Nike Revitalizes the Air Foamposite One “Metallic Red” in This Week’s Best Footwear Drops

With Paris Fashion Week out of the way, many eyes turned to the opening of the NBA free agency with names such as Kyrie Irving on the market, alongside trade rumors surrounding the likes of Damian Lillard and James Harden. Beyond that, Jordan Brand also had its mind on the NBA with the reveal of two much-anticipated sneakers that we’ll dive into later. Adding to the fun, everyone from Nike to ASICS, adidas and PUMA have prepared notable releases for the coming week. Before we recap what to look out for, let’s review the top sneaker-related headlines from the past seven days.

Kicking things off with the team’s footwear features, the latest installment of the Sole Mates series features EunHyuk Lee and the Nike Air Max 97. Elsewhere, the Hypebeast staff put forth a list of its favorite sneakers from the first half of 2023, ranging from the norda 002 to the Jae Tips x Saucony Grid Azura 2000.

As for the week’s news, Nike announced that its line of Kobe Bryant products is officially returning on Kobe Day 2023. With many excited by the announcement, rumors of CLOT departing from its partnership with the Swoosh saddened collectors across the world, however, Edison Chen has teased their final collaboration: a “What The” pair of Dunks. Early looks at both the Social Status x Nike Mac Attack “Iron Ore” and TIGHTBOOTH x Nike SB Dunk Low also popped up. Pivoting to Jordan Brand’s news, it introduced both the Air Jordan 38 and Jordan Zion 3 this past weekend while revealing official images of the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “UNC Toe” as well.

Elsewhere in the industry, many key collaborations were teased and announced, including the Moncler x Zellerfeld Trailgrip Sneaker, Vetements x New Rock Platform Sneaker in “Silver,” NAMESAKE x adidas designs from the runway, an all-white JJJJound x Vans Slip-On and the Rich Paul x New Balance 550.

Now that you’re all caught up on the latest happenings in the footwear industry, let’s sink our teeth into this week’s roster of top footwear drops. Once you’ve done that, don’t forget to hit up HBX to shop styles that are available now.

Cecilie Bahnsen x ASICS GT-2160

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Release Date: July 5
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: Cecilie Bahnsen
Why You Should Cop: Throughout recent years, footwear has served as the bridge between the runway and the everyday. Various designers and labels have tapped footwear brands to craft looks that fuse these two worlds together, inviting the common sneakerhead to pay attention to what’s happening at Paris Fashion Week. A popular example of this phenomenon is Cecilie Bahnsen’s collaborations with ASICS. Again, the designer has utilized ASICS footwear as a canvas for creation — adorning pairs with her artistry. Silver and black colorways appear in monochromatic styles, offering a product that is one part elegant, one part sneaker.

Adidas NMD S1 “Silver Metallic” Pack

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Release Date: July 5
Release Price: $220 USD
Where to Buy: adidas
Why You Should Cop: As the line nears the completion of its first decade on shelves, the adidas NMD continues to be placed in the spotlight. Running with the success of the S1 variant of the shoe, fresh looks continue to surface despite adidas’ introduction of newer NMD iterations. For the Three Stripes’ latest contribution, an eye-catching “Silver Metallic” enlivens two looks. This accent appears at the midsole plugs of both colorways with the former utilizing gray throughout the shoe’s remainder and the latter contrasting “Cloud White” at the upper and “Core Black” at the sole.

Air Jordan 2 Low “Varsity Royal”

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Release Date: July 6
Release Price: $150 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Running with the momentum found in 2022, Jordan Brand continues to leverage the Air Jordan 2 Low as a key lifestyle offering. In this “Varsity Royal” look, the work of Hiroshi Fujiwara’s fragment design immediately comes to mind as it borrows the label’s color arrangement found on its various Air Jordan 1 collaborations. This combination of white, blue, off-white and black offers great versatility that can pair with a variety of styles.

Nike Air Foamposite One “Metallic Red”

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Release Date: July 6
Release Price: $240 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Nike has started to turn back the clock to a time when the Air Foamposite One reigned supreme. Classic colorways such as the “Galaxy” and “Eggplant” looks are being prepared for a return next year. Before that takes place, the “Metallic Red” look is hitting shelves yet another time. Last spotted in 2017, this remake sees the presentation’s shiny red make a return to the sturdy upper of the Air Foamposite One. Balancing this striking hue, black reaches from the collar to the eyestay with a translucent outsole joined by red traction at the center of the sole.

PUMA MB.02 “Queen City”

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Release Date: July 7
Release Price: $130 USD
Where to Buy: PUMA
Why You Should Cop: This week, LaMelo Ball cemented his place as the cornerstone of the Charlotte Hornets by signing a five-year max rookie extension with the franchise. The timing just so happens to overlap with the release of a Hornets-inspired “Queen City” pair that is coated in the team’s iconic teal and purple colors. Per usual, PUMA technology such as Nitro foam makes a return while the aforementioned Hornets hues go back and forth across the upper. A silver heel brings forth the final touches with Ball’s Wings logo embossed at the detail.

Nike Ja 1 “Ember Glow”

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Release Date: July 7
Release Price: $110 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: It’s been a busy summer for Ja Morant, who, after much deliberation from the NBA, received a 25 game suspension to begin the upcoming season. Despite this, Nike has stood by their young star as the duo continues to release new colorways of his popular debut silhouette, the Ja 1. Now, it finds itself outfitted in red and blue with the new “Ember Glow” look.

Sean Wotherspoon x adidas Orketro “Off White”

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Release Date: July 7
Release Price: $160 USD
Where to Buy: adidas
Why You Should Cop: Since first debuting last year, the adidas Orketro has been most notably backed by Sean Wotherspoon. Already, the frequent adidas collaborator has revealed a plethora of looks for the Orketro designed by him, however, this is only the second pair to hit shelves, despite the Orketro 2.0 being introduced by the Three Stripes earlier this year. In “Off White,” the Orketro has been prepared with a monochromatic look carrying the hue from collar to midsole, opting for a gum bottom to support the sneaker.

Air Jordan 1 High G “Bordeaux”

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Release Date: July 7
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: Nike
Why You Should Cop: Over the course of the last decade, Jordan Brand has successfully infiltrated the greens by converting its basketball-oriented silhouettes into golf shoes. Offering sneakerheads the opportunity to express themselves while playing, Jordan Brand’s golf division continues to bring looks from the streets to the fairway. The latest look to be entering the mix is the Air Jordan 1 High “Bordeaux.” Equipped with a white leather base, wine-flavored overlays are joined by silver strokes at the Swooshes and Wings logo.

INVINCIBLE x Vault by Vans “Gnarly” Pack

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Release Date: July 8
Release Price: TBC
Where to Buy: Vans
Why You Should Cop: Vans has recently announced its departure from the Vault by Vans name — the line dedicated to reissuing archival classics and high-powered collaborations. However, it still has projects on the way. Most notably, it is teaming up with Taiwanese boutique INVINCIBLE for the first time for the “Gnarly” pack. Taking both the Sk8-Hi and Authentic, the duo has applied a paisley pattern to each. The former utilizes a distressed appearance with the pattern while the latter reveals it with wear.

Air Jordan 2 Low “UNC”

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Release Date: July 8
Release Price: $150 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: In case “Varsity Royal” isn’t your favorite shade of blue, you’re in luck as the Jumpman team has also prepared a classic “UNC” look for the Air Jordan 2 Low. Paying homage to Michael Jordan’s alma mater, “University Blue” accents the linework, heel, lining and the tongue’s Wings logo while white coats the leather upper, including its textured layer below the collar.