Air Jordan 4 "Fire Red" Cranks up the Heat for Black Friday Week's Best Footwear Drops
Alongside G-Dragon’s PEACEMINUSONE x Nike Air Force 1 “Para-Noise 2.0,” Nike’s Kobe 5 Protro “Bruce Lee” and an atmos x Staple x New Balance X-Racer.
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Happy holiday week, HYPEBEAST footwear family. Though we’d assume several of you are looking forward to stuffing your face with turkey this week, there’s a delightfully delectable slate of footwear drops for you to dig into over the next seven days as well. These range from the return of a beloved Jordan Brand retro to collaborations from adidas, New Balance and Nike — and even the bringback of a beloved Kobe Bryant style — but before we feast on this week’s footwear let’s take a primer on the last seven days’ goings-on.
For the latest edition of Sole Mates, HYPEBEAST spoke to The Hundreds co-founder Bobby Hundreds about his love for the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star and why he thinks it’s so symbolic of counter culture. We also provided exclusive closer looks at the Air Jordan 4 “Fire Red” and G-Dragon’s PEACEMINUSONE x Nike Air Force 1 “Para-Noise 2.0.” Speaking of G-Dragon, the K-Pop superstar was also spotted in a red friends and family version of his latest Air Force 1 collaboration.
On the Nike Dunk front, Cactus Plant Flea Market gave us a look at a “Spiral Sage” iteration of their bedazzled Dunk. 2020 has been the year of the Dunk Low, but the Dunk High had a duo of moments in the spotlight as well, thanks to detailed looks at a pair created to celebrate the upcoming 2021 NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis and a women’s “Varsity Purple” style. A patchwork-style Dunk Low “Thank You For Caring” appeared, and the Dunk-related Nike vs. Warren Lotas saga continued as well, with the Swoosh winning a primary injunction against the designer.
Apart from G-Dragon and CPFM, there were plenty of other collaborations to explore. J Balvin’s long-anticipated Air Jordan 1s received an official release date, a new Kim Jones x Nike Air Max 95 surfaced and Beyoncé released new styles from the adidas x Ivy Park collection. adidas also premiered the first two collaborative iterations of its Ultra4D, tapping both Packer and Social Status for special takes, and Mr. Bailey’s presented a truly wild “Ammonite Superstar” that explored the evolution of the shelltoe.
Rounding off the news was Sean Wotherspoon skateboarding in the new Prada x adidas shoe, Jimmy Butler signing a deal with Li-Ning, Nike saluting Penny Hardaway’s Memphis roots with special takes on the Air Penny 3 and Air Foamposite One, a thorough look at Usher’s ultra-rare gold Air Jordan 3 PE from 2014, and first looks at the Air Jordan 13 “Red Flint” plus the Nike Air Max 95 NDSTRKT “Neon.”
Caught up? Let’s dive into a dozen of this week’s best drops. As always, note that any shoes listed below may be pushed back due to the continued effects of the coronavirus and head over to HBX to check out other new footwear styles.
Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Bruce Lee” and “Bruce Lee Alternate”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: November 24
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Providing a fitting tribute to a dearly departed NBA great and one of his biggest inspirations, the Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Bruce Lee” and “Bruce Lee Alternate” are loaded full of special details. With color schemes and “scratch” detailing inspired by Lee’s outfit in Enter the Dragon, the shoes present a fiesty look to match their fierce, Kobe Bryant-approved performance tech: upgraded uppers, midsoles and Zoom Air bags that are 50% larger, all of which made both pairs a favorite of players in the NBA bubble.
AMBUSH x Converse Chuck Taylor All Star Duck Boot and Chuck 70
Converse
Converse
Converse
Converse
Release Date: November 24
Release Price: $160 USD (Duck Boot), $140 USD (Chuck 70)
Where to Buy: HBX
Why You Should Cop: AMBUSH and Converse’s latest footwear collaboration veers from practical (the sturdy Chuck Taylor All Star Duck Boot) to whimsical (the fur-covered Chuck 70), providing dual-pronged a tour de force of AMBUSH co-founder Yoon Ahn’s creative process. Though one may look as if it was designed for trekking through cold and snow while the other wouldn’t look out of place on Cruella de Vil, both silhouettes are set to be available in either blue or black to suit the wearer’s preference.
HUMAN MADE x adidas Marathon and Nizza Hi
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Release Date: November 25
Release Price: $100 (Nizza Hi), Marathon TBC
Where to Buy: adidas and HBX
Why You Should Cop: AMBUSH isn’t the only Japanese brand readying its collaborative footwear for the cold months ahead: NIGO’s HUMAN MADE and adidas have cooked up a duo of styles as well. The two’s Marathon is a hybrid style that’s half durable hiking boot and half speedy running shoe, while the Nizza offers classic skate style with canvas uppers and special heart-printed midsoles.
