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These Common Projects Dupes Get You the Look of the Musician-Loved Sneakers for One-Third the Price

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All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 20 years since fashion designer Prathan Poopat and his consultant friend Flavio Girolami started Common Projects as an independent footwear brand in New York City. Launched in 2004, the brand’s line of minimalist sneakers quickly gained a following among the fashion set, not to mention celebrities and musicians like Frank Ocean, Nick Jonas and Jay-Z, among others.

Common Projects is now ubiquitous on the soles of everyone from students to entrepreneurs to athletes (Tom Brady has been seen in Common Projects sneakers on multiple occasions).

Though it’s still based in New York, Common Projects manufactures the majority of its shoes in Italy, all handcrafted from genuine leather and other premium finishes. And of course, that signature stamp of numbers remains the only visible branding on the shoes.

But Common Projects sneakers don’t run cheap. In fact, its bestselling Original Achilles Low silhouette will still run you close to $500 on sites like SSENSE above.

Fortunately, there are a few good Common Projects alternatives that you can find online, including similar-looking pairs starting at just $129. From sustainable picks to luxe finds, here are five top-reviewed Common Projects dupes to buy right now.

5 Best Common Projects Sneaker Dupes: Shop Affordable Alternatives

TOP PICK

Cariuma OCA Low All Black Pebbled Leather

$159

Buy Now AT CARIUMA


Cariuma is known for its sustainably-sourced and produced footwear collection, and one of their best new styles is this pair of black pebbled leather shoes, which offers a slightly-more casual take on the Common Projects Achilles. The Cariuma kicks feature a grippy rubber sole, organic cotton canvas lining, organic cotton laces and a biodegradable, plant-derived insole for comfort and breathability. At just $159, the OCA Low deliver the same great looks for one-third of the price of Common Projects.

5 Best Common Projects Sneaker Dupes: Shop Affordable Alternatives

MUSICIAN APPROVED

Koio Capri Triple White Sneakers

$245

Buy Now AT KOIO


Musicians like Joe Jonas love Italian footwear brand Koio, which makes a great Common Projects alternative called the “Capri.” The stark white sneakers are handmade in Tuscany from genuine leather, then set on a minimalist white rubber sole. A super versatile pair of shoes, the look can be preppy or formal depending on how you style them. They’re not cheap at $245, but still less expensive than Common Projects, with the same amount of craftsmanship and same streamlined aesthetic.

5 Best Common Projects Sneaker Dupes: Shop Affordable Alternatives

FAN FAVORITE

Thursday Premier Low Top

$129.00

Buy Now On Amazon


Footwear brand Thursday may be best known for their boots, but they also make a great Common Projects dupe with their Premier Low Top sneaker. Made from a smooth and buttery Italian nappa leather, the shoes feature the same low profile and tonal stitching of Common Projects, but at a wallet-friendly $129 price point. They’re easy to order and get delivered on Amazon too.

5 Best Common Projects Sneaker Dupes: Shop Affordable Alternatives

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Steve Madden Bondd Sneakers

$79.99 $119.99 33% off

Buy Now AT STEVE MADDEN


The first time I tried on these Steve Madden sneakers at a menswear trade show in Las Vegas, I knew I had to have them in my closet. Unlike some Steve Madden sneakers, which can scream TRENDY, these ones are clean and timeless, with a surprisingly elegant aesthetic (especially in this gray suede finish). Also available in white and black, the Bondd sneakers are one of the best Common Project alternatives you can buy online, though they more than stand on their own as a pair of must-have kicks too.

5 Best Common Projects Sneaker Dupes: Shop Affordable Alternatives

ALSO CONSIDER

Clae Bradley Sneaker

$170

Buy Now AT NORDSTROM


From artists and models to musicians, all of our “in the know” friends own a pair of Clae Bradley sneakers. They’re some of the most comfortable shoes you’ll put on, with a cushioned insole and padded footbed that keeps things plush and light for all-day wear. Clae makes these leather sneakers sustainably too, with the LA and Paris-based company pledging to use at least 50% leather “sourced from a tannery that has achieved a Leather Working Group rating for energy use, waste production and water treatment,” per a product description.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard’s roundup of musician sneaker collabs and the best things to buy from Snoop Dogg’s Skechers collection.

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No ‘Good’ Deed Goes Unpunished for Ariana Grande’s Glinda in Final ‘Wicked: For Good’ Trailer

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In the final trailer for Wicked: For Good, Ariana Grande‘s character learns that a big price comes with being Glinda the Good.

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Released on Wednesday (Sept. 24) — about two months before the Wicked sequel finally premieres in theaters on Nov. 21 — the preview shows how the blonde leading lady wrestles with her new role as Oz’s spokeswoman, as Cynthia Erivo‘s Elphaba attempts to expose the Wizard’s evil agenda while living in hiding. At first, Glinda is “obsess-ulated” with the gorgeous gown, tiara and mechanical flying bubble her public-facing life affords her — but everything quickly comes crashing down when she realizes that she’s on the wrong side of history, and that she just might be too late to save her former schoolmate from the wrath of Oz’s brainwashed citizens.

“I’m a public figure now, people expect me to …,” Glinda tells Elphaba at one point, with Dorothy’s fallen house and the Yellow Brick Road visible in the background.

