Same story, different shoes? On Monday, Sneaker News showed you the upcoming October 2012 release of the Nike Air Flight One in Black/White and the interesting back-story and gave the an unintended infamy in the history of Michael Jordan. Before Michael borrowed Penny’s shoes, it appears that Penny dipped in MJ’s stash as we get a rare look at this Air Jordan IX Player Exclusive made for the Penny Hardaway during his rookie campaign. It features the Black/Charcoal upper like the OG, but with a Royal Blue interior and Jordan branding and Penny’s ’1′ logo stitched onto the heel. These are certainly one of the rarest and most interesting PEs to ever hit the planet, and the fact that they’re game-worn and signed by Penny himself just make ‘em that much greater, and although these do resemble the upcoming ‘Photo Blue’ Retro, it’s a stretch to say that Penny Hardaway had any connection with ‘em. These are up for sale now at IMAGE NY, a sneaker consignment shop located in Queens, NY that opened one year ago, so check out these detailed shots and let us know what you think.
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When Sneaker News first showed you preview images of Nike Sportswear’s summer 2012 Air Safari offerings just before the turn of the year, we noted that two pairs’ chalky outsoles seemed a clear indication of their VNTG status. All four of those were depicted with beige midsoles which could either be pre-yellowing or just another balancing force on a quartet of smartly selected palettes, but now we can expect all of them to be Vintage drops with yesterday’s Nike Air Safari VNTG release and the same details emerging on the also-gumsoled Mesa Orange and Black Tea edition. These are the closest to the 25th birthday edition but still maintain a respectful distance that allows a touch of today’s clean colorblocking, and you’ll find them available now at NSW stores like Burner.
Nike Air Safari VNTG
Mesa Orange/Sail-Black Tea-Black
525245-800
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A few days back, Sneaker News showed you three new Nike Air Vortex VNTG colorways that’d just arrived at a Nike Sportswear dealer in Europe. Elsewhere in the Old Country, two others have also arrived to bring the total to five, and that means the range of colorways is sure to have something for everyone. Each of these are constructed as they should be, from suede, mesh and nylon just as the originals did some three decades ago, and mild pre-yellowing on the midsoles reflects the aging process. Between these, the Size? exclusives and that Fresh Mint/Voltage Cherry pair, the Euro zone is killing it with Vintage Air Vortexes; is one of this new quartet available now from Asphalt Gold the best yet?
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We’re wrapping up the first third of 2012 with one last look at the twenty best from Sneaker News Blogs: WDYWT, and as we reach this milestone in the year, we can only expect our readers to deliver with some true neckbreakers for the remainder of the year. We’ve got another sick selection to choose from, from an original Air Jordan X from the City Series, some great Nike iD creations, a pair of Footscape gems from ’99, and one of funkiest Jordan x Nike swaps we’ve ever seen. More on the twenty best below, so take look, vote for your favorite, and submit your own kicks to Best of WDYWT!
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We saw plenty of the similarly soled Challenger retros, several Air Waffle releases and a ton of other classic runners resurrected during the time that J.Crew’s collaborative drop was the only Nike Waffle Racer issued. That roughly three-year quiet period ends today with word of a new VNTG series drop that refreshes one of the early Nike designs that got its unique traction pattern from Bill Bowerman’s early ’70s experiments with a waffle iron. One opts for the Oregon Ducks look while another features an equally classic Cal Bears-leaning palette, and both of these 1976 throwbacks will hit Size? with 500 pairs for each colorway next month. Stick with Sneaker News for release info and check out some additional images below in the meantime.
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As far as history goes, not only is the Air Jordan II is ‘up there’ among the most storied Jays in history, it’s is one of the most mysterious. A basic overview: the Air Jordan II is not a Hatfield product, but one of Bruce Kilgore’s, who set Nike Basketball to the level of sport-meets-style with 1982′s Nike Air Force 1. Some point to the Air Jordan II as the first truly distinct Air Jordan design as it was the first to carry an outside-the-box inspiration and concept (remember, the Air Jordan 1 was a mere spin-off of the Dunk); it was inspired by a 19th Century woman’s leather boot, using design lines and curves that made the sneaker appear less sporty and more towards the luxurious end of the spectrum, shedding the Swoosh as a whole and opting for a stylized ‘Wings’ logo that looked more like a symbol of a high-end luxury handbag than a basketball sneaker. It’s quite fitting considering all Air Jordan IIs were manufactured in Italy, and as consumers, we’re quick to believe that anything ‘Made in Italy’ will be built by premium craftsmanship, material, and design.
There’s plenty about the Air Jordan II that gives it a level of infamy of sorts; it broke the $100 barrier for the Air Jordan (we’re beyond double that today), and the original mold of the Air Jordan II was misplaced (either lost or stolen), forcing Nike to disassemble an original pair in order to re-create it for the 1994 Retro release. Just two colorways existed (and two similar low-top versions) – a stark contrast from the handful of team-based Air Jordan 1 colorways that were produced. The Air Jordan II was also a turning point for Michael Jordan’s loyalty to Nike, and it wasn’t until Kilgore was replaced by Tinker that MJ decided to stay with Nike and embark on such a legendary path to greatness. Although Kilgore’s tenure with the Air Jordan ended with the II, he is credited with bringing the luxury tier to the sneaker with the inspiration and the use of the faux-lizard skin material. We’ve got a look at a rare gem here – an Air Jordan II issue that was Made In Italy – so take a look and check out the steep price from this listing from gradykatz on eBay.
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We were reminded of the Air Jordan X ‘City Series’ when its ‘Chicago’ colorway retroed this January followed by the white leather-uppered ‘Old Royal’ edition the following month, but that brand new colorup signaled the end of the road for Retro 10s in 2012. If we were to be blessed with more AJXs this year, surely the pair pictured above would be among the most coveted, the ‘Seattle’ Air Jordan 10 that offered a bit of indirect foreshadowing of Michael Jordan bending the Sonics under his will a year after its release. This OG pair from 1995 looks to be in pristine shape and includes the original packaging for anyone who’s willing to ship $900 including S&H to tscott189 on eBay.
Air Jordan X ‘Seattle’
White/Black-Kelly-Yellow Gold
130209-106
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Once a fairly obscure word reserved for high school english classes, ‘epic’ has in recent years risen to the heights of internet overuse as fellow standouts ‘extreme’, ‘sick’ and ‘fail’. This appropriated usage dilutes the word’s true power, as it was intended to signify something truly heroic and rare, yet its shifting parlance manages to reflect a side of the above classic runner’s core identity as pictured. The Nike Air Epic Vintage Quickstrike brings back a model that most sneakerheads wouldn’t be able to pick out of a lineup (or remember the 2004-05 retros) and applies some serious pre-yellowing to make the sole look like it’s been sitting in storage since these first dropped back in 1985. Check out the blue and grey colorups in greater detail after the jump below and get ready for these to hit US Nike Sportswear retailers shortly because mita sneakers is set to ship theirs on Saturday.
Nike Air Epic VNTG QS
Soft Grey/Light Bone-Medium Grey
534229-011
Medium Grey/Obsidian-Pro Blue
534229-004
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