Earlier this week, a press release was held to announce that the latest project that Jeff Staple would be working on was in fact not an extremely limited pair of SBs or New Balances, but a collection of Airwalks that will be inexpensive and widely available. The brand called STPL 4 Airwalk will consist of about 12 models for both men and women, and will have a price tag in the $50 range. The collection will release Fall 2009 in over 400 Payless stores around America. Although, some might equate this with “selling out”, Staple has this to say for all the haters:

“Payless is democratizing the latest ideas in footwear by making them accessible and affordable to all. I am very excited to join in this philosophy and approach … I feel like the age of ‘1-of-24’ or ‘1-of-100’ is becoming obsolete. If you were a graf artist, you did the side of a train so everyone could experience your creation. As a graphic designer, I want my works published and available for everyone to see. As a DJ, I want to play in front of the biggest possible crowd. So why shouldn’t this same philosophy hold true for sneaker design? I am really looking forward to reaching this wider audience and having a larger impact as a designer.”

pic and info: Transworld

Tags: Airwalk, Payless, sneakers, Staple