THE DEFINITIVERUNNING TO RUNWAYSHOPPING GUIDE

Masterful multi-hyphenate Virgil Abloh is today’s foremost tastemaker in the worlds of fashion and footwear, and he took a dive into the deep end of running-inspired designs with his Off-White x Nike Zoom Terra Kiger 5. Part of his “Athlete In Progress” collection inspired by world-class track and field practitioners, Abloh took the once-humble trail running shoe and made it into a must-have fashion piece. Off-road runners are all about grip and support, so the bottom features elongated rubber “track spikes” for a compelling juxtaposition between the Kiger’s original purpose and the overarching theme of the collection. Retro flair is provided by a foam tongue and a track-style lacing system that reaches far down onto the shoe’s side panels. Then, a signature finishing detail arrives via the now-ubiquitous zip tie that has graced each and every Off-White Nike sneaker, dating all the way back to “The Ten.” Normally, combining so many different elements together would be overpowering, but that’s Abloh’s genius; his products tell a comprehensive story that effortlessly ping-pongs between purposes, people, and styles, much in the same way that running sneakers have become amorphous and are no longer limited to the track.

No, you’re not seeing double. Although we’re barely past the halfway point of the year, many pundits have already pegged Chitose Abe’s Nike LDWaffle as the best sneaker of 2019. First seen at the brand’s Spring 2019 presentation in Paris, this ultra-unique design is an appealing amalgamation of two classic Nike running silhouettes: the LDV and the original Waffle Daybreak. Stacking both shoes’ midsoles under a traditional mesh base, Abe then delivers a dynamic duo of details on everything from the midfoot Swoosh to the mudguard and heel overlay. The style is then completed with two layered tongues, two sets of laces, and a classic waffle iron midsole that was created in Nike’s earliest days. A duo of colorways — blue/red/yellow and green/yellow/orange — sold out immediately upon their debut and three more are set to arrive this fall, but as a must-have summer style item, all five are incredibly hard to come by. Thankfully you can snag ’em on eBay, and ensure that your summertime outfits are twice as nice as they were before. And for good measure, we’re showcasing one of their jawdropping Blazers too.

UNDERCOVER frontman Jun Takahashi and Nike have a long and rich relationship, both with in-line collaborations and their seasonal performance-geared Gyakusou capsule collections. However, Takahashi took a step back from high-end performance and looked to the early days of Nike running footwear for inspiration this year, remaking the humble Daybreak from the 1980s into a modern-day street style masterpiece. Although the general public was first given a look at the new kicks during a 2018 runway show, they first debuted this summer in a veritable swath of colorways to the delight of athleisure fans and Nike history lovers alike. What makes the look so successful? Its compelling combination of old and new. The base is all classic, with a sleek nylon upper and trim midsole. However, a healthy dose of high-end flair is provided as well, thanks mostly to an elongated heel cage that conjures memories of a shark’s snapping jaws. In short, they’re perfect with anything, from sweats to shorts to jeans. Refined but not stuffy, sleek but not too minimal, the UNDERCOVER Daybreak is an outstanding example of a homage done right.