Air Jordan XX8 – Officially Unveiled

Sneaker News provided you with live access of the Air Jordan XX8 Launch Event earlier today (also on our Instagram page), but care to know the details and tech specs of this truly unique Air Jordan shoe? The super-sleek military-boot inspired modern design is backed with an intense package of technology such as the Jordan Flight Plate, which empowers the athlete with maximizes the responsiveness of Nike Zoom, and Dynamic Fit, which uses internal straps to wrap up from the midsole and integrate with the laces for supreme lockdown fit.

Designed by lead designer Tinker Hatfield and Jordan Brand Developer Josh Heard, the XX8 will release first on February 15th in Houston at the 2013 All-Star Game, then nationwide on the 16th, with a suggested retail price of $250. A full breakdown  from Jordan Brand and stay tuned to Sneaker News for the only coverage you’ll need on the Air Jordan XX8.

Vans Vault Priz Hi Lace II LX – Holiday 2012 Colorways

Even with today’s marketing savvy and continually compounding internet technology, no brand out there can claim the same kind of street cred as Vans.  Off the Wall are the original skateboarding footwear brand, have a certain amount of ‘authenticity’ built right into their most popular silhouette and even did a lengthy stint in the California state prison system.  A reimagined version of the silo that showed up behind bars in the 1970s and ’80s, the Vans Vault Priz Hi Lace II LX must have been lifting weights or something because it looks quite handsome in a mix of an uneven textile and Off the Wall’s favorite suede.  Red/brown and black pairs await your click below, then find them available at Vans Vault retailers next month.

Adidas Cancels 'Shackle' Shoe That Critics Say Evokes Slavery

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  Adidas has canceled plans to release a sneaker adorned with rubber fasteners after an image of the shoe posted on the Adidas Originals Facebook page ignited a firestorm of controversy. The photo of the shoes, dubbed JS Roundhouse Mids by the company, is captioned, "Tighten up your style with the JS Roundhouse Mids dropping in August. Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?"
  Critics, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, have called the $350 shoe racist and intensive, saying it evokes the era of slavery.
  "You have GOT to be KIDDING ME ! Shackles ?? Really ??" one Internet poster wrote.
  "Horrible," added another
  Criticism was not universal, however. The photo received nearly 38,000 likes on Facebook. But that was not enough to stop Adidas from canceling the shoe, which was expected to hit stores in mid-August.
  In a statement emailed to ABC News, Adidas defended the shoe and its designer, Jeremy Scott, saying, "Our collaboration with Jeremy Scott has always stood for creativity and originality. Jeremy Scott is renowned as a designer whose style is quirky and lighthearted and his previous shoe designs for adidas Originals have, for example, included panda heads and Mickey Mouse. The design of the JS Roundhouse Mid is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott's outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery."
  In the same statement, however, the company also apologized for the shoe, saying, "Since the shoe debuted on our adidas Originals Facebook page ahead of its market release in August, adidas has received both favorable and critical feedback. We apologize if people are offended by the design and we are withdrawing our plans to make them available in the marketplace."
  

  Designer Scott has said the shoes were inspired by a 1980s children's toy called My Pet Monster, which has similar shackles. "My work has always been inspired by cartoons, toys and my childhood," Scott told the Associated Press in a statement.

   

Air Jordan 1 Mid – White – Grey

If the Air Jordan 1 was released in this colorway, would Michael have been fined by the league for breaking team uniform policy? Can’t go wrong with all-white sneakers (in an era when all-white sneakers were the NBA norm), but Mike might not have even worn them since a White/Grey colorway was around during the AJ1′s original run. This snow-white pair of Mids comes with a unique textured leather on the upper – almost like a distressed animal skin – with a grey Air Jordan Wings logo on the upper. These are beginning to pop up at retailers overseas, so check out the gallery of images and we’ll give you an update regarding release information in the States.
Air Jordan 1 Mid
554724-100

Air Jordan 28 Unzipped

The most prominent design feature of the all-new Air Jordan XX8 is the zip-down construction that allows for a tight, bootie-like fit as well as a more casual, lower-cut stance when zipped down. This dual-personality of the XX8 allows the already versatile design to be both street and court ready, but what are your initial thoughts? Would you rock them off the court? Peep the extra shots below and stay tuned for more on the Air Jordan XX8 – Russell Westbrook’s wearing them tomorrow against the Nets.
Air Jordan XX8
555109-010
02/16/13
$250