While everyone has their own favorite and arguments over the merits of each of Nike Sportswear’s classic Air Max runners can carry on indefinitely, there’s no doubting the Nike Air Max 90‘s place at the front of the pack when it comes to high-contrast colorways. There’s just something about the AM90′s aggressive lines that makes it so conducive to these kinds of eyecatching looks, and this newest ladies pair is strong enough to have dudes who can fit them 1.5-up. They have an ‘almost Air Jordan’ look about them thanks to black and Anthracite tones accented by Siren Red, and just like Jordan Retros of late, there’s quite a bit for AM90 fans to consider over the next few months. Will it be the OG-blocked blue and yellow pairs, maybe the black or red canvas joints, possibly the Hyperfuse update, or maybe even all of them plus this pair?! You can see that NSW has quite the 21st anniversary party planned and it’s kicking off with this WMNS release that just hit Switzerland’s Titolo.

Nike WMNS Air Max 90
Black/Siren Red-Anthracite
325213-020

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If the Air Jordan VIII Aqua traveled 19 years into the future, it would see its ‘doppleganger’ in the Air Jordan 8.0. Featuring some structural upgrades like the breathable mesh panels and Flywire-laden crossing mid-foot straps, the Air Jordan 8.0 captures both the nostalgic flavor and new-age design that has been the formula for most of Jordan Brand’s non-Retro releases over the last few years. Set to release this January, 2012, the Air Jordan 8.0 ‘Aqua’ features the paint-splatter bumper that extends to the midfoot, which doubles as a spring plate for performance-friendly push. We’ve got additional images for you after the jump, so take a look and let us know if this ‘Aqua’ colorway provides some ‘umph’ to this new model.

Air Jordan 8.0
Black/Bright Concord-Aquatone
467807-009
01/xx/2012
$160.00

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New Balance is known as one of the leaders when it comes to collaborating with Japanese brands and issuing Asia-exclusive limited editions.  This newest pack commemorates the Chinese tradition of celebrating the Lunar New Year, but interestingly enough, only one of the five guest designers is from China.  The New Balance 574 ’Dragon Pack’ reminds us that not only are the zodiac animals on a 12-year cycle, but that they also rotate across the five ‘elements’.  Japan’s mita sneakers and Whiz come through with the wood and fire looks, respectively, Taiwan’s Invincible goes for earth, Singapore’s Limited Edt handles the water, and China’s NPC completes the set with an iron-inspired colorway.  Each pair carries enough details to make their photos worth far more words than we can fit here, so click through to see more angles and stick with Sneaker News for word on possible US availability.  via Streething

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With all the Japanese brands collaborating on classic runners and other old school kicks, applying wild animal prints to their well established lines, it’s almost a shock that we haven’t seen this particular model get the safari touch.  The mita sneakers x Reebok Insta Pump Fury ’Leopard’ picks up on a trend we’ve been seeing quite frequently of late, and applies it to the base layer of a colorway that manages to be more ostentatious than pretty much all the others thanks to its contrast stitching and red accent hits.  Click through so you can see more images and let us know if these are import-worthy and where they rank against the growing crowd of leopard print sneakers in 2011.

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A process of refinement begun a few years back, Vans has now evolved to the point where they’ve absolutely mastered applying ‘dressy’ and otherwise premium builds to their classic skate silos.  The latest to get a deluxe rendition is the Vans California Era 48 lowtop, a model more or less directly based upon their beloved Era plimsolls, but with a top-tier twist.  This trio of 48s for next spring go with lush suede uppers and add leather laces and sockliners to achieve a result that practically screams “quality!”  Click through so you can get closer views of the red, grey and navy editions, let us know which color you like best and stick with Sneaker News for updates on this January 2012 drop.  via FNG

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In the world of retro runners, there’s no doubt that Nike’s Air Max line rules the roost. If you are looking to take even further back though, check out this upcoming pack featuring a triple threat of the waffle bottomed classic Nike Air Tailwind. There have been a handful of newer iterations bearing the Tailwind moniker, but this one takes it back to the OG running model that had athletes laced up long before Tinker thought up the air bubble. The material selection doesn’t try to get fancy here, repping the classic trainer look of suede and nylon, with a little leather thrown in on the Swoosh. Get a full look at all three pairs after the jump and grab them from mita ahead of their US release date.

