UPDATE 5/31/2023:
According to correspondence with Avia, the Avia is Back project is not affiliated with the brand in any way. They go on to state that the 880 and 830 will return in an official capacity at a later date.
First teased in early November 2022, the AVIA 880 and 830 will finally return to original form on May 5th.
Although the Jerry Stubblefield-founded company has been producing footwear for years, its (super) high-top basketball silhouettes from the 1980s hadn’t received a one-to-one retro in ages. The “AVIA IS BACK” project spearheaded by Instagram user @velour, however, has done just that: meticulously recreated AVIA’s 880 and 830 using original specifications.
Basketball footwear from the 1980s has dominated the sneaker space over the last handful of years. Despite low-top models being heavily favored, AVIA’s two tall propositions have quickly garnered support from both savvy and casual fans alike. The late Virgil Abloh seemingly took inspiration from the shoes once worn by Scottie Pippen and Clyde Drexler for his LV Trainer Sneaker Boot in 2018. AVIA will finally reclaim its influence, and it’s doing so in high-quality, limited fashion. Both the 880 and 830 utilize premium materials and close attention to detail. Only 1,500 units in total have been produced of the duo, with the AVIA 880 launching in a quantity of 1,000. The “AVIA IS BACK” project will also accompany the sneakers with apparel that references the North American brand’s athletic past.
Enjoy detailed photos of the pair ahead, and find both styles available via aviaisback.com on May 5th. The 880 is priced at €179, whereas the 830 arrives with a €159 price tag.
In other sneaker news, the Air Jordan 1 “Next Chapter” is set to release on May 20th, ahead of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Photos via AVIA IS BACK
