The Sneaker Drop: The Big New Releases From Nike X Sacai And Adidas Originals

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The Sneaker Drop: The Big New Releases From Nike X Sacai And Adidas Originals

Words by Mr Jim Merrett

7 March 2022

Take any of the reissued sneakers that have attained iconic status and their origin story invariably begins in the arena of sport. Today’s sneakers are very different beasts. We live in a world where the footwear worn courtside at the NBA All-Star game, or even at halftime during the Super Bowl, is now just as coveted as anything worn on the court itself. Even if you failed to score some Air Shadys, there are still hyped models that you can get your hands on, and even your feet into. And no, you probably wouldn’t want to play tennis in this particular pair of Stan Smiths (or probably any Stan Smiths), play basketball in a pair of adidas Forums, or whatever sport you’re supposed to do in Nike X Sacai’s Blazer Lows, but whichever takes your eye, it pays to be fast.

Forum Low 84 Carolina Blue by adidas Originals

Perhaps one of the big jaw-drop moments from The Last Dance, the 2020 Netflix docuseries on the Chicago Bulls’ 1997-1998 season, was the revelation that Mr Michael Jordan originally wanted to sign for adidas. Indeed, the year before his eponymous Nike shoe line first hit the market, Jordan could be seen at the US Olympic trials sporting a pair of the German brand’s then-cutting-edge Forum high-tops. Also launched in 1984, the Forum’s low-top guise brought versatility to the line beyond the basketball court and was soon adopted by b-boys and skaters. In recent years, Ivy Park, Bad Bunny and even M&Ms have all handed in their interpretations of the strapped shoe. This iteration, in a baby-blue shade called Clear Sky, is our pick.

Stan Smith by adidas Originals

We’re guessing you’re familiar with Stan Smith. Not so much the American tennis player, but the iconic shoe that’s carried his name since the late 1970s. Best known in its classic incarnation – a pared-back white with just perforations for stripes, a green heel notch and a trademark tongue featuring Mr Smith – it’s this simple design that has made it the perfect canvas for some more adventurous colourways. With its leopard print across a blue faux fur upper and black leather where the tennis great’s fizzog should be, this particular edition is about as wild as they come. More Mr Joe Exotic than Mr Stan Smith, in fact.

Blazer Low by Nike X Sacai

Like a kid in a sweet shop, Ms Chitose Abe, the creative director of Sacai, reached for some of the boldest colourways in Nike’s archive for her early reworkings of the Oregon brand’s classics. However, as the collaborative series has found its feet, it’s often the light-touch palettes that we find ourselves drawn to. This White/Wolf Grey colour scheme is perhaps the best way to enjoy Sacai’s take on the Blazer. With its signature stacked Swooshes, tongues and overlays, there is already a lot to take in.

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