The Air Jordan 11 "Bred" Headlines This Week's Best Footwear Drops
Alongside a YEEZY BOOST 380 “Alien” restock, more Post Malone x Crocs, and plenty of other compelling kicks.
by Ross Dwyer2019 is slowly but surely drawing to a close. However, footwear brands aren’t taking any time off to celebrate the holidays — they’re bringing plenty of new product to market before the calendar turns. The period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is an optimal time to push out shoes of all styles, shapes and sizes, so there’s plenty of new goodness coming your way over these next five days. But before we take a look ahead, let’s recap everything that went down over the last seven days.
Without question, the biggest news of the week was the official unveiling of the Dior x Air Jordan 1. Showcased alongside Dior’s Fall 2020 collection at a Miami runway show, the shoe comes with ultra-high levels of hype to match its rumored $2,000 USD price point. That wasn’t the only piece of footwear news from Dior however as the brand also showed off a new iteration of its in-line B23, adorned with Sean Stussy’s recognizable artwork.
fragment frontman Hiroshi Fujiwara also caused quite a stir among AJ1 lovers and old-school Nike heads by taking to his Instagram to reveal an upcoming two-pack that features the first-ever Air Ship retro. Accompanied by an all-new Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG colorway, this significant style is set to release in 2020 and garnered considerable excitement. And as always, Kanye West and the adidas YEEZY line made some noise. Two silhouettes — the YEEZY 500 High “Slate” and YEEZY BOOST 700 “Carbon Blue” — were officially announced, while more releases for next year were teased as well, namely the YEEZY BOOST 700 MNVN “Phosphor” and YEEZY BOOST 350 v2 “Marsh.”
From a sustainable standpoint, Reebok announced the Floatride Forever Grow, a shoe constructed of plant-based material with tech purported to match the finest running shoes on the market today. On the political end of the spectrum, Nike backed legislation to battle counterfeit goods, aiming to block imports of fakes at the US border. And to end things on a more light-hearted note, Takashi Murakami and Post Malone provided smiles and free sneakers, respectively: the former wore a wild pair of Mr. Bailey kicks inspired by his “The Simple Things” sculpture from 2009, while the latter pulled up to Chicken Express — his onetime place of employment — to bless unsuspecting customers with free early pairs of his new Crocs collaboration.
Now that you’re all caught up, it’s time to dive into what’s coming your way over these next five days. See the best releases the week has to offer directly below, and let us know what your personal favorite pair that’s dropping is as well.
Stray Rats x New Balance 990v3 “Joker”
Release Date: December 9
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: In-store at Miami’s Lower East Coast and online on a yet to-be-confirmed date
Why You Should Cop: Stray Rats has a way with the 990v3 and knows how to work the Joker’s villainous color palette. This marks the brand’s third Joker-themed 990v3, and it just might be the best yet.
Nike Air Max 1 “Bronze Eclipse”
Release Date: December 9
Release Price: $120 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and select Nike stockists
Why You Should Cop: It’s rare that sneakers and suiting work this well together. A stately houndstooth pattern on this Air Max 1 adds just enough elegance without being too stuffy.
Nike ACG Moc 3.0 “Cheetah”
Release Date: December 9
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: UNION
Why You Should Cop: An updated take on a classic Nike ACG silhouette, the Moc 3.0 sits comfortably in the grey area between house shoe and full-bore sneaker. The vivid cheetah print on this UNION-exclusive colorway adds plenty of eye-catching flair too.
The Hundreds x PUMA Clyde
Release Date: December 9 (The Hundreds)/December 12 (Global Stockists)
Release Price: $110 USD
Where to Buy: The Hundreds, in-store and online, and at select stockists
Why You Should Cop: By combining all of the Clyde‘s original colorways, The Hundreds has made a shoe that’s wild and whimsical, but still grounded in its rich history. That’s no small feat.
Nike Dunk Low “Viotech”
Release Date: December 10
Release Price: $120 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and select Nike stockists
Why You Should Cop: A Nike Sportswear classic, the Viotech is coming back in men’s sizes for the first time in six years — and true-to-the-original details ensure that this version is the most faithful recreation yet.