PEACEMINUSONE x Nike Air Force 1 “Para-Noise 2.0”
Seunghoon Jeong/Hypebeast
Seunghoon Jeong/Hypebeast
Seunghoon Jeong/Hypebeast
Release Date: November 25
Release Price: $200 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: G-Dragon made a strong late push for 2019’s “Shoe of the Year” crown with his first PEACEMINUSONE x Nike Air Force 1 “Para-Noise,” so now the K-Pop superstar’s brand and the Swoosh are back with the Air Force 1 “Para-Noise 2.0.” This time around, the details are provided by crisp leathers, paint streaks, punk-ish pins and noticeable fat laces, making for a design that’s as unique as G-Dragon himself and completed by an original artwork under its top layer of paint.
Pharrell x adidas NMD Hu “Core White”
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Release Date: November 25
Release Price: $220 USD
Where to Buy: adidas
Why You Should Cop: The latest masterfully monochromatic style from Skateboard P and the Three Stripes, the adidas NMD HU “Core White” boasts a crisp color scheme equipped with tonal “Human Race” graphics. Between this embellishment and the anatomy-inspired insole print, the “Core White” combines appealing style with a meaningful message — reminding us that we’re all not so different.
Air Jordan 6 “Singles Day”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: November 25
Release Price: $210 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Jordan Brand celebrates Singles Day — the annual intersection of loneliness and commerce — with a special Air Jordan release every year, and in 2020 that style is an Air Jordan 6. Coated in silken patterns and equipped with a special Chinese knot and lucky charm atop the throat, the “Singles Day” puts its Chinese heritage on full display from toe to heel. It’s a women’s style, but will be available in a male-friendly extended size run.
Nike Air Max 1 “Lemonade”
Nike
Nike
Nike
Release Date: November 25
Release Price: $140 USD
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: A fresh-squeezed upgrade to a classic style from 2006’s “Powerwall” pack, the Nike Air Max 1 “Lemonade” is equal parts sweet and tart. Mixing yellow and green tones with flowingly-lettered “Air” graphics on the quarter and a lemon print on the insoles, the “Lemonade” uses these dashing details and its bright color scheme to provide a sugary sip of old-school Nike Sportswear style.
Slam Jam x ASICS Novablast
Asics
Asics
Asics
Release Date: November 26
Release Price: $165 USD
Where to Buy: ASICS
Why You Should Cop: Following up last week’s Slam Jam exclusive release, the Slam Jam x ASICS Novablast is back for a global go-around. With a colorway designed to be a staple in any sneaker rotation and lightweight, advanced tech for the on-the go commuter or runner, it’s a perfect example of a modern-day performance product reworked for lifestyle wear.
adidas YEEZY BOOST 380 “Onyx Reflective” and “Onyx”
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Adidas
Release Date: November 27 (Reflective), November 28 (Non-Reflective)
Release Price: $250 USD (Onyx Reflective), $220 USD (Onyx)
Where to Buy: adidas and YEEZY Supply
Why You Should Cop: Kanye West has been relatively quiet since his startlingly spasmodic “presidential campaign,” but now he’s back to doing one of the things he does best: making shoes, namely the adidas YEEZY BOOST 380 “Onyx Reflective” and “Onyx.” The hi-vis version packs a potent punch of reflective detailing and releases a day before its more muted counterpart, but both feature dark earth tones, sharp angles and bouncy BOOST cushioning, making for yet another appealing take on a now-familiar silhouette.
atmos x Staple x New Balance X-Racer “Crow & Pigeon”
Atmos
Atmos
Release Date: November 28
Release Price: ¥14,000 JPY (approximately $135 USD)
Where to Buy: atmos
Why You Should Cop: A sneaker that’s of a decidedly ornithological persuasion, the atmos x Staple x New Balance X-Racer “Crow and Pigeon” spreads its wings in bold fashion by blending two bird-based inspirations. Mixing dark purple and black with Staple’s signature orange and gray, this unexpected X-Racer collaboration is bound to fly off shelves on release.
Air Jordan 4 “Fire Red”
Nick Llanton/Hypebeast
Nick Llanton/Hypebeast
Nick Llanton/Hypebeast
Release Date: November 28
Release Price: $200 USD (Men’s), $150 USD (GS), $80 USD (PS), $60 USD (TD)
Where to Buy: Nike SNKRS and Foot Locker
Why You Should Cop: Since its February 1989 debut, the Air Jordan 4 “Fire Red” has re-released in 2006 and 2012, but its 2020 retro is the most true to the original bringback yet. With key details like Nike Air heel hits, large tongue tags and just the right shade of red, it’s a thoughtful, intricate release that’s sure to delight die-hard Jordan purists and new Jumpman ‘heads alike.
Better™️ Gift Shop x Vans Style 36 and Half Cab
Better™️ Gift Shop
Release Date: November 28
Release Price: $160 CAD (Style 36, approximately $123 USD) $180 CAD (Half Cab, approximately $138 USD)
Where to Buy: Better™️ Gift Shop
Why You Should Cop: The Better™️ crew’s tongue-in-cheek take on blue suede shoes, this duo of Style 36s and Half Cabs boasts precise blue and marshmallow colorblocking for a sporty, unbothered look. It’s more than just a set of simple skate sneakers though: key details like bold contrast stitching and unique insole prints make sure that both pairs are Better™️ (pun intended) than that.
