Whether you’re waiting for a LeBron tip-off or a whole set of Adidas sneakers that reinvent history for the sake of style, there’s a lot happening in the sneaker world this week. Puma’s got a collab with ALIFE that plays on color, Adidas is collaborating with BBC and, also, creating shoes that defy expectations to impressive effect. Plus, Nike and Jordan are keeping a run of relevance going with right-on-point iterations of classic kicks—but there’s at least one that turns expectations on their heads.
Check it out.
ADIDAS ‘NEVER MADE’ PACK
SHOP $130-350, adidas.com
Sometimes, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to create something truly interesting. The idea of mashing up iconic uppers and soles isn’t one that Adidas just discovered, but it is 0ne that the Three Stripes has done very well. The Never Made collection is a celebration of what could have been, wasn’t, and now is. It’s all very meta—and very stylish.
PUMA X ALIFE CLYDE
SHOP $100, alifenewyork.com
There are few shoes more iconic—or, arguably, underrated in the current market—than the Clyde. So if you can get one in an exclusive, super-wearable green, we’d be hard-pressed to disagree with that acquisition.
AIR JORDAN 33
SHOP $175, nike. com
There’s so much one could say about the newest Jordan game shoe. (And, actually, I did say it. So go read about that here.) But even if you don’t, know that these are some sincerely impressive basketball sneakers.
NIKE AIR MAX 95 ‘WOLF GRAY’
SHOP $160, nike.com
There are few colorway names less accurate than this one, but whatever. It’s a gray base with some seriously bold hits of purple and teal. Is it for everyone? Certainly not. But if you love the colors that permeated the era this shoe comes from, it’s worth checking out.
NIKE X OFF-WHITE AIR MAX 97
SHOP $190, nike.com
Can you get ’em? Almost certainly not. Do you want ’em? Of course. And even if you’ll never actually have ’em, it’s worth considering the cultural impact of these sneakers. Virgil Abloh is a master of deconstructing established codes, and his Nike collab might be the best example of that to date.
NIKE LEBRON 16 ‘KING’
SHOP $185, nike.com
It’s all about the name with this one. A regal shade of red plays off the African meaning of LeBron’s name while looking pretty damn cool in the meantime. The metallic gold accents just lend to the vibe.
Release: 10/18
NIKE X JOHN ELLIOTT VANDAL HIGH
SHOP $150, nike.com
L.A.-based designer John Elliott is one of the most devoted Vandal aficionados you’ll ever encounter. But once you see the subtle—and supremely stylish—updates he’s made to the classic Nike shape, you might just become one yourself.
AIR JORDAN X ‘AIR HUARACHE LIGHT’
SHOP $190, nike.com
The ’90s were the heyday of later-in-the-game Jordan silhouettes—and the legendary Huarache. Is it any wonder that the two finally made their way into one shoe? This one takes a bold blue colorway and roots it in a very familiar AJ10 shape.
ADIDAS X BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB HU NMD
SHOP $286, caliroots.com
What happens when BBC, Pharrell, and Adidas come together to create a new riff on the HU NMD? Something super-bold, and not to be ignored. The beefy outsoles mean these might even last into winter weather.
PUMA X END THUNDER ‘SHADOW RISE’
SHOP $149, endclothing.com
You might be on the fence about the whole “chunky sneaker” thing. But if there’s any one silhouette that should change all that, it’s the Puma Thunder. Just bold enough to command attention, and yet eminently wearable, the style is hard to overlook—especially in a super-stylish colorway exclusive to UK-based retailer End.
ADIDAS X ENGINEERED GARMENTS ULTRA BOOST
SHOP $219, sneakersnstuff.com
Few brands inspire the kind of cult-like devotion of EG—and with good reason! Designer Daiki Suzuki is one of the best in the game when it comes to reinterpreting styles with his particular spin on color, cloth, and general vibe. This week, he brings that attitude to a pair of Adidas Ultra Boosts. The result is as cool as it is wearable.
Grab yours
Wale
