From New Balance to adidas, the Seven Best Sneakers to Cop Right Now
This weekly guide sorts the very best from the rest when it comes to the saturated world of sneaker releases, with information on release dates and where to buy. Please note: Some sneakers may sell out at speed.
Raffles, friends and family releases, and player exclusives — all of that before a mere mention of the many fire general sneaker releases out there. The world of sneaker drops can be a tricky place to navigate, but we’re here to help. Behold, the best of the best of what's arriving on shop floors this week.
This week’s selection sees new chapters in long-running collaborations — New Balance x Stone Island and NIGO x Nike — as well as an adidas classic turned slipper.
The cream of the sneaker crop awaits you. What are you waiting for?
Shop the best sneaker releases on the market, as well as upcoming sneaker drops, below.
Nike x NIGO Air Force 3 Low
Release Date: November 20
Editor's Notes: BAPE founder and current KENZO creative director Tomoaki Nagao, professionally known as NIGO, is fast making Nike’s classic Air Force 3 his signature sneaker. Over the past year, he's incessantly toyed with the shoe, turning it beastly, covering it in faded denim, and making it wear custom bling.
Next up, he turns to kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold lacquer, to inspire a highly textural take on the Air Force 3.
New Balance x UNITED ARROWS & SONS x mita Fresh Foam
Release Date: November 21
Editor's Notes: New Balance's Fresh Foam trail sneaker has been put in the hands of two of Japan's finest retailers, the sneaker specialists mita and UNITED ARROWS & SONS, a boutique focused on refined minimalist streetwear. Together, they bring a utilitarian army-flavored flair to the running shoe, reconstructing it with bulkier overlays and an olive green colorway.
EVERYONE x adidas Originals Stan Smith
Release Date: November 22
Editor's Notes: If you dare to tweak the timeless adidas Stan Smith, you’d better have a good reason. For Japanese label EVERYONE, it’s about refining perfection rather than reinventing it. Soft suede and a sturdy leather heel give the tennis classic a plush, slipper-like feel.
OTW by Vans x WTAPS x OAMC Seylynn
Release Date: Available now
Editor's Notes: The second three-way collaboration on this list reimagines a Vans skate shoe in stealthy all-black suede, armed with a rugged lug sole inspired by work shoes, thick nylon inserts, and a sturdy toe bumper. Trust the military-inspired Japanese brand WTAPS to make a skate shoe tougher.
Converse x DRKSHDW ONESTR.
Release Date: November 18
Editor's Notes: It's been a while since Converse and Rick Owens last crossed paths. This new collaboration reimagines the One Star with a slightly elongated shape and, most notably, a hairy upper. Trust the subversive Californian designer to make a furry statement piece from a classic sneaker.
Stone Island x New Balance Furon V8
Release Date: November 19
Editor's Notes: It’s been a few years since Stone Island and New Balance last stepped onto the pitch. But now, after softening NB classics and experimenting with techy skate shoes, Stone Island's returning to football gear.
Teased earlier this year by rapper Dave during the annual Santan Cup in Monaco, the signature NB boot arrives cloaked in olive tones with a meshed upper reinforced by anti-abrasion ripstop fabrics and 3D-printed logos. A semi-metallic heel with a silvery luster adds a luxe finish.
Aries x Salomon XT WHISPER
Release Date: November 18
Editor's Notes: After having completely reinvented Salomon’s snow clog, British streetwear label Aries set its sights on the XT-Whisper trail sneaker. And the goal was to “celebrate ‘90s trail running culture and hero the soulful vintage materials of Salomon's archive,” Olive Pietroni, Aries’ head of design, recently told Highsnobiety.
A thick, exaggerated rubber exoskeleton, grainy leather, and soft suede form the core of Aries’ retro-minded remake.
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