NEW FRESH KICKS:

Take a good look at the adidas Originals Forum, because this silhouette is going nowhere as we step into 2021. Following collaborations with sivasdescalzo on the high top and Heitor da Silva on the low, the archival basketball sneaker is soon set for a return in its OG form, re-introducing the Forum 84 High “Off White/Blue/Footwear White.”

The OG colorway has been applied all over the sneaker alongside a vintage treatment that makes the silhouette look as if it’s come straight out of 1984. Where you’d typically find clean white leather, the upper now sports an “Off White” hue that’s trimmed with yellowed exposed foam. This is joined by “Blue” suede Three Stripe branding on the mid-panel, tumbled “Blue” leather on the collar, and more of the same suede on the collar and heel to boot.

Cream laces further add to the aged look, as does the tongue which is served in “Footwear White,” but thanks to its nylon construction the tongue looks vintage and slightly shimmery. Rounding out the pair is an “Off White” sole unit, retro adidasTrefoil branding on the tongue tag, medial mid-panel, and midsole, and a desaturated “Blue” sock liner, once more making this pair look pre-worn.

Take a look at the adidas Originals Forum 84 High in “Off White/Blue/Footwear White” above, and pick up a pair from retailers such as Asphalt Gold on December 22 for €129 EUR (approx. $157 USD).When the adidas Forum first released in 1984, it was a high-performance basketball shoe priced at a then-unheard of $100 USD — which translates to roughly $250 USD in 2020 dollars. As technology has evolved in the years since, the Forum has transitioned from being a high-performance hoops shoe to an adidas Originalslifestyle favorite. It’s been rolling out in iterations as diverse as sivasdescalzo and Footpatrol collaborations to an adidas Skateboarding style crafted for Heitor da Silva, and now it’s been prepped to release in a DIY-style indigo iteration.

Appearing as if it was dunked in a bucket of dark indigo dye, this high-top Forum’s leather upper is coated from heel toe toe in a rich blueberry hue, with slightly lighter perriwinkle-esque tones present on the textile tongue and a shade that’s almost navy on the heel clip. Along with the tongue, the midsole presents the most notable dyed look of all the pieces, completing the assemblage of shades with its aged and washed look. 

This all-indigo adidas Forum 84 High is set to release via the adidas webstore on December 22. The MSRP is set at £100 GBP (approximately $135 USD)

UNDEFEATED and Nike Sportswear are set to finish 2020 with a bang by releasing two collaborative Air Max 97s. One presents a vivid new “Black/Volt” style while the other — a makeup that’s very similar to a friends and family exclusive from 2017 — rehashes UNDEFEATED’s legendary “Flight Jacket” palette, but each offers an ample dose of the 97’s sleek style and plenty of co-branded details.

“Black/Volt” dresses the lion’s share of its upper in a rich black hue, then uses volt to accent the repeating branded hits on one of the wavy overlays. More pops of volt arrive on tongue and heel tabs, plus the tongue’s Swoosh. This Swoosh sits atop an olive patch, with more olive gracing another of the bullet train-inspired upper overlays as well as the cut-out midfoot circle. White midsoles with gray Air Max units and black/volt outsoles round off the look.

On the other end of the spectrum, the “Flight Jacket” pair presents a look that’s been synonymous with UNDEFEATED since 2005’s legendary Air Jordan 4 collaboration. Much like the military-centric coats it’s named after, the shoe is mostly covered by a flat olive hue with pops of blaze orange bringing flair to the tongue’s tab and Swoosh. Black trim with white UNDEFEATED text graphics swoop around the upper, and more touches of black appear on heel tabs, throats and the midfoot circle’s Swoosh. White midsoles, black Air Max units and black outsoles supply a finishing touch.

Look for both UNDEFEATED x Nike Air Max 97s to release on the UNDEFEATED webstore come December 29.Nike Dunks have reigned supreme in 2020, and the classical basketball-turned-lifestyle silhouette is ready to keep its momentum rockin’ via a brand new high-top collaboration with Bodega. This colorway first leaked onto the radar back in October, but its official imagery reveals its rather unorthodox and decorative design motif in more detail.

