The JJJJound-Crafted Crocs Classic Clogs Shine in This Week’s Best Footwear Drops
With support from FENTY x PUMA, UNDEFEATED x Converse, the debut of the Nike NOCTA Glide and more.
Fashion’s rapid cycle continues to spin as New York Fashion Week continues and London Fashion Week is set to follow. While the footwear front has remained less of a focus on the runway this time around, brands haven’t slowed down with their reveals and releases. Before we outline everything to look forward to this week from Nike, Salomon, PUMA, Crocs and more, let’s recap the past week of headlines from the sneaker space.
Leading off with a roundup of the week’s features, our latest installment of Sole Mates starred designer Mimi Plange, hot off of her latest collab with Nike Basketball on the LeBron 20. She shared what went into the storytelling, how the duo’s partnership initially formed and the power of wearing sneakers. From there, the team hit the streets of Seoul Fashion Week to break down footwear trends. Rounding things out, ahead of his first game of the NFL season, Justin Fields discussed his new partnership with Reebok.
There was no shortage of headlines on the news side of things. For Nike, a barrage of early looks have prepped sneakerheads for key releases in the coming months — featuring another Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike Air Flea 2 colorway, a glance at all three The Powerpuff Girls x Nike SB Dunk Lows and a Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Black Mamba” pair. On top of this, Deion Sanders showed off a new signature shoe with the Swoosh. As for Jordan Brand, both the J Balvin x Air Jordan 3 “Medellín Sunset” and Air Jordan 1 “Satin Bred” were officially revealed.
Elsewhere in the industry, Marc Jacobs has reconnected with Dr. Martens to outfit the Jaden boot in charms and chains. AAPE also made collaborative noise with its latest project, teaming up with Vans on the Sk8-Hi Bolt and Authentic Bolt silhouettes in two camouflaged colorways. Rounding things out, news of the Shrek x Crocs Classic Clog prompted a healthy mix of excitement and disgust.
With the past seven days reviewed, let’s take a peek at the next seven. Once you’ve gone through what drops to look forward to, be sure to peep HBX to shop for sneakers that are available now.
A-COLD-WALL* x Nike TN98 “Stone” & “Onyx”
Nike
Nike
Release Date: September 12
Release Price: $220 USD
Where to Buy: A-COLD-WALL*
Why You Should Cop: After an extended run of Converse projects, Dr. Samuel Ross’ A-COLD-WALL* returns to Nike with a refresh of one of the UK’s most-beloved silhouettes — the Air Max Plus. Dubbed the TN98, it appears in “Stone” and “Onyx” colorways that tap into the design language of architects with its strong geometry and linework. The material composition has also been adjusted with full-grain leather treated to degrade rapidly while laser-etched branding serves as a callout to the duo.
Nike ISPA Link Axis “Total Orange”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: September 12
Release Price: $300 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Circular design remains at the forefront of Nike’s collective mind as it continues to explore options to bolster sustainability efforts. Its latest project in this field comes from the boundary-defying designers within the ISPA division — introducing the ISPA Link Axis. Every part of the shoe can be recycled with minimal material use and zero glue involved. The colorway itself is just as eye-catching as the silhouette with white joined by an onslaught of neon hues.
The Broken Arm x Salomon X-ALPAGES GTX
The Broken Arm
The Broken Arm
The Broken Arm
Release Date: September 13
Release Price: $230 USD
Where to Buy: Salomon
Why You Should Cop: Parisian boutique The Broken Arm has established a rhythm with outdoor specialists Salomon as the two are set to follow up on their XT-Quest 2 collab from earlier this year with a take on the X-ALPAGES GTX. Having been released via The Broken Arm already, Salomon is now set to launch the shoe to the masses in its “Biking Red” colorway that sees various red and pink hues join atop the all-weather-ready silhouette.
Air Jordan 1 High OG “Praline”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: September 13
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Nearly four complete decades in the game and the Air Jordan 1 remains as popular as ever. There’s been countless iterations of the shoe released and Jordan Brand continues to brew up new approaches to the silhouette. This time around, premium leather takes on “Praline” coloring at its overlays while luxe ribbon laces tie the look together.
UNDEFEATED x Converse Weapon
Nike
Nike
Release Date: September 14
Release Price: $140 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: UNDEFEATED is no stranger to working with Nike. The duo has introduced hit collabs across the past two decades and is not showing any signs of slowing down. For the second time this year, Converse is joining forces with the brand, utilizing its recently-reintroduced Weapon silhouette in “Chive” and “Castle Wall” colorways. Adding to the lateral’s “UNDEFEATED” hit, the tongue tag and heel both sport the brand’s tally mark logo on each pair while a “PLAY DIRTY” motto is showcased at the medial and the tongue tag’s interior.
JJJJound x Crocs Classic Clog
Jjjjound
Jjjjound
Jjjjound
Release Date: September 14
Release Price: $75 USD
Where to Buy: JJJJound.com
Why You Should Cop: If there’s anything JJJJound has proven in its tenure as one of the most prominent collaborators in footwear, it’s that it can work with anyone. In 2023 alone, the brand has gone from BAPE to New Balance, ROA, Reebok, Salomon, Vans and more. It now adds Crocs to this ever-growing list as the duo have assembled looks in both “White” and “Slate Grey” that notably feature the typical Classic Clog look with branded brass rivets and JJJJound strap branding.
Nike Attack “Black and White”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: September 14
Release Price: $120 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: The sport of tennis has been on the mind of many with the epic conclusion of the US Open last weekend resulting in Coco Gauff and Novak Djokovic triumphing in their respective singles categories. Lining up with this, Nike is prepared to reissue another of its Attack colorways — the “Black and White” presentation. John McEnroe’s old signature shoe maintains all of its classic touches, from the color blocking to the checkered tongue tag.
Reebok ES22 “Club Blue”
Reebok
Reebok
Reebok
Release Date: September 15
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: Reebok
Why You Should Cop: The NFL’s all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith, first introduced the ES22 with Reebok back in ‘96. In 2012, the brand went on to revisit the design only for it to again be moved to the vault. Now, it stars as the latest retro silhouette from Reebok to hit shelves, appearing in the Dallas Cowboys-themed “Blue/Black/White” once again.
FENTY x PUMA Avanti
Puma
Puma
Puma
Release Date: September 15
Release Price: $160 USD to $170 USD
Where to Buy: PUMA
Why You Should Cop: It’s been over five years since Rihanna’s FENTY last collaborated with PUMA. In this time, much has changed but one thing remains the same — fans are ready for more. Pulling the Avanti out of the PUMA archives, the football-inspired silhouette stars in black and metallic silver colorways. Prominent “FENTY” branding adorns the folded tongue with the Formstrip hitting each side of the sneaker.
Nike NOCTA Glide “Black and White”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: September 15
Release Price: $160 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Drake and his NOCTA line have brought a distinct aesthetic to the Swoosh in recent years and continue now with the introduction of the NOCTA Glide. Drawing inspiration from the Zoom Flight 95, its build nods to basketball while remaining street-ready. In “Black and White,” the pair shines bright thanks to its patterned upper while an icy outsole offers a hint of color.
