Jarritos' Thirst-Quenching Nike SB Dunk Low Collab Leads This Week's Best Footwear Drops
Packer’s adidas FYW Intimidation assemblage, Sandy Liang’s capsule with Salomon and the Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 1906R are also on deck this week.
The first week of May 2023 is already kicking off with high energy as the annual Met Gala took place last night, the ultra-competitive NBA Playoffs are in session and the Cinco de Mayo festivities will go down this Friday. And to further the excitement even more, all of the most popular sneaker brands have prepared a handsome batch of new collaborations and inline styles to get your rotation correct for the summer. Brands like Nike, adidas and New Balance have eye-catching kicks to unload in the coming days, but before we guide you through those, let’s break down all of the action from last week.
Starting out with footwear exclusives, Hypebeast had the opportunity to catch up with designer Sandy Liang for our Sole Mates series to discuss her latest collaboration with Salomon and rounded up the best footwear choices to rock at music festivals. With the “Panda” craze at an all-time high right now, we also rounded up the most enticing black and white sneakers that you can toss into your wardrobe. On the news front, we saw a flurry of new reveals from the Nike team such as an early look at the Crenshaw Skate Club x Nike SB Dunk Low, preview of the AMBUSH x Nike Air More Uptempo and the bulky Nike Air Max 97 Futura. The Swoosh’s hoops roster also unveiled that two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant signed a lifetime deal with the brand. The Jumpman squad was busy at work as well as it unearthed its forthcoming Air Jordan 8 “Playoffs” retro, flexed a detailed look at the Air Jordan 3 “Palomino” and officially revealed its Air Jordan 11 Low “Yellow Snakeskin” colorway.
A few striking products from adidas were also brought to the fore. 2023 Coachella headliner Bad Bunny teased another Response CL collab, Pharrell announced a new range of monochromatic Humanrace Samba installments and the second Sporty & Rich x adidas capsule was uncovered. Other sneakers that caught our attention were PLAY COMME des GARÇONS’ Converse Pro Leathers, the forthcoming thisisneverthat x New Balance 550 and Jaden Smith’s next team-up with New Balance.
Now that you’re all caught up to speed, scroll further down to check out this week’s top 10 releases. When you’re done, be sure to browse through the HBX online store for more footwear styles.
Converse CONS AS-1 Pro
Converse
Converse
Converse
Release Date: May 2
Release Price: $80 USD
Where to Buy: Converse
Why You Should Cop: Alexis Sablone has built a name for herself by being an accomplished career as an X-Games athlete, competing on the first Team USA skateboarding team and becoming an avid architect and sculptor. And now this spring, she can add being a signature sneaker owner to her resume as her Converse CONS AS-1 Pro is slated to debut. The low-slung silhouette is devised with a clean white and green palette that reflects her show-stopping attitude and references Converse’s ‘80s hoops models and symbols.
Air Jordan 2 “Cool Grey”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: May 4
Release Price: $175 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: The “Cool Grey” motif has been utilized in many different models when it comes to the Jordan Brand lineage such as the Air Jordan 3, Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 11 and more. And now, the motif is being adopted by the Air Jordan 2 in the form of a new makeup that’s geared towards the ladies. The sneakers are predominantly covered in its titular shade and come paired with icy blue accents that drape the heel molds, laces and piping to create a tasteful dichotomy of darker neutrals and spring-ready pastels.
Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 1906R
New Balance
New Balance
New Balance
Release Date: May 4
Release Price: $170 USD
Where to Buy: New Balance
Why You Should Cop: Teddy Santis and his crew over at Aimé Leon Dore extend their partnership with New Balance this week by ushering in a new collaboration atop the 1906R. The New York-based streetwear label decorates the runner with its signature green accents across the heel molds and overlays while the mesh base is coated in an off-white tone. Additional touches to call out include the regal, golden borders around the “N” logos as well as the floral graphics that appear on the tongues and footbeds.
Nike Dunk Low “UNLV Satin”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: May 5
Release Price: $110 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: If you’re looking for a pair of Dunks that possesses the allure of a classic “Be True to Your School” makeup but with a modern twist, then this “UNLV Satin” pair might be the one for you. It bears the same color-blocking as the classic Runnin’ Rebels-inspired pair, but with a shimmery, satin build that gives the kicks a dressier appearance.
Packer x adidas FYW Intimidation
Packer
Packer
Packer
Release Date: May 5
Release Price: $140 USD
Where to Buy: Packer
Why You Should Cop: Packer and adidas are adding to their collaborative portfolio this week by debuting their newest team-up centered around the FYW Intimidation. The New Jersey-based retailer is the first entity to reimagine the retro hoops silhouette, and it does so through understated “Stone Grey” and “Tech Ink” color schemes that are bereft of any branding beneath its signature cage so that its design lines can be more accentuated.
Sandy Liang x Salomon XT-6 Expanse/RX Moc 3.0
Nicholas Llanton/Hypebeast
Nicholas Llanton/Hypebeast
Nicholas Llanton/Hypebeast
Nicholas Llanton/Hypebeast
Release Date: May 5
Release Price: $110-$190 USD
Where to Buy: Salomon
Why You Should Cop: After dropping a few projects with Vans, Sandy Liang wanted to expand her footwear repertoire with trendy sportswear imprint Salomon. Together, they brought a two-pronged capsule to life and executed striking renditions of the XT-6 Expanse and RX Moc 3.0. The former bears a seasonally-friendly “Cradle Pink/Jolly Green” color scheme, and is inspired by the act of trail exploration while wearing a dress. Its counterpart takes on a simple black and white theme and references Liang’s affinity for ballet slippers.
Air Jordan 2 “White/Cement Grey”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: May 6
Release Price: $175 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Nothing screams summer like a crispy white sneaker, so Jordan Brand is blessing its fans with an ultra-clean Air Jordan 2 “Cement Grey” colorway. Brighter, neutral-toned uppers allows the shape and design lines of the shoes to be accentuated from the exterior, while the insoles provide a touch of playfulness thanks to their skyline-inspired gradient backdrops and “Look up in the air” spell-outs.
adidas Humanrace Samba “Colors by Pharrell”
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Release Date: May 6
Release Price: $200 USD
Where to Buy: adidas
Why You Should Cop: After debuting his newest batch of Humanrace Sambas at his Something in the Water music festival this past weekend, Pharrell is giving the masses a chance to cop the colorful batch via his global launch this week. The multi-hyphenate produced a total of six monochromatic colorways including yellow, orange, pink, lilac, red and the friends and family exclusive Humanrace green. Each is treated with ECCO leather uppers which saves 20 liters of water per hide to further echo the Three Stripes’ commitment to a more sustainable future.
Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Elephant Print”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: May 6
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Jordan Brand designers like to keep things fresh by fusing together elements from Jordan’s signature line to inspire new colorways. The Air Jordan 1 High “Elephant Print” colorway is reflection of that as it takes the iconic cement patterns from the Air Jordan 3 and spreads them across the high-cut model’s overlays and collars. Given that it bears a grayscale motif, the kicks can also pair well with nearly anything you’ve got in your closet.
Jarritos x Nike SB Dunk Low
Ftc
Ftc
Ftc
Release Date: May 6
Release Price: $130 USD
Where to Buy: FTC
Why You Should Cop: Nike SB is adding to its food and beverage-inspired list of collaborations with this newest project alongside Jarritos. Taking after the Mexican soda company’s signature colors, the kicks are styled with hemp overlays that conceal a hidden orange layer underneath. Additionally, you’ll find nods to the carbonated refreshment company via its signature logos atop the tongues and lateral heels.
