A lot of really cool sneakers have been released this week.
From collabs with Serena Williams and Billie Eilish, to the Adidas Stormtroopers in honor of Kobe Bryant, there’s a lot going on.
So, counting down from five to one, these are the coolest sneaker drops of the week.
5. Adidas ‘Kobe 1’ Stormtrooper – $150
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The Crazy 1 Stormtrooper is a tribute to the original Kobe 1 model from the early 2000s.
The late NBA star, Kobe Bryant, actually helped design the original.
This new version is called ‘Stormtrooper‘ and was inspired by the elite soldiers from the Star Wars franchise.
In fact, even the colors match.
They’re priced at $150 but they’re already sold out, so you can expect chaos in the secondary market.
Then again that’s exactly what happened with the previous model, which is now trading at around $900 on eBay.
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4. Adidas Hu x Pharrell Williams – $220
This is the latest addition to the collection of Adidas sneakers designed by R & B singer Pharrell Williams for Adidas.
They started a few years ago with four Stan Smith models in pastel colors but now they’re mostly focusing on the ‘Hu’ model.
The HU features Primeknit construction, a type of light fabric that Adidas invented and patented.
Officially known as the ‘Animal Print’, the sneaker is a festival of colors.
The base is blue but it also combines dark orange elements with green shoelaces and black and gold embroidered prints.
Several singers have tried to join the fashion industry but Pharrell has been doing this for longer than most.
Aside from his collab with Adidas, he’s also worked with BAPE and he owns his own fashion brand called the Billionaire Boys Club.
3. Crocs x Salehe Bembury – $85
Sneakerheads love weird designs at the moment.
With that mind, who does weird better than Crocs?
The American company teamed up with Sahele Bembury, a footwear designer, to create a pair of shoes that look really odd.
Dubbed ‘Cobbler’ (yup, like the dessert), the shoe looks like it was made using melted rubber.
And it’s orange. Very orange.
This collab has the word ‘hype’ written all over it but the shoes are less expensive than you think, priced at just $85.
2. Nike x Billie Eilish – $170
American songwriter Billie Eilish teamed up with Nike for a duo of Nike Air Force 1s dubbed ‘Sequoia’ (dark brown) and ‘Mushroom’ (beige).
In a way, this is a ‘sequel’ to their previous collab from a few months ago.
Last time they released a pair of high-sole Nike Air Force 1s so it makes sense to move on the low-sole version.
Most Air Force 1 models are made from leather but this one is made from canvas.
As a cherry on top, they’re adorned with little patches of fabric that create intriguing patterns.
The price hasn’t been confirmed yet but the new sneaker will probably cost as much, if not more, than the previous one.
In that case, we can expect a price tag north of $170.
1. Nike x Serena Williams sneakers – $140
Serena Williams and Nike have been working together for a while but this may be their coolest collab yet.
They call this new sneaker the ‘LXX ZIP Lapis’, based on Nike’s flagship Air Force 1 model.
For reference, the word ‘Lapis’ stands for Lapis Lazuli, a semi-precious stone valued for its deep, intense blue color.
The blue leather on the Serena Williams sneakers is decorated with debossed floral patterns and golden touches for the zippers.
They ‘only’ cost $140 but good luck finding them at retail.
Honorable mention: Crocs x Balenciaga – $500+
These aren’t sneakers, but we couldn’t go without giving them an honorable mention.
Balenciaga teamed up with Crocs once again and this might be their craziest collab ever.
Crafted from rubber, the shoe features a four-inch wedge and is dressed in black, white and grey camouflage.
The price?
Balenciaga and Crocs remain cryptic but based on other collabs from the two brands, you can expect a $500+ price tag.
You can find out more about the Balenciaga x Crocs collab here.
