At SoleSavy, we know your IG feed is already flooded with sneakers getting a lot of attention in the new year. 2020 is looking strong, and we thought it would be smart to get our ducks in a row and present a select number of the shoes we feel you should be most excited for. Some have solid release dates, while others remain rumors for now and it all kicks off this week with NBA All-Star drops.
By Jesse Carr
Jordan “New Beginnings” Pack
Feb 12
With Chicago as the destination for the 2020 NBA All-Star game, it’s only right that Jordan Brand usher in some special releases. The Jordan “New Beginnings” pack features a white and red PE model of the elusive Air Ship and a new 1985 inspired Air Jordan 1 High OG. Jordan wore both these models during games, but they have never been released before. The Air Ship is a lesser-known model that Jordan wore a PE version of in 1984 before he got his signature shoe from the crew in Beaverton. A famous anecdote about the white and red pair he wore goes like this: a ball boy was enamored with Jordan’s shoes, so MJ signed them and gifted them on the spot. That same pair sold for $71,000 at auction years later. Set at a much more reasonable $350 USD retail price, this pack promises to be one of the most anticipated of the year and is rumored to be extremely limited.
Off-White™ Air Jordan 5 – Feb 15
Virgil Abloh, a Chicago area native, has an Off-White™ Air Jordan 5 set for an All-Star weekend release. The 8×8 collection features eight Chi-Town collaborators and gave them a collection of Jordan Brand products. Virgil used the Black Metallic iteration of the 5th MJ model and added a lighter colored synthetic material and holes to bring his abstract vision of “air” to life. It gets the OW treatment with slimmed-down collars, 3M tongues, translucent TPE pods, “NIKE AIR” heel branding, yellowed outsoles, and black zip ties. Retail for this reimagined Air Jordan 5 is set at $225 USD.
UNION x Air Jordan 4 – TBD
When the Union Air Jordan 1 collaboration was unveiled, we were all floored. How could we not be? The perfect blend of classic and new made the sneaker an instant classic. So what if Union owner Chris Gibbs decided to apply his eye for design to the Air Jordan 4? Recently, the official Union Los Angeles Twitter account Tweeted out the original Tinker Hatfield AJ4 sketch, adding more fuel to the rumors that this dream collab may be on its way. Fall 2020 can’t come soon enough.
Yeezy Basketball Quantum – Feb 16 / Fall 2020
After reshaping athleisure sneaker trends with his Yeezy releases, Kanye West is now making good on his promise to get a Yeezy model on the basketball court. After a sighting at a UCLA pickup game in 2017, we’ve been hearing whispers of a Yeezy ball shoe release, and it looks like it will launch in the Spring. Rumors of the shoe being banned from the NBA for its distracting amount of reflective material have seemingly not deterred designers from placing the material on the shoe’s upper in striped form. A knit upper is mixed with translucent swirls that sit over the reflective material, all set atop a Boost cushioning with a semi-translucent wrap and a TPU overlay on the heel. Starting off as a Chicago exclusive during All-Star, the Quantum will see a worldwide release in Fall 2020.
Off-White™ Air Jordan 1 “Canary Yellow” – TBD
A standout model that made its debut at Virgil Abloh’s“Figures of Speech” exhibition at MCA Chicago, the Off-White Air Jordan 1 saw another exciting colorway in “Canary Yellow.” At first, many wondered why the model never released, but after skater Eric Arteaga was seen in a video with the pair, rumors began to swirl. Even though there is no official release date set for 2020, we can speculate that the model may see the light of day sometime this year.
Dior Air Jordan 1 – July 2020
The Dior grey and white Air Jordan 1 High made its debut during Art Basel in December and a low version was unveiled shortly after. The high fashion house uses white leather as its base, Dior grey overlays, a classic white midsole, and a translucent outsole with Dior branding beneath. The undeniable highlight of the model is the eponymous Dior monogram on the Swoosh and subtle pattern on the tongue. Dior Air branding hits the woven tongue tag and the Wings logo on the collar of the high top, while Dior silver lace tips add another luxe touch. Recent photos also show co-branded hardware and accessories. Slated for April, both pairs are rumored to retail at a whopping $2000 USD each.
New Basketball Signature Shoes – TBD
With Luka Doncic dominating the NBA in only his second season and #1 overall pick Zion Williamson’s long awaited debut looking promising, Jordan Brand looks to have a bright future ahead. Since signing with the Jumpman, Luka has worn multiple Jordan Brand models, including the Air Jordan 34 mid, low, and Diamond. It remains to be seen whether Jordan Brand has a signature model in mind for this year, but that prospect and his international appeal has us intrigued.
Zion, on the other hand, received a reported 5 year, $75 USD million contract shortly after the ink dried on his NBA contract with New Orleans. He’s been wearing a PE “Bayou Boys” Jordan 34 thus far, complete with gator details and custom detailing. With a breakout return to the hardwood, chances are that we will be seeing Zion’s signature model sooner than later.
Travis Scott Nike Dunk Low SB – Late February
After a banner 2019, Travis is at it again with a Nike SB Dunk Low rumored to drop at the end of February. This pattern-heavy Dunk has a navy paisley bandana print overlaid atop tan leather with a plaid pattern on the midfoot panels. Mismatched Swooshes will hit each shoe as well, with navy on the lateral and pink on the medial. Early photos also show a new multi-colored SB box. Expect more details to be revealed as we near the rumored release date.
Sacai VaporFly – Fall 2020
Japan’s Sacai brand shook the sneaker world with their multilayered LD Waffle and Blazer releases in 2019. The brand is back it with recent shots from Paris Fashion Week showing multiple colorways of the forthcoming VaporFly SP. Again using layering and collision of silhouettes as the ethos, the sneaker mashes up the Pegasus and the VaporFly over an elevated sole. The early comparisons to the Balenciaga Triple-S seem unavoidable, but given the popularity of the LD Waffle, the shoe will undoubtedly make waves when it drops in the Fall.
Travis Scott Nike React 270 – May 2020
Previously tackling classics like the Air Force 1, the Air Jordan 1, Air Jordan 4, and Air Jordan 6, Travis Scott is now lending his design cues to a recent Nike model: the React 270. The silhouette has been reimagined with a decayed coloring on the sole and glue stains that bleed onto the upper. New swirling panels and a smaller Swoosh hit the upper on a colorway that leans on earth tones and portions that appear weathered. A lace toggle appears on the tongue tab, while the rear heel grab features Cactus Jack branding. Though this version of the 270 doesn’t have the early hype of his other models, this shoe is sure to crash websites on its early March release date.
