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Category: Releases
The Nike Blue Ribbon SB will be arriving soon – and it’s amazing
Image: Nike
The Nike Blue Ribbon SB could easily get lost in your timeline amongst the hundreds of hyped releases dropping this year, but this should not reflect on the quality of the sneaker. The Nike Blue Ribbon SB, also known as the Nike BRSB, is a phenomenal silhouette that shows the level of thought that has gone into it, which we rarely expect from such a run-of-the-mill general release.
Image: Nike
The leading colourway plays on the classic Nike SB Cortez, worn by Farrah Fawcett on a skateboard in the movie “Charlie’s Angels.”
Firstly, this is what you need to know about the shoe. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Nike Cortez, Nike has decided to create an adapted version of the iconic silhouette that people can skateboard in. Whilst not an immediately obvious move to make, when looking at the success of the blazer – a similarly old and successful Nike sneaker – and its skateboarding equivalent, it makes a bit more sense as to why the Cortez might be a candidate to receive the skateboard shoe treatment. This silhouette is much more than just a “Cortez SB”, however. Named the Blue Ribbon SB after Nike’s original Blue Ribbon Sports moniker, the shoe features a reinforced suede toe to give the model greater durability when practicing shoe-destroying kickflips or ollies and a heavily updated sole that offers a sturdier base.
What makes the sneakers so brilliant, however, is the thought that has been put into blending the new design with references to the Cortez and Nike’s early history. For a start, the sole implements Nike’s react cushioning to offer greater impact protection, and it adds a translucent segment to the heel of the midsole in order to make this new tech visible. In doing so, the shoe makes a callback to the Cortez’s blue chip in the heel, which contrasted with the otherwise white midsole in order to emphasize the shoe’s added cushioning. This callback to how the Cortez showed off its latest tech, updated in a manner that emphasizes Nike’s updated technology, is not only the kind of nerdy detail that sneaker enthusiasts appreciate but is also done in such a tasteful manner that it fits in seamlessly with the rest of the design of the shoe. Whilst this remains the standout detail of the silhouette, the return of a herringbone traction, the two stitching lines down the sides of the shoe and, most importantly, the jagged eyestay overlay, keep the spirit of the Cortez ticking along in its newest adaptation.
Image: Nike
This colorways split green and orange detailing is another call back to Nike’s earliest running shoe designs.
The only detail that looks slightly off on the shoe is its branding. Most notably, the oversized swoosh on the side which follows the current trend of Nike shoes messing around with this Off-White “The Ten”-esque branding. Whilst we think the shoe would look better with a slimmer swoosh that more closely resembles the original Nike swoosh mock-ups, this is a very small complaint about an otherwise brilliant shoe.
A tasteful remaster of a classic silhouette, creating its own identity with new tech whilst simultaneously holding on to its vintage inspiration. A solid 8/10 in our books, that is growing on us with every new colorway that’s announced, we love the Nike BRSB and can’t wait for it to be released.
By Thomas Perry and Hannah Rodriguez
Seven sneaker releases to get excited for in 2022
Air Jordan 3 Retro “Fire Red”
Image: VerseOne
First on our list is the return of an old classic, the Air Jordan 3 in a Fire Red colorway, that last retro-ed in 2013. The fashionable look covers Jordan’s 3rd signature model in white and grey leather, with red accents around the shoe, and a black elephant print on the mudguard and heel counter. Look out for these classics this August, arriving in their original packaging for the first time since 1988.
Union x Air Jordan 2
Image: Sneaker Bar Detroit (SBD)
Since the Off-White Air Jordan 2 was released late last year, the hype around the Air Jordan 2 has officially returned. And it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere with A Ma Manière and J Balvin both expected to release their own renditions of the model later this year, but we wanted to focus on the upcoming Union x Air Jordan 2 collab set for a 2022 release. Sporting similar hues to the Union x Air Jordan 4’s that were released in 2020 and 2021, early images suggest the shoe will feature a canvas and suede upper with aged detailing on the collar and laces.
Yeezy Sulfur 450
Image: YankeeKicks
One of the craziest silhouettes of last year, the Yeezy 450 is expected to return this April, this time in a monochrome Sulfur finish. The soft yellow hue will cover the stretchable knit upper and crazy midsole that climbs up the sides of the shoe, whilst the rope laces look to be dressed in a slightly lighter sail color. Whilst still a controversial model, it looks like the 450 will continue to make an impact on the sneaker game long into 2022.
Size? x New Balance 550 “Cordura Pack”
Image: Sizeofficial
Maybe it’s the UK bias, but our first glance at the New Balance 550 “Cordura Pack” in collaboration with UK-based retailer Size? is enough to get us thinking this collection may make some waves in the sneaker community. The already popular 550 model looks to be taking on a suede and mesh upper, with two renditions coming in earthy tones as well as another pair dressed in predominantly grey. This is New Balance after all.
Tom Sachs x NikeCraft General Purpose Shoe
Image: pvasneakers
Known in the sneaker world for his insanely popular Mars Yard shoes with Nike, Tom Sachs and Nike are expected to debut a new model in 2022. The General Purpose Shoe, deciding to skip a fancier name, looks to have a clean and simple upper, and a thick rubber sole. Its focus is on practicality and simplicity, but a sizeable amount of hype is attached to anything Nike x Tom Sachs, so expect this to be a main talking point in sneakers this year.