Starting out with its upper constructions, the majority of its base alternates between tumbled leathers and hairy suedes, the former of which affixes to the toe boxes, ankle flaps and throat overlays while the latter costumes the quarter paneling and toe tips. This entire piece is predominantly hued in “Fauna Brown” but comes coupled with additional shades of “Rustic” and “Velvet Brown” accents. From there, a smorgasbord of interesting ornamentations are brought to the table here including the tortoise shell jeweled Swooshes, debossed “Bodega” branding on the medial quarter, and the exposed leather stitchings that poke out across the liners, loop through side walls and appear tied up on the heels.

Nestled on the interior are tongues that feature “Bodega” and “Hidden In Plain Sight” spell outs, both of which are finished with golden skins, as well as red insoles and gilded Nike logos. Moreover, red bandanas that print out the years 2006 and 1972 — the years in which both brands were introduced — will be included with the kicks.

Nike and Bodega haven’t revealed its launch date just yet, but note that this Dunk High will be priced at $120 USD.Legendary point guard Allen Iverson and his Reebok camp have joined hands to introduce the I3 Motorsports “Street Sleigh” footwear and apparel collection that carries influence from basketball and motocross biking cultures. Interestingly so, this isn’t the first time that the NBA icon has executed this type of initiative as he previously launched a racing-inspired Answer IV and I3 Apparel range in the back in the early 00’s during his prime days on the court.

Fast forward to present day, “The Answer” has is bringing back the essence of motorsports through two footwear pieces: his signature Reebok Question Mid and the lifestyle-ready Classic Leather Legacy. The first-mentioned has an upper that’s arranged with a deep black full grain leather build and features “Rich Red” overlays and midsoles to accompany, both of which are enhanced with glossy finishes. Vector branding dispersed to the heel and mid-foot, as well as the “3” insignias located to the bottom of the rear all offset with angelic stitching. Full family sizes of this colorway will release, starting with the men’s sizes that will retail for $140 USD.

The street-focused installment makes use of the very same tones, only flipping its schemes in a way that pronounces the “Rich Red” tone to a higher degree. On this Classic Leather Legacy, the glossy mudguards, leather overlays, mesh and synthetic uppers are coated with with the bold hue, and complemented through the branded hits, leather heel tabs and sole units that contrast with a jet black paint job. Only adult sizes of these will see a release with its retail tag set for $80 USD. Furthermore, the footwear will also launch in tandem with matching apparel tees and hoodies that are treated with Iverson-related graphics.

Reebok also provided a motocross-influenced lookbook shot by Jorge Sigala that showcased riders at the heart of ATL’s bike life scene modeling the products. 

For those interested in picking any pieces up, mark your calendars for a December 15 release via Reebok and select retailers.Nike has been playing with wear-away uppers for a few years now, introducing pairs such as the Air Force 1 “Olympic” and these wear-away Jordans, and now the Swoosh brand has given the Air Max 1 a similar treatment.

While it may appear to be a premium leather Air Max 1 in “Summit White/White/Sail/Medium Khaki” at first, there is in fact a hidden layer underneath. A clean upper is adorned with a debossed Swoosh logo on the mid-panel and is accompanied by an embroidered split “White/Medium Khaki” Swoosh logo on the tongue and heel — acting as the first nod to what lies beneath.

Joining this is a set of “Medium Khaki” insoles and a similarly-tinted Air bag component in the midsole. However, the “Medium Khaki” shade is much more prominent than what it seems at first glance. Each pair comes with an abrasive cloth that scratches away at the leather, revealing an underlayer of khaki.

Because it’s abrasive, the cloth will scratch khaki colors into the leather with a rough, raw-edged finish, looking as if you have scuffed up the pair after a lifetime of wearing.

The Nike Air Max 1 “Yours” in “Summit White/White/Sail/Medium Khaki” is set to release via a raffle on sites such as Asphalt Gold, costing €149 EUR a pair (approx. $181 USD). Take a closer look at the sneaker above.