Diesel D-Velows Review
The Diesel D-Velows is a freshened up version of Diesel’s signature mid-top style. These sneakers feature an upper made of two materials; thirty-four percent leather and sixty-six percent cotton. Contrasting stitches add enough contrast to catch the eye. The patches that are on the heel of the shoe are held on with velcro and are therefore interchangeable. The outsole of this sneaker is vulcanized rubber.
A nine eyelet lacing system allows for optimal fit customization throughout the entire foot/ankle. To make sliding your foot in and out a little easier, a zipper aligned with the outermost eyelets for the laces and a pull tab at the back of the sneaker makes a world of difference.
The D-Velows are offered in sizes seven through twelve and a half in whole and half sizes. There is not currently an option for narrow or wide widths. The sneaker comes in the colors star white with fluorescent orange or black with fluorescent yellow.
You can pair this style of a sneaker with almost anything you’ve got in your closet. So many different types of people from all ages and sizes can wear these anytime, anywhere. Women have been known to wear this type of shoe under their wedding gowns, with skirts, leggings, skinny jeans, and shorts.
- Quality materials
- 66% breathable cotton upper
- 34% contouring leather upper
- Zip and lace closures
- Durable, supportive outsole
- Timeless style
- Slightly expensive
- No narrow/wide sizes
Brand
Rosso started working for Moltex in 1976. The company manufactured clothing and its owner was Adriano Goldschmied. Rosso worked for Moltex for two years and then decided to ask his father for a loan so that he could purchase a forty percent holding. This led Rosso to change the company name to Diesel and marketing jeans among that brand and others.
For five hundred thousand dollars, Goldschmied’s interest in Diesel was bought out by Rosso in 1985. Because of this, Rosso became the company’s sole owner. Mexico and the United States both licensed Russ Togs, Inc to sell Diesel brand products in 1990. Russ Togs ended up going under in 1991 and sold Rosso the Diesel Sportswear.
Keeping up with the times, Diesel launched their first retail website in 1995, displaying images of the available collections. In 1997, the first pair of Diesel jeans were sold online. A virtual store was then opened, which offered home delivery.
The products from Diesel are made in Italy. There are five thousand stores within eighty countries, as well as two hundred and seventy stores that feature one Diesel brand.
Upper
The cotton adds a more casual look to the shoe and creates a nice contrast, but also flow, with the leather and the embellished stitching. Cotton is extremely common in the manufacturing of apparel all over the world. Since it is naturally occurring, it is renewable and also biodegradable. That’s great news for the eco-friendly. Natural fibers like cotton are more pricey than synthetics fibers.
The best advantage that comes from cotton is the breathability that it offers. Cotton will keep you cool in the hot weather. It does hold moisture more than the leather does, but that actually could help keep your feet cool in the heat. Also, remember that the leather will be working on expelling the moisture, so it’s a team effort.
Outsole
Asia is where most of the natural rubber is cultivated, in fact around one-third of the production around the world occurs in Asia. This vulcanized rubber is a preference among most shoemakers because it provides more traction than leather does it doesn’t get weaker when it gets wet.
Mixing sulfur and natural together was how they first performed vulcanization. They then heated the mixture. When heated, the structure of the chemicals in the rubber changes and makes polymer crosslinks that in turn make the rubber more strong and durable.
“Vulcan” comes from Rome’s version of the fire god. This refers to the part of the process that heats the rubber. Vulcanized rubber offers increased elasticity and will last longer than natural rubber.
Color
When it comes to wearing bright colors, you have a few options. You can play it safe and use subtle, neutral colors for the rest of your outfit. You can get a little bold and mix in some more of that bright color in the rest of your outfit. Or, you could choose a color from the opposite side of the color wheel that will complement and contrast the other color.
If you choose the star white with the fluorescent orange, you could wear them with yellow (because they are so close on the color wheel and go great together), purple (great contrast), or blue (also for great contrast). All of these colors compliment orang well. Just be sure to get the right shade.
If you go for the black sneakers with the fluorescent yellow, your options are open as well. Even more so. You could pair them with purple, orange, red, green, blue, you name it. So long as you choose the right shades in all of your colors, you can make any of them look great!
Style
Sneakers that are made with canvas material or share the same appearance as canvas sneakers are timeless and have not and probably will not ever become old news. The relaxed feel and look of them are extremely desirable, especially because it is so versatile.
Thanks to the casual appearance of these sneakers, it is easy to pair them with jeans, leggings, shorts, and even dresses. Putting the sneakers, a sundress, and a light jacket is a great option. You should choose a dress that does not reach below the knee, and if it does, it should cover your shoes. It does not look good otherwise.
Protection
It is rumored that mid-top shoes can prevent spraining your ankles. And, while this isn’t true, they may provide enough additional support around your ankles to make a bit of a difference. Some people do recommend mid-tops to people who have experienced injuries in the past, with the hopes that the extra support and stability will help prevent more injuries.
Mid-tops are advantageous to athletic people who need to be able to change direction without worrying constantly about rolling their ankles. Again, they do not guarantee prevention from injury, but they are certainly more protective than low-tops that don’t cover the ankle at all. There is less flexibility in a mid-top which may slow you down, but it’s a small price to pay in the long run.
Fit
The nine eyelet lacing system allows you to adjust the fit on the top of your foot, where your foot meets your shin, and on your shin itself. That is important for people who have sore feet or nontypical feet.
The zipper right beside the laces will help you pull them on and take them off with more ease. The pull tab on the top at the heel will also aide tremendously in this task. And if your feet are swollen and you don’t want to take the time to undo your laces and tie them looser, you can simply reach down and unzip the side as much as you need to be comfortable.
Durability
Vulcanized rubber is more equipped to handle wear and tear. It is stronger, more flexible, and has a higher resistance to heat and other elements. It is more rigid, meaning that is it less likely to stretch. That’s a good thing for long term wear. It is still just as elastic as regular rubber.
The leather on the upper will last a long time as well, as long as you’re properly caring for the material on a daily basis. Leather can last many, many years in the right hands. You’ll want to shop for some good leather cleaner and a soft brush.
Since the mid-top style will be more supportive around your ankles, you will be less likely to have your foot wobbling all over in your shoes, allowing your shoes to have a longer lifespan.
Bottom Line
They’re so versatile that you can wear them for almost anything besides in water, fancy dinner meetings, or hikes in the woods. You can wear them around the house, to the mailbox, on your morning stroll, during workouts, and even with your favorite sundress or under your wedding gown. Yes, it has been done many times.
At the end of the day, what is important is that these sneakers are comfortable, durable, flexible, adjustable, and breathable. They may be on the higher end of the price scale, but to some people, it is well worth it because of the quality and style.