Air Jordan 1 "Light Smoke Grey" Ignites This Week's Best Footwear Drops
Alongside the YEEZY BOOST 700 MNVN “Bone,” Nike ISPA’s conceptual, comfortable Overreact and more.
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Another week full of balmy July days, another slate of appealing footwear releases. The biggest footwear brands in the world are set to roll out a long list of scintillating summer styles, spanning from new iterations of beloved retros to artist collaborations and more over the next seven days, so HYPEBEAST has culled the best of the best into a comprehensive list. However, before we dive into this week’s drops, let’s get up to speed on last week’s happenings.
Leading things off, KITH expanded into the Japanese market, opening a new flagship in Tokyo’s famed Shibuya neighborhood and releasing a special Air Force 1 “Tokyo.” Founder Ronnie Fieg even referred to the new location as KITH’s “best store” in an exclusive interview with HYPEBEAST.
Dior dominated headlines with the official release of its Air Jordan 1 High and Low collaborations. Dior president and CEO Pietro Beccari announced that more than five million people entered the brand’s draw to purchase a pair, a staggering number seeing as only a scant 8,000 were made available to the general public. These AJ1s were also the centerpiece of a great deal of hijinks, with Instagram skateboarding sensation Erik Arteaga (AKA burberry.erry) thrashing a pair at his local skatepark and Crep Protect dousing another pair in ketchup.
Dior’s Kim Jones made some news of his own, with rumors that he’d be collaborating with Nike on an Air Max 95 in 2021. Meanwhile, we were given a detailed look at Virgil Abloh’s impending Off-White™ x Air Jordan 4 “Sail.” Abloh’s good buddy Kanye West had a moment too, with images of the adidas YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “Zyon” making the rounds.
In-line Swoosh news was undoubtedly rich. Jordan Brand revealed its Fall 2020 retro collection, made up of a dozen story-rich silhouettes, while Nike ISPA announced its 2020 footwear lineup and Nike Sportswear debuted a new Space Hippie “Volt” capsule. From a purely collectable standpoint, Nike also gave away puzzle packs inspired by vintage advertisements.
High MSRP kicks had multiple noteworthy moments. Mizuno premiered a bouncy, bulbous Enerzy Runner with a bubbling sole that’ll set interested parties back $300 USD. New Balance upped the ante with a $630 USD made-in-Japan 1300 to commemorate the opening of its new Tokyo concept shop. And not to be outdone, Vetements teased a hand-panted $2,100 USD silhouette dubbed “The Masterpiece.”
Now that you’re all caught up, let’s get into 12 of the week’s best styles. Please note that postponements are always a possibility in the age of the COVID-19 coronavirus, and to see a full slate of releases check out our Drops page.
adidas ZX 10000 C “Dash Green”
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Release Date: July 7
Release Price: $120 USD
Where to Buy: adidas
Why You Should Cop: Combining green and aqua tones with a stark black base, the adidas ZX 10000 C “Dash Green” serves up a cool, ready-for-anything summertime style. Thanks to its time-honored construction and inherently recognizable last, it’s a pair you can pull out season after season as well.
Air Jordan 5 “Alternate Grape”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: July 7
Release Price: $190 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: A flipped take on one of the most beloved Air Jordan 5s of all time, the Air Jordan 5 “Alternate Grape” trades out its OG predecessor’s white leather construction for a full purple suede upper. Earning its moniker in regal fashion, the “Alternate Grape” is perfect for Air Jordan fans and Fresh Prince of Bel-Air lovers alike.
adidas UltraBOOST DNA “City Series”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: July 8
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: adidas
Why You Should Cop: adidas Running’s latest “City Series” uses the lifestyle-geared UltraBOOST DNA as a colorful canvas to nod to three different cities: Sydney, Tokyo, and Montreal. Each is awash in bold, sporty hues and calls upon details like city-specific branding and segmented BOOST midsoles to lock in its regionally-focused inspiration.
Nike ACG Air Zoom AO
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: July 9
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: Nike
Why You Should Cop: The latest silhouette from Nike’s outdoor-focused ACG sub-label, the Air Zoom AO is a versatile hybrid hiker that’s equally as apt for traversing the trails as it is for splashing through the stream. The upper keeps things lightweight and minimal to avoid lace snags or other encumbrances, while the outsole is borrowed from Nike’s SFB Boot for exemplary grip. As of now, this black/burgundy color is the only pair that’s been confirmed to launch on July 9, but other styles were recently premiered and may drop as well.
