Following the reveal at New York Comic Con in October, a release date for Asics’ next anime collaboration has been locked in.

The “Bleach” x Asics GT-2160 “Ichigo” and Gel-NYC “Renji” will release just days after Christmas. The two colorways have been done up for their namesake characters, with Ichigo Kurosaki’s GT-2160 arriving in white, black, orange and red to match his uniform and hair color. His name appears in Japanese characters beneath the lateral collar, and the Soul Reaper mark appears on the heel.

Renji Abarai’s Gel-NYC is also modeled after his hair and uniform in red, black and gold, while his name appears in Japanese characters at the same place as its counterpart. On the heel, you’ll find mismatched symbols representing his 6th Division of the Goeti 13.

Anime collaborations are becoming more prolific in sneakers, as a “Demon Slayer” x Adidas capsule also made its debut at New York Comic Con before releasing in November. Crocs has taken to the medium quite strongly, as its anime collaborations include “Demon Slayer” and “Naruto”; and Asics collaborated with “Naruto” earlier this year as well with just 2,000 pairs of sneakers made available in the U.S.

The “Bleach” x Asics GT-2160 “Ichigo” and Gel-NYC “Renji” will release December 27 through Foot Locker and Champ Sports. Pricing for the GT-2160 is set at $165 and the Gel-NYC $145.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

With this year’s holiday Air Jordan 11 release just over a week away, Jordan Brand’s plans for next year’s festivities are already coming into focus.

The Air Jordan 11 “Gamma Blue” will become Jordan Brand’s annual AJ11 release in 2025, marking the first time the colorway has ever been brought back. Appearing almost entirely in black with the exception of its branding and translucent outsole, “Gamma” dropped in 2013 as just the second-ever non-original colorway for the Air Jordan 11 (the first being the all-white pair made for the 25th anniversary of Air Jordans in 2010).

Given how rare it was for Jordan Brand to mess with the Air Jordan 11 at the time, “Gamma” proved polarizing for sneakerheads when it hit stores just days before Christmas. That sort of preciousness is now very much a thing of the past, and the camp that rejoiced in the addition of “Gamma” should now be joined by an even bigger crowd anticipating the colorway’s return once again for the holidays.

News of the Air Jordan 11’s place in the holiday 2025 lineup comes from trusted leaker @zsneakerheadz, who also reported that the Air Jordan 11 “Black/Red/Grey” expected at the same time has been shelved. Although that brand-new colorway won’t see the light of day, another will with the Air Jordan 11 joining the “Rare Air” series that will also include the Air Jordan 1, Air Jordan 3 and Air Jordan 4.

The Air Jordan 11 “Gamma Blue” will release during the holiday 2025 season through the Snkrs app and select third-party retailers. Pricing has not yet been confirmed but should come in at the standard $230 price tag for the model, barring another price increase.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Lonzo Ball’s returned to the NBA court in October after missing more than 1,000 days and undergoing several knee surgeries including two transplants. And in a ESPN story profiling his recovery, Ball offered up the possibility that Big Baller Brand sneakers may have been the reason for knee issues plaguing his career.

“I think it’s a possibility for sure, to be honest with you,” Ball said of the possibility of BBB shoes causing his first meniscus tear as a rookie. “I wasn’t really getting hurt like that until I started wearing them.”

Ball first began playing in Big Baller Brand, the company started by his father LaVar Ball, in the 2017 NBA Summer League. “They were like kickball shoes,” the elder Ball brother said of the early pairs, which he’d ditch for the remainder of the competition. And even after Big Baller Brand secured a deal for Skechers to manufacture its sneakers, Ball wasn’t happy with those shoes he’d wear for his rookie season.

Upon entering the NBA, Ball revealed he wanted to wear Adidas but was manipulated into believing none of the major shoe brands were interested in securing his services — an unlikely prospect given he was the no. 2 overall draft pick.

Ball’s first sneaker, the BBB Z02, sold for $495 and was widely criticized at the onset for lacking in quality. He’d sever ties with the company, of which he was a majority owner, in 2019 because of concerns with co-founder Alan Foster’s criminal past and allegations of embezzlements. A month later the brand shuttered before relaunching in 2020.

