Recently resuscitated as the upscale Zeha Berlin, the brand has two boutiques in the former East Berlin selling modern sneakers based on styles from the Communist era.“About 40 years of the brand is from the G.D.R.,” said Torsten Heine, one of the company’s owners, who, together with his partner, Alexander Barré, grew up in East Germany. “And that definitely influences the style.”That influence seems to make Zehas both unusual and familiar at once. Although they are not terribly different from old-school Nikes, Zehas are cool enough to earn praise from hard-core sneaker addicts. And though many of the designs may date from the dark days of Communism, modern Zehas show no trace of collectivist austerity. Even the least expensive shoes are made of surprisingly supple leather. All feel decadently luxurious. And with prices starting around 130 euros ($169 at $1.30 to the euro) for the most basic models, Zehas are hardly footwear for the proletariat — rather the opposite.  Models like the Favorit (129 euros) bear the company’s traditional logo of four stripes, which Mr. Heine said were set at an angle as a result of an early trademark-infringement lawsuit from a well-known West German rival. The padded leather Liga (199 euros), an ankle-high boot, was modeled on a pair of East German soccer shoes that were found in the attic of a regional museum. Regardless of which style you choose, a pair of Zehas is unlikely to be quite like anything you’ve ever worn before. At least for most of us. “When I was young I was a swimmer, and in the winter we had running, and I got Zehas,” said Mr. Heine. “And my partner played soccer, and he had Zehas. This is the shoe of our youth.”

source:  The New York Times