Nike ISPA Overreact Flyknit
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: July 9
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: The first silhouette from Nike ISPA’s lauded 2020 footwear collection to hit shelves, the Overreact uses a stripped-back Flyknit upper and geometries borrowed from prior React lifestyle models to ensure the most comfortable fit possible. It’s also without a strobel or insole, so the wearer has the pleasure of sitting directly above the soft foam folds with no barriers to their comfort.
New Balance 1700 “Japan”
Mita
Mita
Mita
Release Date: July 10
Release Price: ¥16,000 JPY (approximately $149 USD)
Where to Buy: mita
Why You Should Cop: A cult classic, Japan-only silhouette that’s returning for the first time in a decade, the New Balance 1700 “Japan” is one for the purists. With a made-in-JP construction that rivals any of NB’s made in the UK or US offerings, the supple grey, navy and gold runner earns its “sports car for your feet” moniker with its luxe build. If you’re in the West, however, you’re out of luck: much like its inaugural release, this high-end style will only be available in Japan.
Air Jordan 11 Low “Concord Sketch”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: July 10
Release Price: $185 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: Inspired by one of Tinker Hatfield’s early Air Jordan 11 mockups, the Air Jordan 11 Low “Concord Sketch” is a “what if” concept come to life. Thanks to its crisp white leather upper and sporty blue patent leather mudguard, it easily clears the high bar that’s always set for Air Jordan 11 releases, even if it is a low top.
La MJC x Mizuno Mondo Control “Matière Grise”
Michael Dupouy/La Mjc
Michael Dupouy/La Mjc
Michael Dupouy/La Mjc
Release Date: July 10
Release Price: £120 GBP (approximately $150 USD)
Where to Buy: Hanon
Why You Should Cop: With a nom de guerre that translates to “grey matter” in English and a crisp build, the La MJC x Mizuno Mondo Control “Matière Grise” is Parisian athletic elegance at its finest. Signature details are provided by alternating pink and purple Runbird logos plus artfully-placed La MJC branding. Although the “Matière Grise” was supposed to commemorate the fifth anniversary of La MJC founder Michael Dupouy’s Club 75 in Paris — festivities dulled by the continued effects of coronavirus — its release is a celebration in its own right.
adidas YEEZY BOOST 700 MNVN “Bone”
Adidas
Adidas
Release Date: July 11
Release Price: $220 USD (Men’s)/$160 USD (Kids)/$140 USD (Infants)
Where to Buy: YEEZY Supply
Why You Should Cop: Announced all the way back in April, Kanye West and adidas’s YEEZY BOOST 700 MNVN “Bone” will debut just in time for the year’s hottest days. With a light-meets-dark color scheme, a stripped-back upper with bold branding and comfy BOOST cushioning, ‘Ye’s latest is veritably versatile and strikingly stylish. As the “Bone” is releasing in full family sizes, West is making it possible for his acolytes to bless their entire flock too.
New Balance 327 July Collection
Mita
Mita
Mita
Mita
Release Date: July 11
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: mita
Why You Should Cop: New Balance’s 327 is one of the most popular new silhouettes of 2020, and for its in-line July release it’s been presented in three fresh colorways. Ranging from vibrant to toned-down, the trifecta runs the gamut of the color spectrum in tasteful fashion, while boasting classic construction and bold branding to boot.
Air Jordan 1 “Light Smoke Grey”
Hanzuying
Hanzuying
Hanzuying
Release Date: July 11
Release Price: $170 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: Clean and classic, the Air Jordan 1 “Light Smoke Grey” is the rare non-OG Air Jordan 1 style that will garner the approval of grizzled Air Jordan aficionados. Apart from its clever colorblocking — which introduces a “Bred”-style collar onto a clean white, grey and black upper — it also supplies a supple suede construction, an alternate material choice that provides an indirect nod to the AJ1’s skate heritage.
Maha Amsterdam x Vans Vault Style 36
Vans
Vans
Vans
Release Date: July 11
Release Price: €95 EUR (approximately $105 USD)
Where to Buy: Vans Vault stockists
Why You Should Cop: Teaming with Vans Vault for the first time, Maha Amsterdam has created a sweet Style 36 inspired by the Netherlands’ Orange Tompouce pastry. This Dutch delicacy is only available once a year during an annual celebration of the country’s king and queen — so here its rare taste inspires alternating Jazz Stripes and checkerboard patterns that tap various orange tones.
