John Varvatos is among the sneaker industry’s longest running collaborators, his work with Converse outdating almost all of the ongoing tag-team efforts you see today.  And it certainly doesn’t hurt to have longevity built right into the base models, so you can expect the Converse by John Varvatos line to continue for years to come.  But before we get ahead of ourselves, how about a preview of the fall 2011 collection, a set that includes classic, Double Zip and Multi-Eye takes on the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star.  The Star Player and Pro Leather are also along for the ride, though the unique boot-slash-sneaker the Sprint Skidgrip might steal some of their shine.  Click through to see the entire collection, and with the fashion world tending to equate ‘fall’ with Q3, you can expect these at higher-end retailers shortly.

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If you’re looking for a pair of running shoes, you should know by now that it doesn’t get much better than the Lunar line from Nike. Between the lightweight Lunarlon sole and the Flywire utilized on the upper, these are guaranteed to make you feel like you’re walking on air. The LunarEclipse+ was designed specifically to bridge the gap between shoes that aimed for cushioning and those that aimed for support, bringing you both via the floating heel clip and LunarLite padding that fills in the innards of the shoe. This brand new colorway comes dipped in a selection of tonal reds, from Team Red to Burgundy, all of which maintain a fairly low key color scheme. Continue reading for more images of this Nike LunarEclipse+, which is available now at Nikestore.

Nike LunarEclipse+
Team Red/Challenge Red – Deep Burgundy- Volt
408582-606

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With all the talk of the Air Jordan III Retro in ‘Black Cement’ showing up in nubuck instead of the traditional tumbled leather, you might have forgotten that there’s a brand new AJ3 colorway on deck for the start of fall.  Check out these new images of the Air Jordan 3 ‘Stealth’, a colorway that skillfully blends the AJ Legacy’s classic Chicago Bulls look with the tonal grey style that’s been so popular over the past several months.  So we’re left with two Air Jordan IIIs for the rest of the year and this one will be coming first with a September release date; do you plan on getting a pair?  Click through for more pictures from Sneeze, and you can already find them available early on eBay.

Air Jordan III
Stealth/Varsity Red-Black-White
136064-003

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Have a tough time selecting what shoes to wear next? Maybe the Sneaker News Blogs: Best of WDYWT will give you an idea. Our weekly feature is back again with another twenty selections of the best sneakers worn by our readers, and as usual, our readers did not disappoint! This week’s Top 20 has some older favorites, like the OG Air Jordan XIV Indiglo and the Zoom GP 2, and some more interesting customs, like the ‘South Beach’ Foamposite Pro and custom Jordan Rare Airs made to look like the Black/Cement Air Jordan III. There are plenty more Nike SBs, limited collaborations, and other gems, so check out this week’s Top 20 and vote for your favorite at the end.

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Earlier today, Sneaker News showed you images from Paris where the Jordan Brand-sponsored Quai 54 International Streetball Tournament was won by the defending champion French squad.  Ray Allen was pictured at the Paris House of Hoops, where he was on hand to talk with fans and sign autographs, but the NBA’s career three-point shooting leader was also spotted on the Parisian asphalt, where he flicked in a few effortless treys to the delight of the amassed crowd.  The throngs on hand also saw Fabolous rocking the black Air Jordan V ‘Quai 54′ special edition he’s been wearing to various events of late, but it was the Team ISO 2 that played the most prominent role in the tournament proceedings.  Click through for some additional images and stick with Sneaker News for inside looks at the world’s great sneaker events.

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This weekend is a time for celebrating across this great country as we take an extra day off work to celebrate our nation’s independence and find that one of the most unique designs in the history of basketball sneakers will see a brand new colorway release.  The Nike Air Foamposite Pro is a head turner in the beautiful Retro shade offering an almost-South Beach look that looks a bit like Nike Sportswear’s NYC ice cream truck.  But you won’t hear a bunch of bells ringing when these pop up this Friday, July 1st at select retailers, though there could certainly be considerable chatter from the line of sneakerheads waiting for doors to open.  Stick with Sneaker News for updates whenever high profile kicks pop up early and you can avoid the rush by grabbing your pair right now from Shaolin8 on eBay.

