$500 USD Nike ISPA Sneakers Lead This Week's Expensive, Expansive Best Footwear Drops

A little over the halfway mark of 2020 and most footwear brands are in full bloom, dropping hot styles to match the sweltering summer temperatures. This week offers a decidedly diverse assemblage of releases sure to suit all tastes, but before we get into the impending arrivals let’s run through last week’s goings-on.

After the first six months of the year came to a close, there’s one thing we know for certain: the year in footwear has not been what we — or anyone else — predicted. In our half-year recap, we took a look back on a wild stretch that’s sure to shift the industry immeasurably over forthcoming years. We were also granted an exclusive look at the making of Dior and Jordan Brand’s “Air Dior” capsule, and talked to Roger Federer about On’s The Roger, his first signature silhouette with the upstart Swiss footwear company.

On the ever-active collaborative front, usual players Virgil Abloh, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Chitose Abe and G-Dragon were joined by a new addition to the list: Jonah Hill. Abloh made the biggest buzz of last week, with official images and release date info for the Off-White™ x Air Jordan 4 “Sail” sending sneaker lovers into a tizzy. Fujiwara doubled up with another fragment x Air Jordan 3 sample and a tease of what might be a fragment x sacai x Nike LD Waffle. Abe’s sacai x Nike Pegasus Vaporfly SP popped up in a stark black and white colorway, with G-Dragon’s metallic PEACEMINUSONE x Nike Air Force 1 “Para-Noise Part 2” getting its best look yet. Finally, Hill announced that all of the personal royalties from his adidas Superstar collaboration would be donated to BLM.

Other bits of noteworthy news included Concepts raffling off its SB Dunk “Purple Lobster” and “Green Lobster” collaborations to raise funds for BLM, Supreme dropping a Vans collection dressed in distressed denim and size? premiering a Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2 “Carnaby Street” collaboration. In-line Jordan Brand models had a moment as well, with a release date announcement for the Air Jordan 12 “University Gold” and the unveiling of this holiday season’s Air Jordan 11: a “25th Anniversary” makeup.

Finally, summertime sandals aplenty appeared. These ranged from Dior’s Oblique sandal in black to a duo of MASTERMIND collaborations — camouflage KAW slides with Suicoke and elongated flip-flops with Havaianas — and a beefy Balanciaga Track sandal in matte black.

Now that you’re all caught up, see a dozen of this week’s best drops below. As always, note the possibility of pushed release dates due to the COVID-19 coronavirus, and check our Drops page for a full slate of styles.

KITH x Looney Tunes x Converse Chuck 70 Hi

1 of 4

Kith

2 of 4

Kith

3 of 4

Kith

4 of 4

Kith

Release Date: July 13
Release Price: $130 USD
Where to Buy: KITH
Why You Should Cop: Looney Tunes has re-entered the pop culture spotlight with a well-received revival on HBO Max, and Mel Blanc’s animated masterpiece is getting an extra boost from KITH and Converse by way of a Chuck 70. Just like the beloved cartoon it salutes, the KITH x Looney Tunes x Converse Chuck 70 is richly detailed: it’s awash in Looney Tunes characters plus KITH hits, and even features “That’s All, Folks!” on the outsole. Sizes ranging from kids to men’s will be available.

Jordan Delta Breathe “Tech White”

1 of 3

Nike

2 of 3

Nike

3 of 3

Nike

Release Date: July 15
Release Price: $130 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Jordan Brand’s Delta line has supplied a slate of scintillating styles this summer with its SP and standard makeups, and now those offerings are expanding with the Breathe in “Tech White.” Although it largely follows the same ethos as its predecessors, the “Tech White” differentiates itself with thin, translucent TPE uppers and vivid detailing around the heel — plus partially concealed pops of blue and red that almost make it look like a Paris Saint-Germain PE.

Nike Space Hippie “Volt” Collection

1 of 5

Nike

2 of 5

Nike

3 of 5

Nike

4 of 5

Nike

5 of 5

Nike

Release Date: July 16
Release Price: $130-$180 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: After a successful inaugural voyage earlier in the month, Nike’s Space Hippie line is back once again in a vivid “Volt” pack. The 01, 02, 03 and 04 all return — retaining the stark grey base of their predecessors but using a signature “Volt” shade mixed with chilly blue hues for a unique look that’s just as stylish as it is sustainable. Is the Space Hippie Nike’s shoe of summer 2020? Another few drops like this, and it just might be.

Air Jordan 11 Low IE “Black Cement”

1 of 3

Nike

2 of 3

Nike

3 of 3

Nike

Release Date: July 16
Release Price: $170 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: A reinterpretation of one of the most beloved Air Jordans ever, the Air Jordan 11 Low IE “Black Cement” may be the week’s most unexpected release. Imitating the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” to a T — from its black tumbled leather base to its elephant print overlays and pops of bright red — it’s a lavish homage to a legendary silhouette that’s sure to delight Jumpman aficionados.