Post Malone x Crocs Duet Max Clog
Release Date: December 10
Release Price: $60 USD
Where to Buy: Sneakersnstuff
Why You Should Cop: The polymorphous Post Malone skirts effortlessly between different worlds with his music, and you can do the same with his Crocs: they’re half hiking shoe, half relaxed sandal. Plus, you’re guaranteed to get more than a few double-takes with these on your feet.
adidas Y-3 Runner 4D
Release Date: December 10
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: Y-3.com and select Y-3 stockists
Why You Should Cop: The latest in Y-3‘s 4D line, this runner combines ninja style and futuristic tech in equal measures.
CdG x Vans Lampin
Release Date: December 11
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: CDG
Why You Should Cop: Vans and CdG have presented plenty of collaborative product, but this is the first time the partners have taken on the Lampin. The all-over logo print provides a standout style that’s simultaneously skate and high fashion.
adidas Predator Mania Pack
Release Date: December 11
Release Price: $250 USD (Sneakers) and $350 USD (Boots)
Where to Buy: adidas.com and select adidas stockists
Why You Should Cop: Paying tribute to 25 years of its Predator line, adidas has readied a flat ground shoe and a cleat with details inspired by 2002’s influential Predator Mania.
Chinatown Market x DC Comics x Converse Chuck 70 Hi “Batman” Collection
Release Date: December 11
Release Price: $100 USD
Where to Buy: Select Converse stockists, including Sneakersnstuff
Why You Should Cop: Few superheroes are as iconic as Batman and few shoes are as recognizable as the Chuck 70, so it only makes sense to bring them together. Curated by the branding wizards at Chinatown Market, these shoes are a dual-pronged nod to a duo of icons.
Off-White™ x Nike Waffle Racer SP
Release Date: December 12
Release Price: $150 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and select Nike stockists
Why You Should Cop: A continuation of Virgil Abloh‘s “Athlete In Process” collection with Nike, these Waffle Racers give the OG running silhouette a modern-day industrial makeover, complete with track-inspired rubber spikes.
adidas YEEZY BOOST 380 “Alien”
Release Date: December 12
Release Price: $230 USD
Where to Buy: adidas.com, YEEZY Supply and select YEEZY stockists
Why You Should Cop: It’s rare that you see extraterrestrial life forms even once, but adidas is giving us a second chance at Kanye West’s space-inspired new silhouette. With its aggressively heel, the 380 is also one of the adidas YEEZY line’s more visceral designs.
Blondey McCoy x adidas Superstar
Release Date: December 14
Release Price: $110 USD
Where to Buy: adidas.com and select adidas stockists
Why You Should Cop: Young British multi-hyphenate Blondey McCoy has given the classic Superstar a punk-inspired, skate-ready makeover, complete with fully translucent uppers.
Oskar Rozenberg x Nike SB Blazer
Release Date: December 14
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: Skate shop exclusive
Why You Should Cop: Swedish skateboarder Oskar Rozenberg and Nike SB are rolling out a co-branded collection, and this corduroy-equipped Blazer is kicking things off in an unquestionably elegant style.
adidas YEEZY BOOST 350 v2 “Yeezreel”
Release Date: December 14
Release Price: $220 USD
Where to Buy: adidas.com, YEEZY Supply and select YEEZY stockists
Why You Should Cop: Kicking off the next batch of Kanye West’s ever-popular YEEZY BOOST 350 v2 releases, the “Yeezreel” is the boldest take on the silhouette we’ve seen in months, and will be followed up by a reflective version in the coming weeks.
Air Jordan 11 “Bred”
Release Date: December 14
Release Price: $220 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and select Jordan Brand stockists
Why You Should Cop: Do you really need a reason? This revitalized classic is one of the most-lauded Air Jordans of all time, and is returning for the first time in seven long years this week. It’s one of the best colorways of Tinker Hatfield‘s most influential silhouettes. Plus, they were on MJ‘s feet when he captured his fourth NBA championship. What more could you really ask for?