Alexander McQueen’s partnership with Puma is unleashing a wild (and wildly priced) shoe slated for sale in late August. The Puma AMQ line has most recently created a chocolate-brown crocodile leather kick that manages to combine urban style (note the high-top build) with high fashion -- plus a little bit of a jungle vibe mixed in. "There is a part of me that is very couture, and a part of me that is very street," the designer explains. A street sneaker that doubles as a dress shoe made from gator hide. Why didn't I think of that? Although the three-grand price tag may seem hard to swallow, the shoes come in a handmade wooden shoebox with a complimentary pair of crocodile leather flip-flops. If you plan on getting your claws on a pair of these, act fast, as only 28 pairs will be distributed in the United States.

Adidas and Nike are facing off in a sneaker contest of Olympic proportions. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, both companies are racing to provide Beijing Olympic athletes with sneakers and shoes designed for their specific sport -- boxing, basketball, fencing, you name it. The prime time international exposure will then lead to a demand for the kicks available in a line geared towards regular folks. Adidas, the official sportswear sponsor of the Games, already has all its Olympic sneakers available online; Nike plans to offer a partial line.

Custom products have been hot for a while, ranging from Bedazzled cell phones to tricked-out cruiser beach bikes. Proof of this comes in the quirky little kicks made by Van Taylor Monroe. While I've never been a fan of sneakers off the court, these one-of-kind Air Nikes, which have designs ranging from Marley to Tupac to Ali, deserve an approving nod. My favorite: the Obama Air Nikes.