of some of its special properties that include being hypoallergenic, malleable, and lightweight. This makes it comfortable and wearable for all day use. We now also have a bio-acetate that we’re using in the range which is essentially plant based, compared to the petroleum-based option, much better for the environment. Our cases are made from recycled nylon and our plastic pouches that protect our cases and eyewear are all 100% recycled materials. It was important to us that we keep this as a focus in the range, limiting our single use plastics where we can and hopefully improving on each range. See the entire eyewear collection here. “Each part of the frame is filed down, tumbled, and polished with each of the artisans in eyewear working on one part of the frame. This means over 100 pairs of hands touch each frame.” See more eyewear... sun-hero-sunglasses-in-tangerine, sun-hero-sunglasses-in-ice-blue, sun-hero-sunglasses-in-black, solar-queen-sunglasses-in-vanilla-bone, solar-queen-sunglasses-in-milky-emerald, light-lover-sunglasses-in-crystal-olive, light-lover-sunglasses-in-black, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-black, illuminate-sunglasses-in-black, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-milky-lime, illuminate-sunglasses-in-solid-lavender, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-milky-ocean,
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The Radical Yes Guide To Summer Sandals
The Flat Pack Active, Sharp & Everything in Between aka The Hybrid. If you’re like us, it’s time to put the cooler days behind you and embrace the arrival of warmer weather. As for which footwear rises to this occasion? The summer forecast calls for sandals. They quite literally can take you from the beach to the office with a cheeky stop-off on the dancefloor. All the while looking pretty damn fine. For SS22, we’re celebrating creativity and movement in true Radical Yes style. That means keeping things active and sharp. When we talk about active, these are durable sandals you gravitate towards because of their casual, laidback appeal that feels just as good as it looks. Think ‘on your feet at work all day’ followed by a cross-town commute. A supportive partner to dress down your tailoring. Sharp shoes are those toe-tappers that look polished and refined but provide just the right amount of cushioning and support. They allude to that dressed up feeling even when the rest of your outfit isn’t. And yes, you guessed it - with a hybrid you can have both at once. Not too active, not too sharp, but a healthy balance that can’t be labelled (no heeled trainers allowed). Of course, all three styles can be worn equally well with smart getups or chilled out track pants (because #covid), but each has a purpose to serve you better in real life. Now, let us introduce you to three stellar styles for summer that capture each mood. Active-Wear - The Space Jam sandals. More active, less sharp. For don’t care days. For getting it done days. This is a summer sandal alternative to your trusty sneakers. Our focus for the season has been lightness and ease of wear, creating commuter friendly sandals that women love to wear every other day. On that note, enter Space Jam. This athletic-inspired hiking sandal is designed for walking and cross-city commuting with serious style points. Inspired by movement, the 2-piece outsole is layered for comfort and durability, while ripple detailing provides grip for navigating a rainy day. The insole features a moulded footbed with arch support to help relieve pressure and add bouncy spring to the heel strike. Plus, it’s swathed in sweat-resistant microsuede for breathability. That’s not all. Three easy-to-adjust velcro straps give lots of wiggle room so they fit like a glove - exactly why they’re loved by all foot shapes, from wide to narrow, low and high arches. As for durability, each strap is finished with leather tabs and hiking-inspired accents. These chunky sandals are calling out to be worn on weekends and getaways. The thicker silhouette works with all hemlines from midi dresses to mini skirts and even short shorts. Play up to the active mood by pairing with printed tees tucked into denim minis or kick-flare jeans. A camp collar shirt and culottes with a silk sock will strike just the right balance of hiker meets city slicker. But we also love to use them to dress down a silk slip dress. The tangerine and aquatic colours evoke the playfulness, creativity and fluidity of the season which we’re also reminded of by the 'Daisy Dreams Forever' sentiment on the strap - your cue to stay forever young. Shop the range of Radical Yes Sandals. So Sharp - The Solstice Sandals. More sharp, less active. Solstice is the love child of our Olympia loafer and Arkestra sandal, giving it all the traits of a sharp and radical sandal. They’re shaped to a fisherman silhouette with a plenitude of straps à la rib cage style. This may be our summer guide, but the caged lattice-work offers the perfect amount of coverage for these sandals to be worn pretty much year-round. It covers the majority of the foot, making them seem more like a shoe even though they’re de facto sandals. Potentially the best part? If you’ve no time for a pedi, no worries, there’s a closed toe so we’ve pretty much thought of everything. Looks aside, bike riders especially love these long-lasting sandals because of their sole. The rubber LUG outsole is made using our bespoke mould, with indents for traction that can endure heavy abrasion wear (like pushing off on the bike). It bounces like a sneaker, making them fit for the pavement, dance floor or beach - all occasions, remember? The adjustable buckles work wonders for both wide and narrow feet and because the sandals are easy to slip into, you can happily weather a pair of socks (a look we love). Socks and sandals, sandals and socks - so wrong, it’s right. But you don’t have to wait for the first chill to hit your toes, merino wool socks are temperature regulating to keep you cool when it’s hot but warm when it’s cold. Alongside the soft and anti-sweat sheepskin lining of Solstice, there’s no convincing required: these are the summer sandals that aren’t simply for