With Copenhagen Fashion Week officially commencing, fashion-hungry sneakerheads now have plenty to look forward to when it comes to spotting new sneakers on the runway and FROW. But before that, there’s a slew of new drops to be aware of over the next seven days thanks to Nike, Jordan Brand, ASICS, New Balance, and more. However, before we run into what’s coming over the next week, let’s take a look at what’s dominated the headlines recently.
On the feature front, Hypebeast spoke with London-based designer Feng Chen Wang about her brand-new Converse Chuck 70 2-in-1 creation, while the team also sat down with Jae Tips to talk about his third Saucony collaboration.
As for the news, readers were treated to a first look at the Nike Air Force 1 “Year of the Dragon,” and the Swoosh also unveiled an all-new Jordan Low in “Sail/Coconut Milk.” Elsewhere, the women’s exclusive Air Jordan 2 Low surfaced in “Black/Varsity Red” and the Air Max 1 ’86 honored the great Jackie Robinson.
Outside of Nike, PUMA debuted its Suede XL sneakers, while New Balance offered a first look at the KAWHI 3. Rounding things out, AMIRI shared new details for its latest runner silhouette and three new versions of the New Balance 550 surfaced to keep people talking.
With all of footwear’s key news recapped, let’s run through 10 of this week’s best releases to be hitting stores worldwide. Afterward, don’t forget to hit up HBX to shop styles that can be purchased today.
Converse Chuck 70 De Luxe Squared Swarovski
Release Date: February 1
Release Price: $300 USD
Where to Buy: Converse
Why You Should Cop: Over the last few years, Converse has continued to experiment with its most iconic silhouettes. The sneaker brand has linked up with designers such as Feng Chen Wang and sports teams such as Liverpool FC and now, the brand has collaborated with Swarovski to introduce the Chuck 70 De Luxe Squared. The high-top has transformed its rubber toecap into an angular, squared appearance, while its nuanced details reflect the classic DNA of the Chuck Taylor. Of course, the sneaker wouldn’t be a Swarovski one without crystals — and the shoe is hit with 1,300 of them, providing a stark contrast to the upper.
ASICS GEL-Quantum Kinetic
Release Date: February 1
Release Price: $250 USD
Where to Buy: ASICS
Why You Should Cop: Following the presentation of its collaboration with Kiko Kostadinov, ASICS has continued to present silhouettes that lend themselves to a more luxurious approach. For example, its recent collab with C.P. Company offered a new approach to sport-meets-style and now the footwear brand’s latest sneaker — although, it’s not a collaboration — achieves the look of a luxury silhouette through its functionality and futuristic engineering. The shoe captures the heritage of ASICS’ classic running shoes and combines it with a GEL cushion outsole, while the three contrasting color schemes take on a look straight from the 2000s.
New Balance WRPD Runner “Magnet”
Release Date: February 1
Release Price: $150 USD
Where to Buy: New Balance
Why You Should Cop: The New Balance WRPD Runner is one of the footwear brand’s most uniquely conceptual designs to date. Its future-facing silhouette takes on a chunky approach, while it also appears streamlined to allow for more practical excursions. The shoe is now coming in an all-new “Magnet” colorway, featuring a durable black knitted base that sits alongside the “Magnet” overlays for an understated contrast. Customary branding also comes in the form of the “N” on the lateral sides, while the full-length FuelCell midsole is used to round off the design.
New Balance Black & Grey Made in USA Collection
Release Date: February 1
Release Price: Approx. $210 USD.
Where to Buy: New Balance
Why You Should Cop: Teddy Santis’ New Balance Made in USA collection has become one of the most in-demand sneaker lines on the market since it first became available in April 2021. Since Santis took the helm, the Queens-born designer has used classic New Balance silhouettes as a canvas for experimentation, using colors to his advantage to create some of the most eye-catching footwear designs of recent times. Now, Santis is unveiling one of his most understated collections to date, utilizing hues of grey and black across the 990v4, 990v6, and 998 silhouettes. Each shoe applies different shades to the leather, synthetic, and various suede textures alongside a slew of branding across the lateral sides, heel counters, and tongues.
