Footwear Plus

How do you celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of the world's most iconic basketball sneakers-one that changed the game of footwear design? Reebok answered with a party in New York for its product team, sneakerheads and fans, all of whom were counting down to midnight on Nov. 20, when the latest (and very limited) editions of The Original Pump-designed by 20 of the world's leading sneaker boutiques-dropped across the globe. .

A quarter-century after the Air Jordan appeared on the court, Michael Jordan’s name still carries weight. And his basketball shoes still have die-hard fans.

In celebration of the Air Jordan’s 25th year, Jordan Brand, a division of Beaverton, OR-based Nike Inc., has unveiled the Air Jordan 2010 shoe, which will debut on the feet of today’s basketball phenom—and Team Jordan athlete—Dwayne Wade. . .

On Nov. 5, Villa—a specialty retailer of urban apparel and footwear with 24 stores in Pennsylvania—hosted a service day at West Philadelphia High School, with musician and humanitarian Wyclef Jean, The Timberland Co.

and NBA Cares getting in on the action.“Our mission is to educate and inspire youth in inner cities, especially Philadelphia, to become community leaders,” Villa CEO Jason Lutz said, explaining the reasoning behind the retailer’s Big Serve initiative. Last week’s effort marked Villa’s largest service event to date. .

With Vancouver counting down to the 2010 Winter Olympics, running Feb. 12-28, Robeez is proudly showcasing its Canadian roots through a collection of winter booties with Olympic and athletic themes.

Available in four sizes—0 to 6 months, 6 to 12 months, 12 to 18 months and 18 to 24 months—each of the six styles is lined with a super-soft and fuzzy plush material to keep baby’s toes warm. Patriotic motifs include a red leather bootie with a maple leaf emblem and a red, white and blue style with a star for Robeez’s American neighbors. .

Rockport professes its dress and dress-casual shoes are made to stand up to the daily marathon, and to prove the point, the Canton, MA-based company sent a team of eight runners—led by Dr. Andy Baldwin of “The Bachelor” fame, a naval officer and Ironman competitor—to power through the ING New York City Marathon wearing its new men’s DresSports 2s.

Buoyed by lightweight Adidas performance technology, all eight men crossed the finish line with times ranging from 3:16:56 to 4:33:26. . .

Asics unveiled its first U.S. retail location today at 51 West 42nd Street in New York.

Company chairman Kiyomi Wada was on hand to cut the ribbon along with other executives, including Rich Bourne, president and CFO of Irvine, Calif.-based Asics America, and Gary Muhrcke, owner of nine Super Runners Shop stores, who will run the Asics flagship. . .

Jeffrey Campbell's multi-zipper open-toe wedge boot offers a fresh take on this fall's ubiquitous hard-edged rock 'n' roller look. The sleek silhouette plus piled-on accoutrements make this shoe a true traffic-stopper—one we'd rock season after season, song after song. .

Last night, Stuart Weitzman put the paddle to the metal in support of ovarian cancer research, hosting a charity ping-pong tournament and silent auction in New York. All proceeds from the event will be presented to Dr.

Marsha Moses of Boston’s Folkman Research Institute, who has been doing pioneering research to help squash the disease. . .

Fashion footwear company Michael Antonio stepped out in support of Stop Child Trafficking Now (SCTN) on Sunday, Sept. 27, sponsoring a Stilettos Run to kick off a fundraising walk in support of the cause.

Despite rainy weather, approximately 320 people (both women and men!) participated in the NewYork race, setting a new Guinness world record. . .

Seventeen-year-old Melanie Oudin of Georgia is making waves at the U.S. Open in New York, and the Internet is afire with searches not just on her tennis stats but her unmissable footwear. .