With the holidays quickly approaching (you’re about a day or two away from all out mayhem), there are a handful of ideas for gifts. Sneakers, or shoes in general, are never a bad idea. Nike has a medley of drops coordinated for this holiday season, and I am sure these are going to be enticing for most. One of the things that stands out the most for us is how widespread the designs are. Count us in as fans!
Air Jordan 1 Origin Story
Hands down one of the most anticipated releases of the year, with a limited drop at the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse LA Premiere, and later on December 14th, this will be a shoe to be had. The intricate designs and callbacks to Marvel’s favorite son, especially with the recent passing of Stan Lee, will make this a collector’s item for sure. The Jordan brand has had a fine year, and this is a great way to close it out.
Nike Air Max Dia
This drop, devised by a four team collective (designer, engineer, developer, and product manager), has a unique design that was ultimately finished on an accelerated timeline (sometimes the best things come in those instances). The Air Max Dia is no exception. The translucent upper gives it attitude, while also showcasing the 4 disciplines stated before, with 4 dots on the heel. Highlighting beauty over bulk, the shoe is not only a game-changer, but incredibly comfortable. Find the shoe on the Nike App on 12/13, or wait for the wide release on on 1/25.
Concepts x Nike SB Dunk Lobster
Concepts has given us gold over the years, but the focus is simple; lobster. The aesthetics they bring to the table is unparalleled and has changed the game over the past decade. With this SB Dunk colorway, entitled the Purple Lobster, their vision is as clear as it was in 2008. Concepts’ creative director, Deon Point, has done more research on lobsters than Jacques Cousteau (according to Deon himself), and that is good enough proof for me. Maybe we will find a purple lobster in the near future! The Purple Lobster drops on 12/14 at CONCPTS and 12/17 on SNKRS.
Nike x A-Cold-Wall* Air Force 1
Nike Flyleather is a new opportunity for Samuel Ross (the brains behind A-Cold-Wall*). The material, which is made up of 50% recycled natural leather which balances tactile qualities and a carbon footprint, is showcased in the release. Samuel feels it’s important to conceive a shoe that has a sustainable narrative and talks to modern issues. This approach should make this shoe a talking point of this holiday season. It dropped 12/9 in Shanghai with a global release on 12/21.
EA SPORTS x PhantomVSN
EA Sports has been a notable collaborator with Nike over the years, especially with the fury that the FIFA games bring to the world. Couple that with the impressive turnout we saw at this year’s World Cup, and everyone is a winner. The shoe has callbacks to to a console’s controller buttons as well as subtle placement of the EA Sports logo. Catch the shoe in FIFA 2019, as well as on players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Fran Kirby, and Federico Bernardeschi. The shoe will be available 12/12.
Now, these drops might seem hard to get last minute, but they are all worth picking up as we close in on Christmas. I know I will be hoping for the Air Jordan 1 Origin Story under my Christmas tree.