Jordan Luka 2
Release Date: February 2
Release Price: $130 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Hot on the heels of presenting the Luka 2 “Tar Heels” player edition for UNC, Nike and Jordan Brand are continuing to unveil innovative, basketball-focused sneakers for some of the game’s most iconic hoopers. The Luka 2 is for Slovenian player Luka Doncic and his latest sneaker is soon to be available in a vibrant “Volt” color scheme. The design approach to the new pair looks to complement the way Luka plays on-court, offering enhanced stability on the heels for jumping and dribbling alongside opponents. The predominately black colorway is also hit with speckles of white, allowing the intricate pattern on the base to become the main point of attraction.
Air Jorda Mule Golf “Bred”
Release Date: February 2
Release Price: $110 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Jordan Brand has established itself as an innovative player in the golf industry. Leaning on Michael Jordan’s love for the sport, the umbrella’s latest edition comes in the form of the all-new slip-on mule. The sneaker takes inspiration from the classic Air Jordan 1 “Bred,” combining black, white, and “Varsity Red” to create a timeless look that’s reminiscent of the original Air Jordan 1. Now, prioritizing comfort for those aiming for the greens, the shoe loses its classic shoe strings and eyelets, while its durable full-leather build includes perforations alongside the Jumpman logos on the tongue labels and insoles. Rounding off the design, the shoe is hit with a white midsole.
Nike Dunk Low “Brazil”
Release Date: February 2
Release Price: $115 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Debuted in 2001 and last released in 2020, the Nike Dunk Low “Brazil” quickly became one of the Swoosh’s most sought-after designs during the Dunk’s early-decade heyday. Now, the sneaker is making an official comeback, paying homage to Brazil’s national flag with its color scheme. Design-wise, all is familiar: full-leather construction, mesh tongues, and inner lining taking on a vibrant combination of yellow and green Swooshes and overlays. Further Nike branding can then be spotted on the woven tongue labels, embroidered heel tabs, and insoles. Finishing off the design, white laces are used to match the midsole.
Nike Flyknit Haven
Release Date: February 3
Release Price: $120 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Nike continues to build a stellar range of mocassins, with a key highlight from 2023 coming in the form of the ACG MOC. Now, as the Swoosh looks to dominate 2024, the brand’s latest mocassin is the all-new Flyknit Haven. The shoe comes as one of the Swoosh’s most comfortable-looking (we’ll have to wait and see how it actually feels) designs of all time, with the puffy silhouette complemented by a pull string on the heel counter. The same technically-focused detailing is also applied to the upper, used for wearers to customize their fit. The rubber outsole is then hit with a melange of grooves throughout, used to give wearers enhanced grip on slippery surfaces — and ultimately, giving wearers a comfortable, outdoor-ready sneaker ready to be slid into.
Air Jordan 3 Retro Craft “Ivory”
Release Date: February 3
Release Price: $210 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: The Air Jordan 3 has become one of Jordan Brand’s most popular silhouettes, with the Swoosh using the sneaker to experiment through its “Reimagined” series and a slew of others. The “Craft” series is also a mainstay for Jordan lovers and the umbrella is now welcoming its latest addition in an “Ivory” colorway. The shoe’s main detailing is the tumbled leather that takes over the upper, while the perforations — that can be spotted on the collar — are complemented by the smooth leather mudguards and the suede overlays on the toe. Rounding off the design, Jordan Brand adds an “Ivory” midsole atop a semi-translucent rubber outsole.
Nike ACG Air Exploraid
Release Date: February 3
Release Price: $140 USD
Where to Buy: SNKRS
Why You Should Cop: Nike first introduced its ACG Air Exploraid as a classic trail running shoe in 1999. Now, the Swoosh is reintroducing the silhouette as part of Nike’s Spring 2024 collection, celebrating the shoe’s stand-out durability, grip, and comfort. As expected, this latest version of the ACG Exploraid is much more tailored for the modern day, with the neoprene inner bootie and mesh material taking over the forefoot’s midsole. Available in two colorways of white and “Ash Green,” the sneaker is finished off with customary ACG branding on the lateral side of the ankle and two-tone laces.
