Welcome to Sneaker News #74. The start of the year is usually a little slow for new sneaker drops but there’s plenty to sink your teeth into here. Nike continues to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Air Force 1 with a sleek ‘Smoke Grey’ drop. There are also two noteworthy Dunk drops for those that are still following the success of that silhouette. Meanwhile, New Balance tips its hat to basketball classics with the 650R and Reebok pays tribute to a forgotten Kobe pair. Check all that out and more below.
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Nike Air Force 1 Low Retro LT ‘Smoke Grey’
The 40th Anniversary of the Air Force 1 keeps giving, this time with a new Low Retro LT colourway. The Light Smoke Grey colourway is part of Nike’s Colour Of The Month series and you can see why. It covers a sleek upper made up of a full grey suede base and is elevated by jewel swooshes. That alongside a white midsole and translucent outsole makes for a crisp release. Head to Subtype from 5th January to cop.
Nike SB Dunk ‘Adobe’
Another year, another fresh Nike Dunk drop. This time around, the classic silhouette is being delivered in waxed canvas. It’s a different take that finds inspiration in a ’90s backpack while adding suede overlays and a gum midsole to drive home the nostalgia. There’s also a hidden how-to guide on the sock liner for those looking for extra detail. Cop these from Nike on 9th January.
Nike Air Jordan 9 ‘Light Olive’
The Air Jordan 9 may often be overshadowed by some of the more hyped silhouettes but a bold colourway like this will always remind you that it’s an undeniable classic. Here, it arrives in a combination of Aquatone and Bright Concord, a colourway that’s been used in the AJ 9 and AJ 11 before. On the upper, premium nubuck meets black synthetic leather, topped off by Aquatone embroidery on the heel. Head to Nike on 7th January for your chance to own a pair.
New Balance 650R ‘Black with Red and White’
The New Balance 650R is out here looking like Jordans. The high-top version of the hugely popular 550 adopts a classic sneaker colourway by colour-blocking red, black and white. The black dominates on the upper while the red pops through in the plush ‘N’ logo. Basketball fans will notice that these are a nod to classic basketball shoes and a successful one at that. Head to New Balance right now to secure your pair.
Nike Dunk High SE ‘Inspected by Swoosh’
As part of Nike’s ‘Inspected by Swoosh’ series, this latest Dunk release finds colourway inspiration in hand-crafted liquors. Pale green overlays are elevated by a Summit white base which is further accentuated by contrasting stitching. The most impressive detail here though is the cork-infused rubber outsole underfoot which ties it back to the handcrafted liquor motif. Enter a raffle on Culture Kings right now for a chance to nab yours.
Reebok Question Mid ‘White/Yellow Thread/Ultra Violet’
Kobe Bryant was never actually signed to Reebok but he did wear these shoes for one season on the court. As a result, Reebok supplied him with his own colourway of the shoes, delivering white, yellow and violet to match the classic Lakers colours. Now, Reebok is finally releasing these to the public as the Question Mid has found a second life in the past couple of years. Up There is the place to cop these right now.
adidas Gazelle Indoor ‘Shadow Green’
As the 70s continues to provide major inspiration to current fashion trends, adidas is riding the wave. The Gazelle is a ’70s-leaning silhouette and this drop uses a classic colour palette from that decade. Shadow Green luxe suede overlays on the upper sit atop a premium nylon upper. It’s all undercut by semi-translucent tooling. Subtype currently has these listed as coming soon.
