To begin the month, PUMA delivered a Cell Venom in “Ribbon Red.” Now, the globally-recognized brand is digging deep into its archives for a special reissue of a beloved court silhouette from the ’80s. Specifically, PUMA is commemorating the storied career and legacy of NBL Hall-of-Famer Ralph Sampson for a re-release of the Ralph Sampson OG sneaker.
Coming to the modern era 30 years after its original debut, PUMA’s newly-reissued Ralph Sampson OG sets out to inject some classic retro aesthetics into contemporary street style. Rooted in past eras of court footwear, the sneaker was brought back to bring the historic moments of Sampson’s time as a superstar-athlete to the streetwear- and sportswear-inspired culture of today.
“The process, back then, was interesting to see,” Sampson told Slam earlier this month, explaining his PUMA sneakers were brought to life. “You had Converse with the Dr. J’s and all of that was looming around. So when I got to the NBA, I thought I was gonna go with another brand and then PUMA swooped in and took it on and became a very good shoe to wear. I wore Pro-Kids in college. They were owned by Stride Rite and Stride Rite went under. PUMA came in at the last minute and gave me a deal I couldn’t refuse. My first couple of weeks in the NBA, I wore a shoe that was a prototype of the shoe that I would end up having. Within a two-week period of time I had the shoes that I needed to wear that had my name on it.”
For the construction of the PUMA Ralph Sampson OG, the shoe’s designers chose a lightweight build for optimal levels of “speed and agility,” echoing the technical needs of Ralph Sampson’s legendary NBA run. The shoes were also meant to serve the physical needs of Sampson and his size 17 feet, with the mid-height design manufactured for ideal ankle support.
You can take a look at PUMA’s Ralph Sampson OG sneakers above. The aforementioned shoes will hit the shelves of KITH on April 13, as well as select retailers and the official PUMA website on April 27. The reissued Ralph Sampson OG high-tops will retail for $90 USD, while the low-tops carry a price-tag of $80 USD.
Though hype surrounding adidas Original’s NMD line has died down as of late, the German sportswear giant is still updating its arsenal for the silhouette.
This time around the NMD CS1 Primeknit model features a predominantly “Cloud White” outfit, including its BOOST midsole, which is then contrasted with bold “Core Black” “NMD” branding on its lateral side. Matching Black EVA plugs can also be found on the heel’s medial and lateral portion.
For those wanting a stealthier look, a black iteration will also be made available seeing all the aforementioned details taking on a mirrored look. Official pics to come. Both the “Core Black” and “Cloud White” colorways of adidas Original’s NMD CS1 is set to arrive at select stockists and adidas.com on April 20 for a retail price of $180 USD.
Rei Kawakubo’s male-focused label COMME des GARÇONS HOMME Plus has returned with a vibrantly colored sole on the latest iteration of the brand’s Wingtip Brogues. Crafted from leather, the lace-up front upper is met with a comfort-laden Vibram outsole in a vibrant multi-color combination of pink, neon green, and blue.
Take a look at the new iteration of the shoe above, and if you’re interested in picking up a pair for yourself, head over to BROWNS’ web store where they are currently retailing for $835 USD.
Godfather of streetwear Hiroshi Fujiwara himself has just shown off a sample pair of Jordans, in what sneakerheads everywhere will surely covet as the next collaborative grail between the duo: a fragment design x Air Jordan 3.
The pair, seen on-feet of Hiroshi himself, utilizes the vintage silhouette with classic colors rearranged for the unreleased sample. As such, a white deluxe tumbled leather is found as the majority material, followed by panels of black and blue, referencing a palette of the legendary fragment design x Air Jordan 1. Naturally, the fragment bolts are found debossed into the rear heel quarter panel, while the fragment tooling code — often found on collaborations between the brand and Nike — adorns the midsole panel above the air unit’s window. Grey eyestays, white laces, and a blue “NIKE AIR” rubberized branding is found throughout.
According to Hiroshi Fujiwara, the pair is not slated for the public, and stands as such as “not an official release. Just a Sample.”
Sperry has unveiled the latest capsule from its Cloud Collection, designed by NOAH‘s Brendon Babenzien who acts as creative director for the line. The new release features three classic silhouettes — the Top-Sider, Cloud CVO and Authentic/Originals — which have been constructed from leather, canvas, suede and mixed textile shoes and showcase a wide variety of colorways.
Standout pairs from the collaborative Cloud Collection sees reinterpretations such as the gingham-check boat shoe, the very NOAH-esque brown/navy/green leather boat shoe, a bold red and blue striped slip-on Top-Sider, and a complementing red/white/blue contrasting pinstriped pair of lace-up Top-Sider’s.
Speaking on the collection Babenzien said, “I love the idea of working with a brand that I’ve been a fan of my whole life and being able to have just a slightly different point of view without losing the core of who they are… Growing up, it was just super common to have a pair in rotation all of the time.”
Selected styles from the extensive drop are available now at END. Clothing, with prices starting from £59 GBP (approx. $77 USD).
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