“Lie?” the green-skinned witch cuts in, to which Glinda says defensively, “Be encouraging.”

Grande’s character is less sure of herself when she is confronted by Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero, who accuses, “You can’t resist this.”

“Who could?” Glinda asks, to which the Winkie prince replies, “You know who could.”

Arriving one year after the first Wicked hit theaters and shattered movie-musical box-office records, For Good will serve as the film adaptation of the second act of the Broadway musical on which the live-actions are based. The soundtrack will also drop on Nov. 21, complete with two brand new songs sung by Grande and Erivo.

As revealed when the tracklist dropped a week prior to the new trailer, the title of Glinda’s bonus song is “The Girl in the Bubble,” while Elphaba’s added balled is called “No Place Like Home.”

Watch the final trailer for Wicked: For Good above.


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Priscilla Presley Says That Leaving Elvis Presley Was ‘The Only Way to Survive’ in New Memoir ‘Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis’

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All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Priscilla Presley was with Elvis Presley for around 14 years before they split; however, the pair had known each other for years before they wed in 1967.

The time in between and following Priscilla and Elvis’ divorce was a tough spot for Priscilla, and one she wasn’t super open about — that is, until now. In her new memoir Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, the actress shares the difficult but inspiring journey beyond the walls of Graceland post-split with the King, choosing to put herself and her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, first.

A hardcover version of the book is now on sale and can be purchased now on Amazon for $22.38, while paperback will run you $32. A Kindle version retails for $15.99. If you’re a superfan of Priscilla and the Presley family, you can also snag a signed version of the memoir via Barnes & Noble for $32. The piece makes a great gift for the avid Elvis collector in your life. If you’d rather listen to the memoir, we won’t judge, you can do so with Audible via a subscription which costs $7.95 a month, a price tag less than a physical copy.

Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis

Buy Now on amazon $22.38 $22.38
Buy Now at Barnes & noble $32 $32
Buy Now on audible $7.95 a month $7.95 a month

A new memoir by Priscilla Presley.


If you didn’t know, Priscilla met Elvis when she was just 14 and he was 24. The singer was serving in the U.S. Army in 1959 in Germany. The pair remained romantically connected for years, even with distance between them and in 1967, they were wed in a simple and very secret ceremony in Las Vegas. While their separation in 1973 was painful for Priscilla, this novel highlights why it was so important for the Naked Gun star to leave.

It seems that Priscilla lost touch with herself throughout her relationship with Elvis. Leaving allowed her to find herself again. Through the book, we are treated to snippets of Priscilla’s life pre- and post-Elvis and how she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother after the performer’s death in 1977.

Today, we are taken through how Priscilla was able to transform Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises, turning the King’s legacy into a full-on business. If you are an Elvis fan, this gives readers a unique perspective on his life, as told by his ex-wife. It also gives Priscilla’s story more context for those who aren’t too familiar with her life and career.

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Calvin Harris’ Ex-Business Manager Denies $22M Fraud Claims: ‘Categorically False’

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Calvin Harris‘ former longtime business manager is firing back against bombshell fraud claims, saying he never stole from anybody and that the Scottish DJ willingly agreed to invest in his Los Angeles real estate development project.

Thomas St. John, an entertainment industry-focused accountant who runs the eponymous firm Thomas St. John Group, is currently wrapped up in thorny arbitration proceedings with his former client Harris (Adam Wiles). He’s accused of abusing his access to Harris’ accounts in order to fund his side venture: the construction of a recording studio and office space complex in Hollywood.

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Harris claims that St. John tricked him into investing $22.5 million in the project, known as CMNTY Culture Campus, which he says turned out to be a “complete boondoggle” that he “has not received a single penny in return for” — while suggesting that St. John pocketed much of the money for himself.

However, a representative for St. John says in a new statement that the allegations are “categorically false.” The rep denies that St. John engaged in any self-dealing, adding that Harris is one of nine above-board investors who “knowingly signed investment agreements” to get involved in CMNTY Culture.

“Not a single dollar has been misappropriated, all investor entitlements remain intact, and the project continues to advance within the normal entitlement timeline,” says St. John’s rep in the Tuesday (Sept. 23) statement. “We will continue to take every necessary step to set the record straight and to ensure that these malicious, bad-faith attacks are recognized for what they are: entirely without merit.”

While CMNTY Culture was initially designed to house a recording studio and office space, St. John has since shifted the plans and is now developing a residential apartment complex on the same tract of land in Hollywood. According to his rep, the project is proceeding apace and “is expected to approach a $1 billion valuation” upon completion.

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“While the entitlement process has naturally taken longer than initially projected due to unprecedented interest, macroeconomic conditions and significant city red tape, it remains firmly within its promised schedule and is now on the verge of securing final entitlements, an important milestone that will unlock substantial value,” adds St. John’s rep.

Thomas St. John Group has offices in Los Angeles, London, Amsterdam and Stockholm. The management firm’s U.S. arm recently filed for bankruptcy, citing hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid rent in L.A. and multiple pending legal actions.

One creditor listed in the firm’s bankruptcy papers is Philip Lawrence, a songwriter and producer who made his name collaborating with Bruno Mars. Lawrence used to be a client of St. John’s and at one point invested $10 million from the sale of his catalog into CMNTY Culture Campus, according to court filings in Lawrence’s own personal bankruptcy case.

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