Nike Air Foamposite Pro
Retro/Black
624041-410

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The Air Jordan XI was a groundbreaking model in so many ways, from its unprecedented use of carbon fiber and patent leather to the fact that no team before or since has won more games than the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.  The AJXI also marked the start of a trend, with a lowtop model debuting the following summer that established the chopped-off look as an annual occurrence.  And though this rare Air Jordan 11 Low sample is pictured atop a ’90s-era Nike box, we can fairly confidently conclude these are in fact a 2001-series production, as the XI Low only debuted in this form six years after the originals (the IE was the true OG AJXI Low).  Click through for a closer look, let us know how this ‘Columbia’-like colorway compares to the ones that did make it to retail and check out the AJ11 sample available from qkro23 on eBay.

Air Jordan XI Low
White/Light-Zen Grey
136053-101

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Ronnie Fieg just may be the hardest working man in footwear. He kicked the summer off with the release of his Asics ‘Ultra Marine’ GT-II less than a month ago, and his second Asics drop for the summer is apparently coming sooner than we’d expected. Ronnie first teased the Asics Gel Lyte III ‘Mint Leaf’ on his twitter on the release day of the Ultra Marines, and he let another image go via Instagram this morning just before he departed for the Dominican Republic to bang out another collabo with Sebago. Does this guy ever sleep? The Asics Gel Lyte III ‘Mint Leaf’ is definitely going to be one of the hottest pairs of the summer, coming in a similar set up to Ronnie’s killer Asics Gel Lyte III ‘Coves’ that cracked our Top 30 list for 2010. Stay tuned with us for release info on the Asics Gel Lyte III – ‘Mint Leaf’ as it becomes available and hit the jump for an extra photo from Complex.

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Before the Air Jordan 2.0 and news of the Air Jordan 8.0, there was the Air Jordan Alpha 1. It was a contemporary tribute to the Air Jordan 1, given a retooled upper with sleek styling in the form of perforated panels, a new midsole, an updated traction design, and updated cushioning. The Air Jordan Alpha 1 debuted last year and news of a low-top was leaked not much later, and this August will feature the first official release of the low-top in a tonal-black colorway. Here’s a look at a Red/White/Blue version that should drop sometime this year; the simple color-blocking makes for a casual sneaker with comfort to boot. Additional images lie ahead so take a look and let us know what you think. via mita/hoopchina

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The Nike Sky Force ’88 Mid had to fight for its space in the spotlight when it first dropped so many years ago, coming out in the same year as the Air Jordan III and just a year after the Air Max 1. While you don’t see them around too much these days, the Sky Force ’88 definitely held its own, acting as a worthy heir to the “Force” lineage. Thankfully, Nike is showing the model a bit more love this year, both with the Stussy x Nike Sky Force ’88 Mid collaboration and with this monochrome Sky Force ’88 Mid VNTG. The vintage treatment on these is manifested in the form of the slightly beat looking soles, but the shoes are pretty fresh otherwise. The nice mix of greys and whites is certainly a familiar feel given the recent cool-grey craze and these do the color combo justice. Hit the jump for detailed photos of this Nike Sky Force ’88 Mid VNTG, available now at Burner.

Sky Force ’88 MID VNTG
Medium Grey/Metallic/White
429772-002

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So LeBron and his teammates may have flickered out in the NBA Finals this year, but that doesn’t mean Nike is going to turn down the heat on his signature line for the summer season. Quite the opposite in fact, with the LeBron 8 V/2 Low in particular getting a batch of fresh colorways, some sneakers to rock to show your LeBron love throughout the off-season. The latest, this Nike LeBron 8 V/2 Low in a Solar Red colorway, echoes the approach of the massive LeBron South Beach colorway, jamming the high-tech Flywire upper with some vibrant color. Hit the jump for more pics of this upcoming LeBron release, which RMK has in stock now as well as a few pairs floating around on eBay.

Nike LeBron 8 V/2 Low
Solar Red/Black-White
456849-600

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British boutique The Hideout offers the world’s best streetwear from its spot in London’s Westminster district, their most notable contribution to the sneaker scene having come two summers ago when they helped launch the Air Footscape Woven as part of the LIVESTRONG greatest hits pack.  These new Hideout x Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars are downright refined by comparison, their smooth-soled and leather-accented premium design occupying the opposite end of the spectrum relative to the ‘Hamsters’.  Click through for a closer look at the black hightops along with brick red and grey lowtops and look for these starting July 4th at The Hideout with Converse First String retailers stocking their shipments two Saturdays later on the 16th.

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