Coasting on even the strongest reputation can have dire consequences: before you know it, all your accolades become vicious Michael Caine-ings. Refusing to fall into that trap, Creative Recreation.

Hatched by a Philippines-born graffiti artist and an ex-Vans top dog, CR's melding of sneaker style and high-end, often ludicrously luxe materials quickly cemented them vaunted status, but instead of succumbing to the drugs, groupies, and disturbing middle-school adulation of the boutique kicks world, with each drop they continue to put out loads of wildly inventive models in dozens of colorways. Fresh spring lowtops include the Torrio, with three thin Velcro straps and perforated leather body; the Cesario Lo, a lace-up/fat-strapped Velcro hybrid made from "tumbled" goatskin; and the black- and white-patent leather Colletti, a spikeless golf shoe that'll allow you to stylishly discuss cheating on taxes even when you haven't just cheated on an approach shot. Hightop magic runs from the massive-tongued, all-leather Milano Hi laceup, to the multi-textured leather Pontis w/ side ankle detailing inspired by tube socks, to the double-strapped Dioccio, constructed from white canvas and brown-patterned crocodile leather ("That's not a shoe. That's a shoe").

As further proof of their hyper-productivity, CR has also dropped two new all-patent leather Diocco's exclusively for Barneys, one in a black/white/yellow colorway and the other all-black, with a "wrinkled" texture -- a dire condition that'll persist until you're Under Deadly Ground.

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Check the massive array of stylings -- and where to grab 'em online -- at Cr8tiveRecreation.com