Chances are, we’re not going to see any stitches shed from violence, but it looks like Nike is pitting its top two classic basketball sneakers against one another in an East vs. West battle.  The latest entrant is the Nike Air Force 1 High designed by frequent Swoosh collaborator DJ Clark Kent.  DJCK opted for the most ‘New York’ of all colourways with this mix of black, orange and blue leathers.  The first two are smooth full grain but that blue back panel has a faux-lizard feel.  Add in the polka-dotted lining and these are impossible to ignore.  We already knew DJ Clark Kent designed an Air Force 1 Low and a Dunk High to go toe to toe with Eddie Cruz’; should we take these as a sign of things to come from UNDFTD?  Stay up to date on these 0.44 soles by sticking with Sneaker News for updates.  via NiceKicks

Tweet

Continue Reading   

Nike has run hard in the Air Max 1 this year.  With a wide variety of releases this summer, the ’87′ has dropped in a bunch of colourways, including some enhanced with Flywire.  That completes a sort of cycle of legacy, as the Nike Air Max 90 was the first to be thrust into the oughts with that space age material.  Both come back in looks that are both familiar and not.  Neither uses Flywire in this collection, instead modifying classic designs with patterns on the midsoles (the pair above will drop in its OG colourway soon).  Aside from those remade legends, there are a few new low key colourways in tow.  Check out all the photos after the jump and stick with Sneaker News for updates.  via SneakersBR

Tweet

Continue Reading   

There have been plenty of animal-inspired Nike SB releases.  The latest in that category is a sample Nike SB Dunk Low with a feature we’ve never seen before.  No, we’re not talking about the furry material on the sockliner that was a major part of the Three Bears Pack, but rather, something you can’t see.  It’s the tongue.  Like all samples, it has a thin tongue, but if you press into it, you’ll hear a bird chirping.  Take a look at more photos of these plus a video detailing the sound, all after the jump, then stick with Sneaker News for more info on these.  via N-SB.org

Tweet

Continue Reading   

Even though Mike walked away from the game a few years ago, his legend lives on everyday, not just in the world of sports and the hearts of his fans, but as you well know, in the unquantifiable love for the sneakers that are as linked to his legacy as his basketball career. The marriage between Michael Jordan and Nike is one of the most magical unions in the history of popular culture. At the time of their initial partnership, neither was the undisputed best in their field yet, but it was undeniable that both sides were overflowing with potential, and it didn’t take long at all before we saw exactly how much.

It all started with the infamous Air Jordan 1′s that were “banned” for violating the league’s footwear color policies. The NBA fined Michael $5000 each time he wore them and Nike happily picked up the tab, knowing that they couldn’t ask for better publicity for the shoe. With each new NBA season came a new Air Jordan model, and every time, both Michael and Nike raised the bar for their respective competition. Before long, it was a runaway and the rapid evolution of both MJ and Nike were mirroring each other, as the mutually beneficial relationship became something more than just a sneaker brand and its athlete endorser.

By 1997, the Nike Air Jordan line had become so wildly popular that, in an unprecedented move, Nike decided to create Jordan Brand, an autonomous leg of the company that would just focus on all things Jordan. With that came team and non-signature Jordan sneakers, as well as a slew of apparel and accessories. With twelve years and a ton of Jordan Brand products since, it’s easy to take for granted how remarkable it is that an athlete became so iconic and beloved in his own lifetime, that something like this actually came to be. In fact, it would be hard to argue that any other athlete/celebrity in history has had that kind of star power and marketability.

The question, “Is it the shoes?” was raised by Spike Lee’s Mars Blackmon character back in the classic ad campaign, wondering if Air Jordan sneakers were the reason for Michael’s next-level abilities. 20 years later, the question comes up again, but this time in a different context. As sneakerheads, we have to honestly ask ourselves: ‘Did we love the shoes so much because of Michael or did we love Michael so much because of the shoes?’ For many of us, that question will be pretty hard to answer, because the two have become too inter-mingled to differentiate. Michael’s game spoke for itself, but we have to ask ourselves if we would still be so infatuated with him if he had signed with another company and wore insignificant kicks throughout his career. John Stockton, the NBA’s career assists and steals leader will also be inducted into the Hall of Fame tonight, but does anyone remember what shoes he wore? As trivial a thing as that may sound like to some, the notion carries some weight.

There’s no doubt that no matter what sneakers he wore, Michael Jordan would have been the greatest basketball player of all time, but the Air Jordan sneaker line unquestionably ensured that his legacy will live on in a way that no other athlete has ever experienced. Being that this is a sneaker website, we’ll leave the retrospectives of Mike’s on-court career and accomplishments to the sports media, but we felt our own obligation to honor his Airness in a way that readers of our site would appreciate. Keep reading after the jump to see a goosebump-inducing highlight reel of the man of the hour doing what he did, day in, day out, over the course of a long and immortal career. Congratulations Michael! Thanks for the memories.