LaMelo Ball, the youngest of the Ball brothers, signed with Puma during his rookie year and his seen his signature line, now up to four models, become one of the more popular in the league. His father, however, criticized the shoes as “raggedy” and suggested they caused his son’s recurring ankle injuries in comments that could read easily as projecting.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Following the premiere of the Netflix miniseries “Senna,” Asics has made a special edition of the Gel-Kayano 14 to commemorate Ayrton Senna.

The Ayrton Senna x Asics Gel-Kayano 14 “Lotus” and “McLaren” take after two of the Formula 1 cars driven by the late Brazillian legend. Black and gold dresses the pair inspired by the Lotus 97T and its John Player Special livery. “Seek Your Truth” appears on a lateral overlay beneath the collar, while green, yellow and blue carry over from the Brazilian flag and Senna’s famous helmet to hangtags affixed to the eyestay and the tongue tag.

White and red Marlboro livery from the McLaren MP4/4 then dresses the second Gel-Kayano 14, which features the same Brazilian detailing and the Japanese characters for “Ayrton Senna” replacing the “Seek Your Truth” wordmark.

Senna won three world championship titles and was the record-holder for most pole positions at 65 at the time of his passing. He died during injuries sustained in a crash at the 1994 San Marino Gran Prix, and safety reforms in response to his death helped prevent another fatality from occurring in Formula 1 until 2015.

Japan holds Senna in particularly high regard because of his place in the formation of the McLaren Honda team, which marked the Japanese automaker’s return to the sport following a 15-year hiatus.

“Senna,” a six-episode miniseries following the life of its namesake, premiered November 29. Although critical reviews have been mixed, it’s reached the no. 2 viewership spot in Brazil, where it was produced with an ambitious $170 million budget, and no. 6 worldwide.

The Ayrton Senna x Asics Gel-Kayano 14 “Lotus” and “McLaren” will release December 9 in Brazil before a worldwide launch December 10. Pricing for the sneakers has yet to be announced.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Paul Rodriguez took to Instagram Wednesday to tease the return of his landmark first signature sneaker.

The Nike SB P-Rod 1 Retro is widely expected to release in 2025 in celebration of the shoe’s 20th anniversary. Rodriguez, as well as his friend and internet personality Bear Degidio, shared a photo and video of the sneaker in its original white and black colorway from 2015. The same edition released again in 2015 for the first-ever P-Rod retro.

20 years after it began, the significance of P-Rod line cannot be overstated. The SB Dunk quickly helped Nike establish credibility in skateboarding after two previous attempts through lines that fell short of the mark, but securing P-Rod’s services as Nike SB’s first signature athlete represented a coup. Rodriguez, then only 20 years old, was already the sport’s most promising star when he signed in 2004, and his first X-Games gold medal that year followed by another in 2005 realized that potential.

Rodriguez would eventually go on to join an elite club of athletes to reach ten signature shoes from Nike, and by the time that happened Nike SB’s credibility in skateboarding had no longer been questioned in some time. Some even accused Rodriguez of selling out initially, but the later addition of Eric Koston and Steve Janoski, the namesake of another icon in the SB Janoski, helped dispel such notions as well.

Legendary designer Tinker Hatfield himself created the P-Rod 1, and he even threw in the Air Jordan 3’s signature elephant print for a colorway dubbed the “J-Rod.” On the tech front, the P-Rod 1 featured a cupsole for superior board feel bolstered by Zoom Air cushioning.

The Nike SB P-Rod 1 in its original black and white colorway is expected to release in spring 2025, and it could come at the forefront of a wider push for the 20-year old model. Pricing will be set at $110. Footwear News will keep you abreast of any updates.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Ahead of the launch of his first signature sneaker in 2025, Converse is introducing its logo for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The budding superstar hand-drew the mark himself, and the mirrored no. 2 represents both his playing number and his dual presences on and off the court.

A press release for the logo reveal goes on to say: “This duality is a hallmark of Shai’s approach, as he effortlessly blends the worlds of sport and fashion to deliver something entirely novel, innovative, and aspirational. The use of the number two also embodies the concept of equilibrium. For Shai, this means balancing the demands of professional basketball with the creative freedom of art and design. His logo serves as a potent symbol of this delicate harmony.”

