After the recent release of the mid-1977 “Light Smoke Grey” and the mid-1977 “Chinese New Year”, Nike has released yet another elegant yet subtle timeless silhouette. While the latest mid-’77 Blazer resembles a “light smoky grey” iteration that sees a return to alternating 2021Sneakers squares, the Swooshes come in contrasting red and blue. The shoe is again based on white leather covered in suede, with black “Nike” lettering sitting on the heel. Rounding out the shoe is the classic beige rubber sole. This latest product is quite different from the original as it has a brand new construction. Instead of a blocky, oversized midsole unit, the Beaverton brand created the shoe with a canvas upper, plush suede overlays and various exposed stitching that almost exudes a blueprint style atmosphere. The oversized silhouette of the Swoosh logo is sewn into the side walls on the sides and the inside wall, but the former also provides a padded logo near the throat. Additional overlays are also added below the heel tab and on the lower heel that extends into the midsole, and the toe box features an added piece of lace looping to the outer end. Vintage pinwheels on the sockliner suggest these are made from recycled materials, and the speckled midsole and sole echo that intent.
Demna’s Balenciaga, as it is in Japan, has just released ménage à trois with Kanye West’s YEEZY GAP and has released a seasonal offering to celebrate Chinese New Year, New Drop Jordans and now it’s bringing another The Runner returns to the sneaker. So far, the runners have appeared in the aforementioned Chinese New Year colors, as well as black and white, metallic rainbow, pale pink, and of course the original colorway that came back last July. Now, Demna’s team has decorated the couple in high-definition tones. Balenciaga covered the leatherless sneaker with overlay panels of off-white, police blue, and emerald green with a black mesh base, giving the pair a chunky, early-2000s dad sneaker vibe. The grey mesh tongue features an embroidered Balenciaga graphic, while the tipex-style sizing remains white on the toe. On the heel, we find the Balenciaga name bigger, and the “runner” branding on the side midsole. As for the sole unit itself, it’s divided into six sections and made up of multiple outsoles, and finishing the look of the shoe is a small touch highlight from 3M.
Japanese designer Mikio Sakabe continues to explore the possibilities in the world of footwear with the launch of the latest Grounds collection, the Moopie,Asics Running Shoes which comes in two classic colourways and has just hit the shelves at the UJNG concept store in London. Following on from Grounds’ extensive SS21 collection and Walter Van Beirendonck’s collaboration, this new ribbon-cutting, Moopie. Like the “wearable jewelry” silhouette, the shoe’s focus and attention is on its sole unit, which is even more puffy and bulbous than before. For Moopie, there are five segmented sole units under the shoe that protrude from every angle, making it appear as if the sole unit has become its own entity. It bends, dives, looks like it’s swollen, and is completely separate from the clothing above, but in fact, the design is strategic because it supports the entire body when worn. As for the upper, Moopie is used in Grounds’ usual knitwear. Here, it’s available in black or white, and the knit upper sports an engineered pattern that provides structural support for an otherwise baggy one-piece look.