Crocodile Crocs x Salehe Bembury
Image: SaleheBembury
Crocs have been making a crazy comeback over the last few years, and the latest reason for this was sneaker designer Salehe Bembury’s unique take on the classic clog. With resale prices skyrocketing above the original colorways retail prices, Bembury has once again taken to Instagram to unveil a brand-new colorway. Sporting a bright green upper and with the post captioned “Color: Crocodile” the pair seems to take inspiration from the brand’s famous crocodile logo. We can expect this pair to fly off shelves if it sees the light of day this year.
Air Jordan 1 Yellow Toe
Image: HanZuYing
Although originally rumored to release in 2019, the Air Jordan 1 “Yellow Toe” is expected to finally hit retailers this summer. It will feature the same color blocking as the Air Jordan 1 Bred Toe; however, it will swap the original red detailing for a bright yellow, hence why it has earned the “Taxi” nickname. With the Air Jordan 1 coming off an extremely successful 2021, we know there will be a lot of eyes on this sneaker if it finally drops this summer.
WOOVIN top 10 sneakers of 2020
With everything going on in the world at the moment, hobbies and interests have become increasingly important as a source of some light-hearted fun, and for many, that interest is sneakers. Still working or in lockdown, with company or alone, shoes have been here for us every step of the way. In light of the more serious events that have happened this year, it is also worthwhile remembering the little pieces of joy something as simple as our footwear has given so many of us, so without further or does, here are our picks for the top 10 sneakers of the year.
Image: Nike
Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2 Stussy Fossil
Release Date: 03/27/20
Current value: $250-$550
Starting this list in no particular order is the Stussy x Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2 “Fossil,” which released alongside “Cool Grey” and “Pure Platinum” versions of the shoe and saw the sneaker industry giant Nike work together with long time collaborators Stussy on a classic model. The result was by no means the most popular shoe of the year, but a heavily sought-after sneaker by those who liked it.
Image: Nike
Release Date: 02/29/20
Current value: $1400-$1600
Debatably the most influential sneaker of the year, this Nike SB Dunk Low was created in collaboration with Travis Scott, a popular Houston rapper also known for his collaborations with both Play Station and McDonald’s this year. Featuring a tear-away paisley upper and rope laces, those lucky enough to cop the sneaker on Travis Scott’s own website were treated to a unique navy paisley box.
Image: Nike
Jordan 4 Retro Off-White Sail (W)
Release Date: 07/25/20
Current value: $1100-$1400
Although technically a women’s only release, every sneakerhead tried their luck at copping a pair of the Off-White x Air Jordan 4’s this summer. Coming in a sail upper with translucent TPU accents, the sneaker’s worn look captured the hearts of shoe lovers everywhere.
Image: Nike
Nike SB Dunk Low Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Dunky
Release Date: 05/16/20
Current value: $1000-$1500
Possibly the weirdest collaboration of 2020, was Ben & Jerry’s and Nike coming together to create one of the hottest sneakers of the year, the “Chunky Dunky.” The shoe features cow print on the upper with a dripping yellow tongue, and a tie-dye insole, that unmistakably comes together to resemble the ice cream company’s iconic ice cream tubs.
Image: Nike
Nike SB Dunk Low StrangeLove Skateboards
Release Date: 02/08/20
Current value: $700-$1000
The last SB Dunk to make it onto our list, the Strangelove Skateboards version of the silhouette was created to celebrate valentine’s day 2020, hence the red and pink color scheme. The shoe was the product of frequent Nike collaborators Sean Cliver and Todd Bratrut and featured velvet panels on the upper that helped the shoe stand out from its competition.
Image: Nike
Release Date: 06/26/20
Current value: $6500-$7500
Easily the most expensive sneaker on this list, the Dior x Air Jordan 1 Retro High has been a trending topic for sneaker conversation for over a year now after rumors of the shoe’s release surfaced online at the end of 2019. Only 8,000 pairs went on sale to the public, retailing for a whopping $2000.
Image: New Balance
Release Date: 05/01/20
Current value: $600-$1000
Whilst the rest of this list has been dominated by Nike and Jordan Brand, New Balance was able to challenge them this year with the help of Japanese streetwear brand WTAPS. Coming in a suede and mesh upper with reflective 3M overlays, this 992 was said to be inspired by the military, hence its green and grey color scheme.
Image: Nike
Release Date: 08/29/20
Current value: $500-$700
When the Union x Air Jordan 4 collection was first announced, the online response was less than positive, but by the end of 2020, it’s clear to see that public opinion has changed for the better. After getting co-signs from some big names, and Union revealing the tongue was stitched down, and could easily be unstitched if the standard Air Jordan 4 look was preferred, resale prices quickly returned to what you might expect from a Jordan and Union collaboration.
Image: adidas
Release date: 2020
Current value: $500-$600
Over the past six years, we’ve seen Kanye West and adidas cook up a number of iconic lifestyle sneakers. But this is the first model they have created for athletes, this became clear during the All-Star weekend in Chicago, where adidas and yeezy were handing out pairs on the streets. It may not be the most hyped model of 2020, but the Yeezy QNTM BSKTBL has certainly had a lot of impact on the sneaker scene.
Image: Nike
Nike Vaporwaffle Sacai Black White
Release Date: 11/13/20
Current value: $600-$750
Lastly, the Sacai x Nike Vaporwaffle followed up Sacai and Nike’s stellar collaborations on both the Blazer and the LD Waffle that debuted in 2019, and it did not disappoint. The “Black White” colorway, in particular, was able to complement the outlandish model, by distinctly highlighting each detail of the shoe, including its 3 soles, and 2 tongues.
