Bad Bunny and adidas' Forum Low Buckle “The First Café” Takes the Cake in This Week's Best Footwear Drops
The reggaeton superstar’s coffee-inspired kicks are accompanied by the Air Jordan 3 “Midnight Navy,” the Kim Jones x Air Max 95s and more.
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We may not have had to whittle Weekly Footwear Drops down from a list of 64 entrants, but that doesn’t mean March Madness isn’t happening in the HYPEBEAST footwear department. There’s a diverse slate of collaborations, in-line styles and retros from Nike, adidas and more set to hit shelves over the next seven days, and we’ve rounded up the 10 best for your viewing pleasure. Before that, though, let’s take a primer on what went down last week.
The latest installment of Sole Mates saw Bubblekoppe founder Justin Paul Ronné discuss his love for the Air Total Max Uptempo and all other things ’90s hoops. On the topic of hoops, there was plenty to be seen from Jordan Brand on both a retro and modern front. The biggest news of the week was the fragment design x Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 “Cactus Jack Royal,” but the Air Jordan 1 Low “Neutral Grey” and “Shattered Backboard”-esque Air Jordan 1 “Electro Orange” made news as well. Other Air Jordans to surface included the Paris Saint-Germain x Air Jordan 7 and Air Jordan 5 “Stealth 2.0” plus Air Jordan 35 PEs for Carmelo Anthony and Rui Hachimura.
On the Nike front, news was largely split between two pieces: business and Dunks. The business news was admittedly less than savory, with Nike CEO John Donahoe stating that employee policies would be updated after former North American GM/VP Ann Hebert resigned due to her son’s sneaker resell business. However, the Dunk news was much more positive. Rumors of Virgil Abloh crafting 20 — or, according to some sources, 50 — new Off-White™ x Nike Dunks began to swirl. We also got a first look at the revamped fragment design x Nike Dunk High “Beijing,” the Nike Dunk Low “University Blue,” and Paul Rodriguez’s commemorative Nike SB Dunk Low “What The P-Rod.” Outside of Dunks, Edison Chen teased an alternate CLOT x Nike Air Max 1 inspired by tea and an original Nike Moon Shoe was put up for auction.
Moving from the Swoosh to the Three Stripes, the Bad Bunny x adidas Forum Low Buckle — the shoe that leads this drop list — was officially announced. Kanye West‘s adidas YEEZY line made plenty of noise as well with the YEEZY 500 “Enflame,” the YEEZY DSRT BT “Taupe Blue,” the YEEZY QNTM “Sea Teal” and a closer look at the YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “Mono Ice” and “Mono Clay.” Rounding the news off was a new Justin Bieber x Crocs collaboration, Roger Federer’s first On tennis shoe, and some striking Rick Owens x Dr. Martens boots.
Caught up? Let’s check out this week’s 10 best drops. Per usual, note that any pairs listed below may be pushed back due to the continued effects of the coronavirus and head over to HBX to check out even more new footwear styles.
Bad Bunny x adidas Forum Low Buckle “The First Café”
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Release Date: March 17
Release Price: $160 USD
Where to Buy: adidas Confirmed App
Why You Should Cop: Every morning, Bad Bunny gets his day started with a piping hot cup of coffee. Therefore, it only seems right that his inaugural adidas collaboration — a Forum Low Buckle dubbed “The First Café” — is inspired by the caffeinated beverage. With a rich brown and tan color scheme plus bright details like a special eye graphic and multiple text hits, the reggaeton superstar’s first effort with the Three Stripes is sure to energize fans worldwide.
Kim Jones x Nike Air Max 95 “Volt” and “Total Orange”
Nike
Release Date: March 19
Release Price: $220 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Kim Jones is effusive in his praise for Nike’s Air Max 95, naming it one of his favorite silhouettes. On his latest collaboration with the Swoosh, Jones is remixing the beloved 95 by working various eras of Nike design into its anatomy-inspired build. The “Volt” colorway is exclusive to England while the “Total Orange” will see a global release, and both pairs are accompanied by a full set of matching apparel.
adidas YEEZY QNTM “Sea Teal”
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Release Date: March 19
Release Price: $250 USD
Where to Buy: adidas and YEEZY Supply
Why You Should Cop: Adding washed-out teals and earthy tones into its familiar gray and black build, the adidas YEEZY QNTM “Sea Teal” is another potent addition to the ever-expanding QNTM lineup. A key piece of the YEEZY line’s March push, you can expect the “Sea Teal” to go down as one of the week’s biggest releases.