summer. And since you loved our ‘Ice Blue’ hue so much (AW22 vibes), it continues for spring/summer as the perfect way to wear serious clothes - think androngynous suits or feminine dresses - without them feeling too serious. Of course, classic black is also being served up. See all the sandals here. Hybrid Hottie - The Sophia sandal. Active meets sharp. The Sophia sandals are considered both active and sharp in equal measure. That means flexible and comfortable for all-day wear yet sharp enough for dress ups. These Roman-inspired sandals really flatter the foot. They have straps in all the right places with hidden elastic to suit any foot shape. Even the narrowest of feet can feel secure thanks to the buckle strap that protects fragile ankles from the pressures of urban life. These strappy numbers speak to our iconic Declaration T-Bar sandal. They’re moulded to the same design but raised slightly higher from the heel to the ball of the foot for a soft, cushioned landing. The sturdy ripple sole adds grip while feeling soft enough to pound the pavement with ease, taking you everywhere, from city walks to summer adventures. And that silhouette? Flat shoe liberation means we’re seeing these quietly elevated sandals as an actively sharp alternative to your heels this summer. “Wear them to parties, galleries and anywhere in between for an ‘OMG, THEY ARE SO COMFORTABLE’ gasp, every time.” They pair beautifully with feminine floaty dresses or man-style dressing aka blazers, crisp button-ups and black pants. View the Sophia black sandal here. See all the sandals here. See all the sandals here. More related products solstice-fisherman-sandaliceblue, sophia-strapy-sandal-in-black, space-jam-leather-hiking-sandal-tangerine, solstice-fisherman-sandal-black-leather,space-jam-leather-hiking-sandal-aquatic, declaration-2-0-t-bar-wedge-sandal-in-tangerine-nylon-vegan, declaration-2-0-t-bar-wedge-sandal-in-olive-nylon-vegan, radical-yes-declaration-t-bar-wedge-2-0-black-leather, double-happiness-2-0-black, double-happiness-2-0-chocolate, arkestra-2-0-fisherman-sandal-in-silver-tumbled-leather, arkestra-fisherman-sandal-black
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Getting Better, Not Bigger. Introducing Radical Yes Eyewear.
Our pursuit has always been about creating products that are everyday ‘I.R.L’ useful. That serve a function as much as they deliver an aesthetic punch. In Australia, sunglasses could be considered essential virtually 300 days of the year - our customers ‘end use’ needs felt clear in our minds. If you have been following our brand for a while you will know it was a vision we’ve had before. Previous iterations were produced using a different manufacturing process - known in the industry as ‘injected’ make. Whilst beautiful, the make and material we previously had access to were polycarbonate styles that naturally sit in a lower end of the quality spectrum. "We knew we could do better and we were determined to do so." Five years later, long-time friend of our brand, Eyewear Designer Alana Van Ewyk became available to help us create an entirely new level and direction with our eyewear pursuits. A collaboration which would mean we could execute our eyewear working with best-practice manufacturers and materials to produce beautiful handmade eyewear. Alana has worked in eyewear for almost 20 years, including more than 10 spent as the head designer for Karen Walker Eyewear. Aside from an esteemed background in eyewear, Alana and I also began our Design journeys working together many years ago. We have an understanding and aesthetic shorthand that I think has come through in our first collection. We hope you love our Radical Vision. Kerryn xx Sun Hero in black BIO-ACETATE WITH SMOKE GREEN LENS "Our Radical Vision to create beautiful, functional eyewear for your I.R.L. use has come true. Hand crafted from highest quality acetates and bio-acetates in colours and shapes to bring you joy." SOLAR QUEEN IN VANILLA BONE (LEFT) SOLAR QUEEN IN MILKY EMERALD (RIGHT) See The Full Radical Yes Eyewear Collection Here. Related Products light-lover-sunglasses-in-black, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-milky-lime, illuminate-sunglasses-in-solid-lavender, light-lover-sunglasses-in-crystal-olive, solar-queen-sunglasses-in-milky-emerald, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-milky-ocean,
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Radical Yes, Help Me Find My Perfect Winter Boots!
Radical Yes, Help Me Find My Perfect Winter Boots! We're back in the Fitting Salon with a new video, and as the weather threatens to get colder we've been getting asked..."Radical Yes, Help Me Find My Perfect Winter Boots". Which is perfect timing actually because we have just launched three brand new boot styles. In this video we introduce you to these three new styles and show you which ones are best suited to which type of feet. Watch the video below and see all our new boot styles here. Your perfect winter boot awaits! lead-the-way-boot-in-black-leather, lead-the-way-boot-in-mango-nubuck, lucent-zip-boot-kayak-leather, lucent-zip-boot-gold-monochrome-leather, orion-skies-boot-dirty-cream-leather-on-black, orion-skies-boot-black-leather-on-black
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Virtual Try-On Of The Flex Neoprene Slip Ons
Introducing our newest style. We're back in the Fitting Salon and we are unboxing our brand new Flex Neoprene Slip On. Built on the same radical DNA as our popular Sunny Neoprene Slip On boot but designed for 'summer-exposed-ankles-but covered toes-moods' (It's a thing)! We chat about why we designed it, it's hybrid-dressing powers and hidden features. Click below to watch the video... "We like to make shoes that are hybrid, so they can do two things - be active and be sharp." Radical Yes See more hybrid shoes... flex-low-cut-slip-on-cornflower, flex-low-cut-slip-on-bronze, radical-yes-declaration-t-bar-wedge-2-0-navy-nylon-vegan, radical-yes-sunny-boots-black-neoprene, radical-yes-sunny-boots-2-0-ultraviolet-plum-neoprene, radical-yes-movement-buckle-shoe-eggshell-cement, radical-yes-movement-buckle-shoe-black,
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