Nike ISPA Road Warrior “Volt”

1 of 3

Nike

2 of 3

Nike

3 of 3

Nike

Release Date: July 17
Release Price: $500 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: What do you get when Mad Max, Maison Margiela and Nike’s conceptual ISPA line collide? The ISPA Road Warrior. A strapped-up silhouette with a Tabi toe and a midsole that combines a Shox-inspired heel build with double-stacked Zoom Air units and a wildly-shaped outsole, the Road Warrior is unlike anything you’ve seen before. It’s priced unlike most other Nike kicks too, sliding in at a slightly stunning $500 USD.

Valentino x Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 Collection

1 of 5

Valentino

2 of 5

Valentino

3 of 5

Valentino

4 of 5

Valentino

5 of 5

Valentino

Release Date: July 17
Release Price: $540 USD
Where to Buy: Valentino
Why You Should Cop: Equal parts Italian luxury and heritage Japanese sportswear, the Valentino x Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 collection is a new chapter of high-end athleisure. A quartet of monochromatic styles — three striking neons and one simple white — are present, each boasting top-notch artisanal construction, bold, stamped branded hits and a staggering $540 USD price tag.

Nike Air Force 1 “NY vs NY” and “Drew League”

1 of 6

Nike

2 of 6

Nike

3 of 6

Nike

4 of 6

Nike

5 of 6

Nike

6 of 6

Nike

Release Date: July 17
Release Price: $110 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: The NY vs NY tournament and Drew summer league are huge pieces of summertime basketball culture in New York and Los Angeles, so Nike’s latest set of Air Force 1s salutes both contests. “NY vs NY” is more rugged with details like interchangeable tongue badges and custom lace deubres while the Drew League pair offers clean, classic California cool, but each puts its hoops-centric inspiration on full display.

New Balance 1300 Made in Japan

1 of 3

New Balance

2 of 3

New Balance

3 of 3

New Balance

Release Date: July 17
Release Price: $630 USD
Where to Buy: HBX
Why You Should Cop: You may have been stunned by the Nike Road Warrior’s $500 USD price point, then staggered by the Valentino x Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66’s $540 USD MSRP, but New Balance is taking top dollar this week with a $630 USD 1300 that’s made in Japan. The price is certainly not for show, however. Leather, suede and mesh are all sourced from Japan’s finest suppliers, and these 1300s even come with premium wood-and-metal shoe trees.

Union x Converse Breakstar

1 of 5

Converse Jp

2 of 5

Converse Jp

3 of 5

Converse Jp

4 of 5

Converse Jp

5 of 5

Converse Jp

Release Date: July 17
Release Price: ¥14,300 JPY (approximately $133 USD)
Where to Buy: Converse Japan
Why You Should Cop: Union and Converse Japan’s new Breakstar collaboration is a cross-ocean love letter to skateboarding. Essentially a skate-ified Chuck Taylor, the Breakstar bolsters itself with duct tape-esque details, a nod to skaters doing whatever they can to hold their crumbling shoes together. They’re more than just a fashionable take on a lifestyle sneaker though, thanks to a React cushioning setup that brings cushy court comfort to the streets and skatepark alike.

AFFIX x ASICS Novablast “Strobe Blue” & “Mineral Brown”

1 of 6

Asics

2 of 6

Asics

3 of 6

Asics

4 of 6

Asics

5 of 6

Asics

6 of 6

Asics

Release Date: July 17
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: ASICS
Why You Should Cop: ASICS and Kiko Kostadinov boast quite the working relationship, with their latest effort — two takes on the Novablast — arriving under the Bulgarian designer’s AFFIX project. Arriving in “Strobe Blue” and “Mineral Brown” colorways, the duo offers a mix of natural and industrial worlds, all atop ASICS’ new, GEL-less FlyteFoam midsoles. This release follows up an AFFIX-exclusive drop last week.

adidas YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “Zyon”

1 of 3

Stadium Goods

2 of 3

Stadium Goods

3 of 3

Stadium Goods

Release Date: July 18
Release Price: $220 USD (Men’s)/$160 USD (Kids)/$140 USD (Infants)
Where to Buy: YEEZY Supply
Why You Should Cop: Although Kanye West has mostly been making headlines for his puerile presidential push over the past few weeks, his adidas YEEZY line is running a summertime campaign of its own — the latest constituent of which is the YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “Zyon.” Sticking to YEEZY’s tried-and-true earthy palette but adding a strike of flair with a black post-dyed monofilament side stripe, the “Zyon” is unique enough to stand out from the pack — and will be available in full family sizes.

Air Jordan 6 & Air Jordan 1 Low “Quai 54”

1 of 5

Overkill

2 of 5

Overkill

3 of 5

Overkill

4 of 5

Overkill

5 of 5

Overkill

Release Date: July 18
Release Price: $190 USD (Air Jordan 6)/$130 USD (Air Jordan 1 Low)
Where to Buy: Overkill
Why You Should Cop: Jordan Brand’s annual Quai 54 collection is back, and this time it’s centered around a brown, sail and yellow-orange print. Although the tournament itself may have been cancelled the releases are rolling on, and the striking Air Jordan 6 and Air Jordan 1 Low that provide the collection’s centerpieces are an undeniable slam dunk.