The Big Dance is readying itself for the Sweet 16 after a weekend of chaos and bracket-busting. While Thursday can't come soon enough, the footwear industry is sure to keep sneakerheads busy in the meantime. The usual suspects of Nike, Jordan Brand and adidas are back with exciting releases as New Balance, Vans, Crocs, Reebok and PUMA are set to join in on the fun as well. However, before we give you the complete rundown of this week's best drops, let's take a look at what headlines surfaced in the sneaker space across the last seven days.
On the feature front, we connected with photographer Cam Hicks to dive into his upcoming collaboration with Reebok on the BB4000 II -- touching on the importance of young creatives' intellectual property, the shoe's inspiration and more.
Pivoting to the regular slate of news, Nike's third-quarter earnings call notably included news that the brand would be scaling back its production of its largest lifestyle franchises, including the Air Force 1, in favor of making room for "newness." As for its key releases, COMME des GARÇONS HOMME PLUS' Nike ACG Mountain Fly 2 Low finally hit shelves while two exciting Nike SB teasers were shared -- offering first looks at the VERDY x Nike SB Ishod 2 "VISTY" and There Skateboards' Nike SB Dunk Low. Two new iterations of the Air Max Plus appeared as well -- the soccer-inspired Air Max Plus Tiempo and the trail-ready Air Max Plus Hiker. Looking to Jordan Brand, official imagery of the Air Jordan 4 "Vivid Sulfur" surfaced alongside an initial preview of the Air Jordan 1 High OG "First in Flight."
Elsewhere in the industry, the adidas YEEZY line continued to release its remaining inventory as three YEEZY SLIDE colorways landed on shelves. Salomon made noise with a slip-on silhouette of its own, introducing the RX Marie Jeanne as a Mary Jane version of its RX Recovery Slide. Lastly, Dungeons & Dragons has a collaborative capsule with Converse on the way in celebration of the role-playing game's 50th anniversary.
Now that you're up to speed with the latest and greatest from the footwear industry, let's dive into which ten sneakers you should have on your radar this week. Afterwards, don't forget to hit up HBX to shop styles that are available now.
Nike Air Max Dn
Release Date: March 26
Release Price: $160 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: The 10th anniversary of Air Max Day is upon us, and with that, another Air Max silhouette is here. Initially introduced via a Supreme collaboration that flew off of shelves, the Air Max Dn is now releasing in 10 different colorways for its in-line debut. Backed by Dynamic Air that is spread throughout the four-tubed Air unit, the new silhouette has been prepared in a range of colorways that include everything from summer-ready pastels to sleek all-black compositions.
Nike Air Max 1 ‘86 “Air Max Day”
Release Date: March 26
Release Price: $160 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: For Nike’s initial celebration of Air Max Day in 2014, it assembled a special rendition of its OG “Sport Red” colorway of the Air Max 1 with a “Volt”-colored midsole and the holiday’s “3.26” motif at the tongue. 10 years later, it has replicated the look with the “Sport Blue” iteration spread across the Air Max 1 ‘86 and the aforementioned celebratory detailing, making it the perfect pair to commemorate the holiday this year.
JJJJound x adidas Samba
Release Date: March 27
Release Price: $250 USD
Where to Buy: adidas and JJJJound
Why You Should Cop: A leaked look at a JJJJound-branded adidas Samba took the sneaker world by storm back in November of 2022. As time passed, we began to wonder if the project would ever see the light of day. After additional previews surfaced this year, it’s finally time for the high-powered duo to make their debut. Utilizing the classic white and black colorways of the Samba, each pair has been carefully elevated with premium made in Germany production backing its build. Both looks feature golden JJJJound branding at the lateral while the lining has a new mustard finish. The white iteration is set to be made available via adidas while the black pair will hit shelves via JJJJound on the same day.
HICKS x Reebok BB4000 II
Release Date: March 27
Release Price: $150 USD
Where to Buy: HICKS
Why You Should Cop: Photographer Cam Hicks has captured the essence of countless brands, teaming up with everyone from Louis Vuitton to Stone Island. Now, it’s his time to lend his eye for design to sneakers as he’s assembled his own take on Reebok’s BB4000 II silhouette via his eponymous HICKS label. Applying his signature turquoise hue to the sneaker, he opted to combine it with orange for striking contrast across the primarily-white sneaker.
New Balance MADE in USA 990v4
Release Date: March 28
Release Price: $210 USD
Where to Buy: New Balance
Why You Should Cop: Teddy Santis, while still directing his label Aimé Leon Dore, continues to provide New Balance's MADE in USA line with carefully-crafted colorways of its key lifestyle models. For the second drop of the division’s seasonal collection, the 990v4 has been assembled with two new finishes -- an “Arctic Grey” and a “Macadamia Nut.” Both pairs contrast their light uppers with black sole units, while carrying a mixed material composition of mesh, nubuck and suede.
Vans AVE 2.0
Release Date: March 28
Release Price: $130 USD
Where to Buy: Vans
Why You Should Cop: 45-year-old skate star Anthony “AVE” Van Engelen has reconnected with Vans Skateboarding to introduce his second signature shoe, putting the brand’s most advanced technology to the test. Featuring a lightweight knit upper, the silhouette is designed with durability in mind -- toggling between different densities in the knit at key points of impact. Suede vamps combine with an external TPU heel cage for lockdown while ensuring that ample comfort and breathability remain present. Underneath the hood, its UltimateWaffle-backed sole unit brings forth cushioning and proper traction for feeling one’s board.
A Ma Maniére x Jordan Air Ship “Green Stone”
Release Date: March 29
Release Price: $140 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: In case you weren’t able to get your hands on a pair last week, A Ma Maniére and Jordan Brand are back with the second release of their third collaboration featuring the Air Ship. Arriving in a suede-equipped “Green Stone,” white and green combine with a yellowed midsole and an off-white tongue for a retro aesthetic that harkens back to the silhouette’s debut in 1984.
CLOT x Crocs Classic Clog
Release Date: March 29
Release Price: $80 USD
Where to Buy: JUICE
Why You Should Cop: Edison Chen and Kevin Poon’s CLOT is known for collaborating with a wide variety of brands, however, it only recently left Nike to expand its scope for footwear projects with other brands. Teaming up with Crocs for the first time, the duo has assembled some out-of-this-world takes on the Classic Clog. Presented with various alien-themed Jibbitz, the two general release pairs offer customizable looks for all to enjoy.
PUMA MB.03 “Iridescent”
Release Date: March 29
Release Price: $125 USD
Where to Buy: PUMA
Why You Should Cop: LaMelo Ball has been plagued with injuries throughout the beginning of his exciting NBA career. However, it hasn’t slowed down his off-court output as he and PUMA Hoops continue to churn out new iterations of court-ready kicks from his signature shoe line. Introducing the MB.03 this season, its latest look sees an “Iridescent” finish applied to this pearly-white colorway.
Air Jordan 1 High OG Craft “Ivory”
Release Date: March 30
Release Price: $180 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: After releasing the Air Jordan 3 Craft “Ivory” at the start of the year, Jordan Brand is set to expand the colorway’s usage by utilizing it across the Air Jordan 1 High OG. Its build begins with a gray suede that covers a majority of the upper. From there, a heavy canvas adorns the Swooshes, heel counter and collar overlay in off-white, matching the stitched sole unit that carries a touch of speckles throughout its midsole.
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