Gilgeous-Alexander’s logo went up on a billboard at midnight Thursday in his hometown of Toronto. On Thursday evening, the Raptors will host Gilgeous-Alexander and his Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

With the prospect of sneaker free agency looming, Converse announced in April that it had signed Gilgeous-Alexander to a contract extension that includes a signature model and an appointment as the creative director for Converse Basketball.

Late in the summer, the 26-year-old point guard designed a special edition of the Weapon, a model originally worn by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the ’80s. Gilgeous-Alexander also starred in the campaign for the model’s revival near the beginning of the year.

Gilgeous-Alexander has been a Converse athlete since 2020, and this season he’s been wearing the All Star BB Trilliant CX ahead of the debut of his own silhouette.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Women’s sports had a colossal presence at the 2024 FN Achievement Awards, as Billie Jean King, Angel Reese and Gabby Thomas all took the stage through the course of the night. And while presenting the award for Person of the Year to Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden, the elder superstar had a message for the new generation of athletes in attendance.

“I’d like you to think not only about your own sport, but all sports, especially women’s. And I hope that you take your sport with you, that you truly, truly not just win and compete but start thinking in the terms of we instead of I and really tee it up for future generations,” King said. “I want you to think way beyond yourself, way beyond your sport. But even within your sport, I want you to think about how much you can give back while you’re in it and afterwards to really make a difference beyond just performing. But we are performers, we are educators, and I just want you to think about ‘we’ instead of ‘I.'”

King went on to tout Gulden’s emphasis on placing the “we” over the “I,” and Gulden himself said that the award should be for Team of the Year rather than Person of the Year because of all the people involved at Adidas.

Angel Reese took home the award for Style Influencer of the Year, while Gabby Thomas introduced New Balance CEO Joe Preston to accept the award for Company of the Year.

During her speech, Reese teased her first signature sneaker from Reebok to come in 2026. “I’m 22 years old, I’m still figuring life out, but this is just the beginning,” Reese said.

King also called out a lesser known fact in that Adidas made her the first female athlete to get a signature sneaker in 1971.

“I played this guy, I don’t know if you know, in ’73 and I got to wear these shoes,” King said, referencing her famous “Battle of the Sexes” match win against Robby Riggs. “So it’s pretty awesome, since 90 million people watched my shoes running around. I’m very indebted to Adidas for being the first to do that for women in sports.”

Jackie Joyner-Kersee was also in attendance as a guest of Adidas.

For 38 years, the annual FN Achievement Awards — often called the “Shoe Oscars” — have celebrated the style stars, best brand stories, ardent philanthropists, emerging talents and industry veterans. The 2024 event is supported by sponsors Listrak, Marc Fisher, Nordstrom and Vibram. 

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Just like last year’s appearance while accepting the award for Samba as the Shoe of the Year, Adidas chief executive officer Bjørn Gulden couldn’t resist taking a shot at Nike again while receiving the 2024 FN Achievement Award for Person of the Year.

“As I said last year when Nike was here — they’re not here this year, which is funny; It was a joke, it was a joke — I said we had a lot in the pipeline,” Gulden said. “And when you have 75 years of history, you have a lot in the pipeline. So to the people in the US, Europe China, Mexico and wherever, they should have the prize.”

Prior to the jab at Adidas largest competitor, which drew laughs from the audience, Gulden shifted focus to the broader company.

“There shouldn’t be any award for person for the year because we all known in this industry it’s the team,” Gulden said. “It should be renamed Team of the Year.”

At last year’s award show, Gulden also garnered laughs when he said: “To the Nike people in the room, watch out. We have a lot in the pipeline… not a joke.”

Gulden was introduced by Billie Jean King, who honed in on his connection to soccer (or football) and said his superpower is “making us all want to buy more sneakers.

Since taking over as the CEO of Adidas in January 2023, Gulden as led a remarkable turnaround for the German footwear giant. Adidas has raised its guidance three times over the course of 2024, and in its most recently reported quarter, sales hit 6.44 billion euros (or $6.79 billion at current exchange), compared with 5.99 billion euros (or $6.31 billion) in the third quarter last year.

