The Best and Worst Things in Sneakers This August

Riley Jones, News Editor

Usually, when a brand or retailer oversells on a limited product, you’re shit out of luck. The tease of thinking you got the sneakers and waiting for days only to find out the order was canceled can be straight up heartbreaking. So for a brand to go out of its way to try to make things right, that really left me with more of an optimistic feeling. In this case, a Reddit user named Abrar Lone tried to get the Sean Wotherspoon Air Maxes from Nike’s UK SNEAKERS restock. Ultimately, Nike was unable to fulfill his order, but rather than simply send a canned email with a small promo code, the brand offered to replace the shoes with the white Off-White x Nike Air Prestos—a more-than-worthy consolation prize in my opinion. 

Matt Welty, Complex Sneakers

The first time I went to jail for football violence I was wearing a pistachio-colored CP Company jacket and a pair of the blue Adidas Munchen SPZL with black stripes. The two brands have been worn by people who like to go to a match and kick each other's heads in since the ‘80s, but they finally worked together this year on the most logical, and possibly anticipated, collaboration ever. I got the CP Company x Adidas goggle jacket and Kamandas that were gifted to friends and family early this year, but was more excited about the shoes that were released this past week, mainly the red suede Tobacco. They sold out instantly in Europe, but I was able to grab a pair from Need Supply Co. the next day. I bet Zac that they would sell out. He owes me a pork chop sandwich. Zac doesn’t eat meat, so joke’s on him. And I got the shoes.

Zac Dubasik, Managing Editor

Nike loves to tell us they are about athletes and innovation above all, but so much of the brand’s heat comes from entertainers and fashion these days that it can be hard to take it at its word. But these seemingly clashing directions don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Once upon a time, performance gear was fashion. We care about sneakers like the Air Jordan 3 because MJ wore them on court. That’s what makes Virgil Abloh’s latest Nike collaboration significant on a higher level than his past work, despite not having as much hype. Integrating his vision into performance product that’s going to be worn at a sport’s highest level gives the partnership significance that goes beyond Instagram, and has the potential to be a part of the record books. And there’s no better muse for that vision than one of the era’s most dominate athletes—Serena Williams. As Williams competes for a record-breaking 24th singles Grand Slam title, she’s also helping to bring a project full circle for her sponsor and one of its most important partners. It’s hard to think of a more fitting athlete for the job.

Brandon Richard, Senior Writer

Urged to "shut up and dribble" by his detractors, LeBron James continues to do exactly the opposite, regularly using his platform to speak out against the injustices imposed on the African American community. During a game against the Washington Wizards in D.C. on Dec. 17, 2017, James took the court in mismatched black and white Nike LeBron 15s featuring the word "Equality" embroidered in gold across the heels. The shoes were worn in the nation's capital as a not-so-subtle message to Donald Trump and those who reinforce his bigoted rhetoric. At the top of this month, it was announced that the exact game-worn pair will be on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture this fall. Additionally, 59 students from across the country were selected to travel to the museum for the announcement, all while James was in his hometown of Akron opening a school. A man with lofty business aspirations, James doesn't let the fear of backlash stand in the way of what he believes is his duty to the millions of fans, particularly children, across the globe who value his voice. We are all witnesses to his piece of history, which is officially being recognized by one of the world's most prestigious museums.