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The ‘Pit Crew’ Air Jordan III’s may have caused a bigger when they popped up online, but don’t forget that University of Oregon athletes have a history of sick Air Jordan PE’s. They kicked the year off with this clean Air Jordan IX PE, which was actually issued to the football team for Media Day in advance of the BCS National Championship game. And while they did come up short there, it’s hard to argue that they don’t stay winning given the killer gear their Nike affiliation affords them. We’ve had a few looks at these already, but it’s always worth a look when another pair pops up online, as the opportunity to grab them really doesn’t come up very often. Hit the jump for the full pics and for the Ducks fans out there, keep your fingers crossed for a similar release come Rose Bowl time in January. As always, head on over to peep the auction from jingus3 on eBay.

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2011 will close out on a high note with the White/Black colorway of the Nike Zoom Rookie, but 2012′s got some goodies in store for us as well. In addition to the ‘Dynamic Blue’ colorway, that seems to be releasing after the New Year, this solid Black/Anthracite colorway will also arrive in the coming months. Featuring a combination of a lustrous dark grey Anthracite tone with black on the upper, this two-toned combination emanates that hardcore Foamposite appeal while accentuating the flowing lines of the Zoom Rookie LWP design. We’ve got an additional full shot for you after the jump, so stay tuned to Sneaker News for more release information on this sick new colorway. via el-store.

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Make it not one, but two pairs of VIP-only Air Jordan releases of 2011. After being spotted with the Air Jordan V ‘Quai 54′ in the F&F Black colorway, ATF Crew member Chi McBride breaks necks once again with the Air Jordan III ‘Oregon Ducks’ Pit Crew PE that was given out via raffle at the Matt Knight Madness Event at the University of Oregon some time ago. McBride’s been on the sneaker grind for years now, proudly represented the internet NikeTalk community and being recognized as one of the best collectors in the game now. Check out a full shot of Chi McBride and his Pit Crew AJ3s after the jump and let us know what you think. Many thanks to P.E GEE.

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Texas sneaker spot/blog Nice Kicks is gearing up for the release of their collabo with New Balance on the high end New Balance 1500 model. The occasion will be celebrated in fine fashion, with an in-store party at their brick and mortar spot in Austin, which should be a nice reprieve for the heads who are spending the evening waiting in line for the midnight release tonight. Following that, pairs will be available at their online shop tomorrow, December 16th, at 11AM CST, so that’s your best bet if you’re not currently in the Lone Star state. Stick with us after the jump for a more detailed look at the Nice Kicks x New Balance 1500, as well as a video detailing the inspiration behind them.

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Purists tend to scoff at the idea of re-introducing classic sneakers with re-tooled and slightly redesigned construction. Well, the concept behind the Huarache and the Free are rather similar, as both were designed not only to reduce weight, but to create the truest barefoot ride. The Nike Huarache line debuted in the early 90′s and featured a funky ‘window’ on the upper ankle and an inner bootie that locked the foot down. The Free, which finally surfaced in 2004 after a decade of research, was created to give runners a ‘barefoot’, free-style vibe (it came during the parkour craze). Combining the two should create a sum greater than its parts, which is why the we expect both the Huar-Free 2012s to be sneaker purchases for performances as well as for nostalgic reasons. Be sure to catch both of these rehashed classics tonight at midnight at Nikestore, or tomorrow at House of Hoops locations, or grab either one of the two right now on eBay.

Nike Huarache Free 2012
White/Black-Pure Purple-Soar (Basketball)
501529-100
12/16/11
$110

White/White-Blue Emerald-Resin (Running)
514594-100
12/16/11
$100

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The colorists over at Nike Basketball are goin’ ‘cray’ with the LeBron 9, Zoom Kobe VII, and Most Improved Sneaker KD IV. We can’t go on enough about how sick the unstoppable barrage of KD IV colorways has been, but it’s about to get a bit more serious as we get a look at the ‘Creamsicle’ colorway that became famous with the Nike Zoom KD II. Placed toe-to-toe with the upcoming Christmas colorway (with Leo Chang checkin’ up on his email/social media/ending items on eBay on his phone), the Creamsicle stands distinguished from the rest with the eye-popping tonal bright orange colorway, with the Photo Blue details on the Swoosh and midfoot giving the sneaker just the perfect amount of contrast. Check out the quick shots of this sick new colorway below and stick with Sneaker News as we’ll keep you up to date on all the neck-breaking Zoom KD IV colorways that are soon to come. via SC

Update: Leo Chang, designer of the Nike Zoom KD IV, stated in a tweet that these are not the ‘Creamsicle’, but a bright red colorway that will not release.

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