The land of the Rising Sun has long since been a big part of the sneaker culture. Japan’s sneaker culture has such a unique flavor that its often tough to duplicate but the Rising Sun has been a focal point of a number of memorable shoes. Sneaker likes the recent Air Jordan XII ‘Rising Sun’ pays homage to the country that served as the inspiration for the Air Jordan XII, and who can forget the great Vans Hosoi Rising Sun releases of years ago? Supra is joining in the action with a new limited colorway of the Supra TK Society, featuring TUF white leather and a canvas material ankle/heel apparatus. A special Rising Sun tag comes attached with this release as well. The Supra TK Society Rising Sun will be a limited “Quickstrike” release and is now available at select Supra retailers worldwide.

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It was a chilly October weekend but a sudden heat-wave hit 151 Sullivan St. in Lower Manhattan as Sneaker Con NYC launched for a third time this year. The greatest sneaker event in the world continues to out-do itself and at the conclusion of Sneaker Con NYC October 2010, the bar was just pushed up a few notches. With more guests, vendors, special giveaways and sponsorships, Sneaker Con NYC 2010 was THE place to be for sneakerheads in New York City – long considered one of the meccas of the urban footwear scene. Whether it was to buy or sell a pair of grails or make a sweet trade with your fellow sneaker-brethren, or simply to take in the sheer volume of footwear heat in the building, all the event-goers left smiling, satisfied, and in anticipation of the next Sneaker Con event. Over 1,200 patrons walked through the entrance doors, and media coverage from CNBC, MTV, and other media outlets were busy interviewing and filming one of the fastest growing New York City-based cultural phenomenons of the decade.

But Sneaker Con wasn’t only about copping kicks, it was also a prime-time opportunity to check out some fresh material to spice up your rotation. adidas provided a great look-see feature of its adidas Originals footwear with a special adidas photobooth to add a little fun twist. Chivalrous Culture was also on hand in introduce its new line of footwear, as was FLUD watches and its collection of slick timepieces. Dr. Jays also provided the hook-up with some handy Dr. Jays bags that perfectly fit a shoebox, and of course, the Sneaker Con x Dr. Jays x adidas limited t-shirt was given away to a lucky bunch. If you were unable to attend this awesome event, we’ve got a great recap for ya after the jump so take a look at the gallery and be sure to check out the next Sneaker Con scheduled for early 2011!

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Scottie Pippen was one of four OG Dream Teamers to come back for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, but you’ll have to go a little further south to see how far Nike Basketball has come in the last 14 years.  On hand at the new Dadeland Mall House of Hoops in Miami, FL is a collection of Nike BB player exclusives that range from modern looks on the Hyperdunk 2010 and Hyperfuse to the OG Nike Air More Uptempo Pippen wore along with the USAB number 8 (which is embroidered onto this PE’s heel).  In addition to Pippen’s kicks, you’ll see PEs for Syracuse, USC, Texas and more when you click the jump below. 

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2010 has been an amazing year for Air Jordan retro releases, thanks to models like the Air Jordan VII, XI and the above pictured model each seeing quite a few colorways hit retail shelves.  The Air Jordan II ‘Candy Pack’ contains three M&M-style colorways that offer a two-tone (plus a little white) design that’s in keeping with today’s dominant footwear trends but a novel approach when compared to most Jordan Brand releases.  The above model has a bit of the ‘Raging Bull’ flavor and also serves as the liaison between traditional Air Jordan styling and a seasonal pack theme.  Check out more shots of the red ‘Candy Pack’ Air Jordan 2 by clicking the jump below and stick with Sneaker News for updates on these and all Air Jordan release dates.  via Dunk

Style: 395709-601
Color: Varsity Red/Black-White

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“When this guy right here made his choice, we knew we had to do something special.”

Jason Petrie’s ‘decision’ to create a South Beach edition Nike LeBron VIII was more or less made for him.  First LeBron James signed on with the Miami Heat to form one of the most potent, if controversial squads in the history of team sports; and actually, Miami has been famous for its art deco architecture since the early 1900s, so maybe that was the ‘first’.  Either way, the first of what we expect to be several Miami-inspired LeBron James Nikes is a stunner with a colorway that’s halfway between Miami Vice and the Florida (soon to be Miami) Marlins.  And with the NBA season right around the corner, Petrie and James were on hand at the brand new Dadeland Mall House of Hoops this Saturday for the Pre-Heat LeBron 8 release event, and you can see video wherein both sides of this Nike Basketball dream team discuss its design, along with what appears to be an exclusive South Beach Air Max LeBron VII Low on Petrie’s feet.  via Inside the Sneaker Box

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Later today, we’ll show you one of the Olympic PEs that Scottie Pippen wore at the Olympics to make the Nike Air More Uptempo a must-have item for every kid’s back-to-school 1996 shopping list, and as with many of the best Nike Basketball retros, it’s time for some brand new colorways.  The latest edition of the ‘AIRs’ is one that’ll play well in Charlotte(sville) or Syracuse, a mix of navy blue and white that features select orange accents.  Peculiar, then, to see a black outsole when nothing else on the shoe is, but then again, these were never meant to be typical.  Check out more shots after the jump and grab these now from Finish Line.

