FYI: Sperry Top-Siders are Back in the Philippines!

I always considered my high school teenage years to be a life of “discovery” and the most memorable one, too. It was a life of many “hit and miss; trial and error” adventures. And yet from these experiences, values were learned and became milestone markers as the old, and not so nice, ways were eventually outgrown and set aside.

However, there were bits and pieces of indulgence of my youth which, until now, I refuse to outgrow. Many of these pieces were stuff I used to wear but which were destroyed by time. For instance, I still cherish the memories of my old, authentic cowhide leather SPERRY TOP-SIDERS, a 1980’s fashion icon that became a craze back then for the young generation, including me.

Hidden from the knowledge of many, Sperry Top-Sider has been making quality boat shoes since 1935. But it was only a couple of decades ago that it was able to build its popularity in the urban casual wear market. Mysteriously, the phenomenal boat shoes slowly faded from the fashion scene as fans quickly outgrew wearing the shoes a few years later. Little did most people know that there has never been a shoe store in the Philippines that officially distributed the brand.

So, where did all those shoes come from? I can’t speak for the rest, but the one I got was from a big Balikbayan Box sent by relatives from the US. I guess that’s where most of my friends got theirs too. There were also a few stores around Manila that acquired direct imported stocks of Sperry. Even in the absence of direct distributorship, businesses seemed to have found ways to meet the volume of demands for these shoes.

For those who grew up in the eighties and perhaps relish a story or two about their Sperry, exciting news is coming your way. SPERRY TOP-SIDERS are back in the Philippines! They are now available at COMPLEX Lifestyle Store, the Philippine distributor of the iconic boat shoes. On top of the classic leather top-siders is an assembly of other designs such as canvas, metallic, and suede which capture the latest trends in footwear design for today’s younger generation. With branches in Eastwood Mall and Ayala Center Cebu, Complex store also carries other signature brands like Keds, Ecko Unltd, Zoo York, Havaianas, and much more.

So for the former owners of Sperry Top-siders who have reminisced for decades of wearing them again, you can now stop daydreaming. Head to the Eastwood Mall or Ayala Center Cebu and grab yourself a pair.