The reversal in sales under Gulden’s stewardship testifies to Adidas’ quickly renewed grasp of the zeitgeist following the high-profile exit of Kanye West. His award comes after the Samba was named Shoe of the Year at the 2023 FN Achievement Awards, and the Anthony Edwards 1 (or AE 1) has generated more buzz than any other basketball sneaker, debut or otherwise, in a number of years.

“Adidas’ turnaround stood out because they didn’t just navigate challenges. They set the tone for the industry,” said Martin Badour, president of Snipes USA, said in the FN story on Gulden’s award. “In a tough market, they leaned into innovation, stayed culturally relevant and delivered products that resonated with consumers, proving they’re always a step ahead.”

Snipes CEO Dennis Schröder added: “A strength of Bjørn Gulden is definitely his realistic and holistic perspective on the market. As a leader, he not only manages to keep up with the speed of the market but is regularly ahead of it, focusing on the right product and optimized supply chains. Bjørn sets the right impulses for success.”

For 38 years, the annual FN Achievement Awards — often called the “Shoe Oscars” — have celebrated the style stars, best brand stories, ardent philanthropists, emerging talents and industry veterans. The 2024 event is supported by sponsors Listrak, Marc Fisher, Nordstrom and Vibram. 

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

FNAA 2024 Red Carpet Arrivals Photos, Live Updates

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If you refer to the brown and green Timberland Field Boot as “Beef and Broccoli,” you have New Yorkers to thank for the term. And for the Euro Hiker, a new recipe is providing some Swedish flair courtesy of Sneakerstuff for its debut collaboration with the American boot maker.

The Sneakersnstuff x Timberland Euro Hiker “Meatballs and Mash” riffs on the classic by bringing a new color arrangement inspired by the Swedish staple of meatballs and mashed potatoes. Brown suede forms the boot’s overlays, while a creamy white is used for the nylon ripstop base. Sneakersnstuff then goes a step further than the obvious by adding green rope laces and a red heel tab in reference to lingonberries and pressed cucumber, two ingredients often used in Sweden for the dish.

SNS branding has been added to the right the collar, while dual-branding is used for the insole.

Timberland’s Euro Hiker dates back to 1998, when it was first made by pairing a traditional leather hiking silhouette with an EVA midsole more typically used for sneakers to provide comfort and agility. This development was influential in creating the category of “day hiking” boots.

The Sneakersnstuff x Timberland Euro Hiker “Meatballs and Mash” will release through a raffle open now through December 13 on Sneakernstuff’s app. Any pairs still available will then go up on Sneakernstuff’s website the following day. Pricing is set at $180.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy Era” isn’t over — at least when it comes to sneakers.

Following the release of his all-white Air Force 1 Low “Love You Forever” in 2022, the rapper is now adding color to the amorous sneaker to release alongside a restock of the original. “Citron” yellow and “Palest Purple” colorways will release next week with monochrome pastel looks.

Both colorways are rendered entirely in their namesake color, including through a translucent sole unit bearing “Love You Forever” in raised script on the midsole. The heel of the insole then takes on a metallic finish with Nocta branding, appearing in gold for the “Citron” edition” and silver for “Palest Purple.” Each also features two sets of laces with silver tips to match the eyelets, as well as friendship bracelet-style beads in either yellow or purple. Rounding out the flourishes is mismatched mustache branding with Nocta’s mark on the left heel.

Leaks have also indicated other pastel colorways are on the way, but no such images have surfaced yet.

The revival of Drake’s Air Force 1 Low comes after his Nocta Hot Step 2 silhouette debuted in the spring. Additional colorways for the Air Zoom Flight 95-inspired model have since followed, but Drake’s Nike Nocta line has been much more prolific on the apparel front. The musician is also expected to land an Air Max Plus collaboration in 2025.

Drake’s Nike x Nocta Air Force 1 Low in “Triple White,” “Citron” and “Palest Purple” will release December 11. Select third-party retailers have already confirmed the drop, with the Snkrs launch likely coordinated for the same time. Pricing is set at $160.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.