The story of the collaboration line between Florsheim and Duckie Brown begins with a prom. See, 18-year-old Robert Asch, short on funds and tall in taste, wrote Duckie Brown founders Steven Cox and Daniel Silver, desperate for a decent suit for his senior prom. The designers were happy to oblige and suggested that he pick up a pair of Florsheims to complement his new duds. The century-old shoe company heard of the story and reached out to the pair. The result is a collection of tastefully retro saddle shoes, loafers, and wingtips that mines Florsheim's history without being stogy and ranging from a reasonable $195 to $595. The crowning jewel in the collaboration is, without a doubt, the star-spangled "Patriot Boot"—a recasting of the model originally crafted to commemorate America's victory in WWII. As if to underline the historical connections and to honor the year of its founding, Florsheim is only making 1945 pairs of the beautiful boot. Get ready to grab your little bit of nostalgia when the line hits stores in fall—they'll soon be past tense too.