Tweet

Continue Reading   

The Air Jordan 2009 still seems to be a touchy subject with many Jordan collectors, never quite catching on the way Jordan Brand would have liked. Since the original retail colorways have been released, we have seen a number of unreleased samples of the shoe that never made it stores. In many cases, people seemed to be feeling the samples more than most of the colorways that actually dropped. Now we get a look at another unreleased look-see sample that uses a White upper with a heavy supply of Red accents. The bright sections of Red give the shoe a pretty different look compared to most versions that we’ve seen so far, so be sure to check out some more pics after the jump, and let us know how you feel about these kicks never making it to retail. Via carter 1203 0n Kenlu.

Tweet

Continue Reading   

Looks like another classic Nike Basketball design jumped into the autoclave.  Enter the Nike Delta Force High AC, a shoe that straddles two decades of strong efforts from the Swoosh.  This one is similar to Dunk ACs, Auto Force 180s and others in that the Delta Force High upper remains mostly unchanged.  Instead of the usual sole, though, we get autoclaved aka vulcanized rubber.  Look for these to drop at Nike Sportswear retailers starting next month and into November.

Tweet

Continue Reading   

When Hiroshi Fujiwara designs Nike sneakers, people take notice.  Elegance is what they’ll see upon viewing the fragment design x Nike All Court Premium.  Both of them are so simple, but their luscious leather uppers will still turn heads.  There’s one each in black or white and both have an outline of a Swoosh in perforations for an extra clean feel.  If you like the asymmetrical toe cap and the lightning bolt on the heel, cop yours tomorrow at Nike Sportswear in New York.

Nike Sportswear
21 Mercer Street | Map
New York, NY 10013
TEL #: 212-226-5433

Tweet

Continue Reading   

Its design and world premier both New York originals, the Jeff Staple x New Balance M575J ‘White Pigeon’ has found a lovely home across the ocean.  Spain’s LimitEDitions created an in-store installation that simulates a park so well, pigeons actually fly around freely inside.  They navigate a display of the park scene, several colours of pigeon tees and, of course, the White Pigeon 575s.  Take a look at more photos after the jump.  via HB

Tweet

Continue Reading   

We first gave you a look at this wild upcoming Blazer High pack all the way back in March, and now with Halloween around the corner, it seems like the perfect time for some monster inspired kicks. Both of these Blazer High models sport an undeniable supernatural monster theme that gives the classic Blazer models perhaps its most imaginative looks yet. One pair features a green “Godzilla” look with green reptilian scales on the upper along with black, red and gold accents and a gum midsole. The other Blazer High takes a slightly more subtle approach, using a black on black upper with a perforated Swoosh and some cool graphics that look like claw slashes. The shoe also flaunts a grey midsole, striped heel tab and an almost iridescent black material on the eyelet strips. You can get a closer look at both after the jump, and be on the lookout for these at select Nike retailers in time for trick or treat.

Tweet

Continue Reading   

Here’s an interesting twist on the classic Puma Suede lowtop design.  This lowtop has been around for 40+ years now, riding waves of popularity before landing in legend territory.  Plenty of the old school ‘heads that supported these out the gate wore them with fat laces.  Clearly, Puma is aware of this, as the latest Suede modifies their swooping logo by using thick lace material that’s wrapped in an aglet at the heel.  Vivid red, yellow or black pairs can be yours now from mita sneakers.

Tweet

Continue Reading   

We have already seen versions of the Nike Hyperize and Jordan Flight 45 that pay homage to the infamous Air Command Force model immortalized by Woody Harrelson’s Billy Hoyle character from the movie, White Men Can’t Jump. Now we get a look at another Nike Basketball model that will don the unmistakable color scheme of the Air Command Force. This Zoom BB III sports a White upper with touches of Black and a healthy dose of Volt and Light Blue accents. If you are feeling the White Men Can’t Jump or Air Command Force connection on these, you can already find them at select Nike Basketball retailers such as the Kix-Files online store.

Color: White/Volt-Black-Sport Red
Style: 367189-171

Tweet

Continue Reading   

Kid Cudi was spotted in New York City showing up to the David Letterman Show a few nights ago in a fresh pair of Air Jordan IV Retro’s in Black and Cement Grey. Kid Cudi must a few pairs of these as we’ve seen him rocking the same shoe last month at a concert in California, and the ones he was seen wearing the other night seem to be pretty close to fresh out the box. Cudi is currently promoting his debut album, Man on the Moon: The End of Day.

Tweet

Continue Reading