Salehe Bembury x New Balance 2002R "Water Be the Guide" Hydrates This Week's Best Footwear Drops
Bembury’s latest is accompanied by the Air Jordan 1 Low “Neutral Grey,” the Extra Butter x adidas ‘Happy Gilmore’ 25th anniversary collection and more.
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As we reach the halfway mark of 2021, the world’s biggest footwear brands are gearing up to finish the first six months of the year in style. Over the next seven days we’ll see a swath of striking releases from Nike, adidas and New Balance, but before we get into all this week’s goodness let’s take a refresher on what went down last week.
On the exclusive content front, Nike Dunk collector, archivist and seller SneakerDenn shared his love for the Dunk High “Goldenrod” with HYPEBEAST in the latest installment of Sole Mates. We also spoke to Tyshawn Jones about his newest signature shoe, the adidas Tyshawn Low. Regular news was plentiful as well, and the biggest piece may have been the reveal of Jordan Brand‘s Fall 2021 Air Jordan retro collection. Other Jumpman news included a leak of the Off-White™ x Air Jordan 2 Low, an on-foot look at the Air Jordan 4 “Lightning,” our best glimpse yet at an Oregon Ducks Air Jordan 7 PE and the reveal of the fragment design x Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 shoebox. There was also a new chapter in the Air Jordan 1 trademark saga, namely that a law firm accused Nike, Inc of fraud for trademarking the silhouette.
Moving from the Jumpman to Nike Sportswear and SB, Virgil Abloh made a splash with the official announcement of the Off-White™ x Nike Dunk Low “Dear Summer” (AKA “The 50”) collection, and ahead of the “Dear Summer” debut Nike SNKRS explained how it selects users for coveted “Early Access” passes. Of course, Virgil wasn’t the only Dunk participant. We got a first look at a Supreme x Nike SB Dunk High sample plus the all-black UNDEFEATED x Nike Dunk Low “Dunk vs. AF-1,” and even checked out the glow-in-the dark detailing on the Dunk Low “Halloween.” Other Swoosh news included Errolson Hugh showing a Nike “Blunk” (Blazer and Dunk) sample, official images of the LeBron 8 “South Beach” retro and an official look at the sacai x Nike Vaporwaffle “White/Sail.”
Rounding things off was a trio of announcements from Kanye West and adidas’ YEEZY partnership — namely on-foot shots of the the YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “MX Oat” and YEEZY BOOST 380 “Stone Salt” plus a glance at the YEEZY 450 “Dark Slate.” The Bad Bunny x adidas Forum Low Buckle in black got in on the fun, and Supreme debuted its latest Vans collaboration.
Caught up? Good. Let’s get into this week’s 10 best drops. Once you’ve seen all of ‘em, head over to HBX to check out even more new footwear styles.
Nike Dunk Low “Cheetah” and “Zebra”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: June 22
Release Price: $110 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: One’s inspired by a carnivore while the other draws from an omnivore, but both of the Dunk Lows in Nike Sportswear’s latest animal-themed pack offer plenty of safari-ready style. The “Cheetah” supplies a dusty, playful look, while the “Zebra” offers a darker-toned take on a familiar color scheme. However, both use their leather bases and faintly-patterned suede overlays to maximum effect.
adidas YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “Mono Cinder”
Yankeekicks
Yankeekicks
Yankeekicks
Release Date: June 24
Release Price: $220 USD
Where to Buy: adidas and YEEZY SUPPLY
Why You Should Cop: The adidas YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “Mono Cinder” may have a familiar all-black colorway, but its build — a visible “skeleton” under the midfoot and a new fused mesh construction — sets it apart. Following the release of the “Mono Mist,” “Mono Clay” and “Mono Ice,” the “Mono Cinder” will enable YEEZY fans to remix their style this summer. They should also heed the Trefoil’s advice to go a half size up: the new fused mesh upper is a bit more snug of a fit than the 350’s standard Primeknit construction.