Style: 414962-400
Color: Dark Obsidian/Dark Obsidian-White

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Just yesterday Sneaker News showed you images of the Nike LeBron VIII V2, a secondary version of the Nike LeBron VIII for LBJ to wear as the season progresses. Offering a lighter package and more ventilation, the V2 will surely benefit LeBron James as he will enjoy the weight advantages as the season progresses. Of course, when presented with a new pair of shoes, most sneakerheads will ask: “What do they look like on feet?”. Here’s another look at the Nike LeBron VIII V2 in White/Grey/Varsity Red; the silhouette of V2 remains the same, while the upper synthetic shell features Flywire panels with a perforated mesh underlayer. Take another look at this upcoming LeBron shoe and let us know how you think these will look on feet. via hoopchina.

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Jun Takahashi’s UNDERCOVER streetwear label just got up with Nike Running on the GYAKUSOU capsule that debuted at Stadium Milano alongside the ‘Moon to Lunar’ installation, but here’s a new UNDERCOVER x Nike collab that’s a bit more organic.  The UNDERCOVER x Nike Air Revaderchi resurrects a classic All Conditions Gear trail runner we haven’t seen since last summer teased us with what could have been the ‘new Safari print’.  Instead, that pattern turned out to be sort of a camouflage underneath which the Revaderchi has been hiding ever since, but these new subtle colorways bring the Revaderchi into the present quite nicely.

Brown and greys are typically used as buffer colors to balance out other high-contrast shades, so the combination of both on each of these pairs makes for a warm, washed out look that feels like they’re bleached from days in the sun, even if it’s a bit colder on autumn days.  The footwear equivalent of a new chillwave EP with familiar samples, these joints will pop up rather suddenly this Wednesday, October 20th at select Nike Sportswear retailers including UNDERCOVER in Japan, so stick with Sneaker News for updates on a possible US drop date.  via Honeyee

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Yesterday Sneaker News gave you a first look at the Nike LeBron 8 V2, an secondary version of the LeBron 8 in a lighter Ashiko-boot style upper material. Before that style releases, the primary version featuring leather or suede uppers will hit stores, like this Black/Anthracite (also dubbed the ‘Triple Black‘). Arriving in stores this December is the all-black-everything colorway of the LeBron 8, featuring a tonal black upper and lower end with a clear Air unit bubble. The all-black colorway has been a tradition in the Nike LeBron line starting from the Zoom LeBron IV so no big surprise here. Perhaps a LeBron 8 V2 Triple Black will arrive as well, as LeBron James was seen wearing an all-black colorway of what now appears to be the V2 during a the King’s Academy Camp in San Diego back in July. Expect the Triple-Black LeBron 8 to hit Nike Basketball retailers like Foot Locker on December 11th.

Style: 417098-001
Color: Black/Anthracite

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Here’s a shoe that captures two (and a half) trends common amongst many recent Jordan Brand releases: they combine classic Air Jordan aesthetics and Air Max cushioning (specifically Nike Air Max retro runners), and we’re seeing kicks from MJ’s second title run appear with more ballistic nylon than ever before.  Following on the heels of the updated AJXIII ‘Altitude’ and its predecessors in the CMFT series, the Jordan CMFT Max 12 combines a low-cut take on the Air Jordan XII upper combined with the Air Max 97 sole that intially released the same summer Mike wore the Twelves to his fifth chip.  Check a new colorway that show how much this shoe is designed to be lifestyle friendly even as much as it reps the AJ legacy, with  a range of greys and blacks contrasted by select red and white hits.  Photos of two different pairs await your click on the jump below, and check back for more from the Jordan CMFT Max series here on Sneaker News.  via NT

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Nike continues to grow the massive Asian footwear market, with everything from AP-exclusive colorways from some of the hottest kicks to tours from the biggest Nike Basketball stars and plenty of rich retail experiences across the continent.  One such taste of Far East flavor is the latest China-edition Carmelo Anthony signature that you’ll hear people call the ‘Classic Jades’.  The Air Jordan Melo M7 JD features that signature green shade on its translucent heel counter and outsole, plus a darker shade on the sockliner that nicely contrasts the red laces.  Jade has played a big role in traditional Chinese aesthetics, and this very well might go down as one of Melo’s all-time classics.  Click the jump below for more details and stick with Sneaker News for updates.  via Dunk

Style: 416269-101
Color: White/White-Classic Jade-Dark Charcoal

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The Air Jordan XIV ‘Indiglo’ hit in 1999 with the first neon green accents on a pair of Jays, and the next time a green XIV hit retail in ’05, the colorblocking was nearly opposite.  It’s been roughly the same amount of since the only green-featuring colorway of the Fourteen’s predecessor, but instead of a whole new edition, expect slight changes to the original.  The ‘Altitude’ Air Jordan XIII now comes with the ballistic nylon ‘dimple’ panels that appear on the Flints and Breds, so the buttery soft leather is segregated to the toe and tongue.  Everything else from the pebbled rear mudguard and heel to the signature sole remains the same, so click the jump below to see more detailed images and stick with Sneaker News for updates on these and all Air Jordan release dates.  via MarqueeSole

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