Reebok Question Mid “Why Not Us?”
Nick Llanton/Hypebeast
Nick Llanton/Hypebeast
Nick Llanton/Hypebeast
Release Date: March 19
Release Price: $140 USD
Where to Buy: Reebok and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: The Reebok Question Mid “Why Not Us?” was originally supposed to release around NBA All-Star Weekend, but was delayed nearly two weeks. However, it’s finally here — and it still looks just as good as ever. An updated take on a seminal PE worn by Allen Iverson in the 2001 NBA All-Star Game, the “Why Not Us” mixes a simple white and black color scheme with a rich inspiration and a victorious motif, making it a must for any Iverson fan.
Nike Air Tuned Max “Celery”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: March 19
Release Price: $190 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: The Nike Air Tuned Max “Celrey” is the shoe that inspired Skepta’s Air Max 97 Ultra collaboration in 2017, and now it’s set to return in its original form. A classic turn-of-the-century style that artfully blends shimmering bronze with subtle black, the “Celery” still manages to put forth a futuristic ethos more than two decades after it first released.
AURALEE x New Balance Tokyo Design Studio R_C2
New Balance
New Balance
Release Date: March 19
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: AURALEE, New Balance Japan and SSENSE
Why You Should Cop: Equal parts rugged (GORE-TEX lining and a slip resistant outsole) and beautiful (soft pink shades or rich military green hues) the AURALEE x New Balance Tokyo Design Studio R_C2 collection is another fantastic release from NB’s Japanese team. If you’re outside of Japan, the only place to get it is SSENSE — so you’ll want to be quick.
Air Jordan 3 “Midnight Navy”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: March 20
Release Price: $190 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: The Air Jordan 3 “Midnight Navy” is the closest you’ll get to a Georgetown Hoyas PE. Even if you’re not yelling “Hoya Saxa” at the sight of this AJ3, you’ll likely appreciate its mixture of dark navy leather and breezy gray elephant print, which makes for a worthy addition to the Air Jordan canon.
adidas YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “Ash Pearl”
@jlearo
@jlearo
@jlearo
Release Date: March 20
Release Price: $220 USD
Where to Buy: adidas and YEEZY Supply
Why You Should Cop: Yes, the adidas YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “Ash Pearl” is another earth-toned style from Kanye West. Yes, you could say it’s more of the “same.” However, Kanye’s footwear line has nailed its look so thoroughly that a shoe as compelling as the “Ash Pearl” can slide under the radar. Here, shades of gray, brown and tan collide, making for a subtle-yet-striking summer sneaker any YEEZY fan can get behind.
MADNESS x Converse Addict Chuck Taylor All Star High
Madness
Release Date: March 20
Release Price: ¥30,800 JPY (approximately $288 USD)
Where to Buy: N.HOOLYWOOD, GR8 and Offshore
Why You Should Cop: A collaboration between Shawn Yue’s MADNESS and Converse Japan’s premium Addict sub-arm, the MADNESS x Converse Addict Chuck Taylor All-Star is simple and understated, offering up a washed print reminiscent of well-loved black denim plus special branding and Vibram soles. It’s a bit spendy for a Chuck, but can definitely find a place in any Converse fan’s rotation.
WACKO MARIA x Vault by Vans Authentic Collection
Vans
Vans
Vans
Vans
Release Date: March 20
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: HBX
Why You Should Cop: WACKO MARIA and Vault By Vans’ three-pack of Authentics turn the volume up with bright color schemes and a vinyl record print. Inspired by disco and WACKO MARIA’s fascination with all things Americana, each pair is equal parts rockabilly and skater — a combination that you don’t see too often.