Air Jordan 1 Low “Neutral Grey”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: June 24
Release Price: $130 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Sometimes simplicity supplies a summertime smash. That’s likely to be the case with the Air Jordan 1 Low “Neutral Grey.” A low-top, no-frills take on a beloved OG Air Jordan 1, the “Neutral Grey” offers a crisp look with its mix of white leather and gray suede. It also will arrive in an inclusive size run as both men’s and women’s pairs have been produced.
adidas YEEZY 450 “Dark Slate”
Yankeekicks
Yankeekicks
Yankeekicks
Release Date: June 25
Release Price: $200 USD
Where to Buy: adidas and YEEZY SUPPLY
Why You Should Cop: The second adidas YEEZY release in as many days, the adidas YEEZY 450 “Dark Slate” looks like something straight out of a cyberpunk film … or some would say a soup dumpling. It’s one of the week’s most unique releases, and at the time of writing it has yet to be officially confirmed by the Three Stripes. However, if it does indeed see a release it’ll surely be one of June’s most buzzy YEEZY styles.
Salehe Bembury x New Balance 2002R “Water Be the Guide”
New Balance
New Balance
Release Date: June 25
Release Price: $150 USD
Where to Buy: New Balance and HBX
Why You Should Cop: Salehe Bembury and New Balance are back with another one. A follow-up to a shoe that many pundits — including HYPEBEAST — ranked as one of the best of 2020, the pair’s 2002R “Water Be the Guide” looks to Havasu Falls for color story inspiration. Its vivid hues and keen attention to detail make it an apt sequel to a modern-day classic, and further establish Bembury as one of New Balance’s most impactful collaborative partners.
Magnus Walker x Ishod Wair x Nike SB Dunk High
Wavegod_thelegend/Nike
Wavegod_thelegend/Nike
Wavegod_thelegend/Nike
Release Date: June 25
Release Price: $120 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and The Berrics Canteen
Why You Should Cop: Magnus Walker and Nike SB team member Ishod Wair share a love of luxurious automobiles, so Nike SB brought the two together for a special SB Dunk High. Inspired by Walker’s prized 1971 Porsche 911 T “277,” the crown jewel of his car collection, this SB Dunk offers high-speed style that serves skate rats, fashionistas and petrol heads alike.
Extra Butter x adidas x Happy Gilmore 25th Anniversary Collection
Extra Butter
Extra Butter
Extra Butter
Extra Butter
Extra Butter
Extra Butter
Extra Butter
Extra Butter
Extra Butter
Release Date: June 25
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: Extra Butter
Why You Should Cop: To put it simply, the Extra Butter x adidas Happy Gilmore 25th anniversary collection is a hole in one. It boasts three footwear options inspired by the movie’s main characters — a Shooter McGavin UltraBOOST 1.0, a Chubbs ZG21 and a Happy Gilmore adilette BOOST sandal — all loaded with key details from the film that are sure to delight duffers and film buffs alike.
Nike Dunk Low “Free.99 White”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: June 25
Release Price: $110 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Inspired by the sweet treats kids often purchase from New York’s bodegas, the Nike Dunk Low “Free. 99 White” is one of the week’s most playful releases. With a bright, almost eBay esque palette and asymmetrical colorblocking it’s an appealing summertime option for any Dunk fan. One thing to note, though: despite its gratis nom de guerre, you do indeed have to pay for a pair.
Paperboy Paris x New Balance 992 “Fried Egg”
Beams
Beams
Beams
Release Date: June 26
Release Price: ¥35,200 (approximately $320 USD)
Where to Buy: BEAMS
Why You Should Cop: When Paperboy Paris first dropped off their New Balance 992 “Fried Egg” collaboration in January, many sneakerheads though the yolk was on them as the shoe was only available at Paperboy Paris’ Parisian flagship location. Now, however, the world will have a crack at Paperboy’s 992 shoe thanks to this week’s global release. With an on-point color story and a luxurious build, it’s a tasty drop that’s sure to be gobbled up quickly.
Color Skates x Nike SB Dunk High “Kebab and Destroy”
Color Skates
Release Date: June 26
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: The Berrics Canteen
Why You Should Cop: If you’re still hungry after the shoes listed above, maybe the Color Skates x Nike SB Dunk High “Kebab and Destroy” will help whet your appetite. The first ever Orange Label collaboration from Nike SB, the “Kebab and Destroy” is inspired by a beloved Greek food — fitting as Color Skates is based in Athens.
