These Are the 10 Coolest Sneakers of the Week
4:47 PMBY . SALEM MAGHERBI
If you haven't already had your company holiday party, now's the perfect time to get laced up. There are sophisticated winter-themed sneakers popping up all over the place, from a piney Nike Flyknit Racer and a denim suede Greats Royale all the way to a burgundy velvet creeper from Rihanna and Puma (plus many more). Also, the Air Jordan 11 "Space Jam" is finally back! Even if you have your mistletoe partner locked up, the pairs releasing this week are sure to get you a couple extra glances at whatever party you find yourself attending.
1-NIKE SF-AF1 "COMPLEXCON"
$165, rise45.com
2-PUMA X RIHANNA FENTY VELVET AND SUEDE CREEPERS
The latest release in the ongoing collaboration between Rihanna and Puma, these Fenty Creepers come in velvet and hairy suedes for the holidays. Few materials are as archetypically Christmas as burgundy velvet, so the all-over treatment on these unique sneakers is very timely. You'll also find tonal grey and black suede pairs alongside the velvets. Rihanna's name being on these sneakers should give you no hesitation about who is "allowed" to wear these. Men, women, children—everyone can lace up.
$150, rise45.com
3-GREATS ROYALE "JEAN SUEDE"
Paying homage heavyweight denim, the rich blue suede that Greats has covered its Royale sneaker with makes for a casual take on the Italian handmade sneaker. If you want something perfect for kicking your feet up while all the holiday hustle and bustle swarms around you, these are the right choice. Well constructed and affordable, they display just the right amount of laissez-faire while remaining clean and classic.
$140, finishline.com
5-PUMA X DIAMOND SUPPLY SUEDE
Nicky Diamonds brings his collaborative mind to Puma, where he's created four different sneakers inspired by Diamond Supply's go-to colors and textures. The first one, a Clyde, dropped a few weeks ago. But this weekend sees the release of a trio of skater-friendly Suedes. The classic sneaker has been updated with elastic under the tongue, vents on the vamp, mesh on the collar, and a few other changes to make this the perfect contemporary skate sneaker. These are available this week exclusively through Diamond Supply, and widely available next week.
$120, diamondsupplyco.com
6-ADIDAS X PHARRELL WILLIAMS JACQUARD PACK 2.0
Back when Pharrell Williams teamed up with Adidas on a duo of Stan Smiths made from unique woven jacquard fabrics, the streets were quick to criticize. They were both flashy and baroque—but, like, literally. Then release day came and they sold out in a flash. This weekend brings us round two, using the same fabrics in the same colors, but this time in a higher silhouette. This Stan Smith reaches over the ankle, updating the delicate sneakers for wilder weather.
$220, adidas.com
7-DIADORA X BEAMS N9000
Celebrated Japanese retailer Beams is currently marking its 40th Anniversary and has teamed up with Diadora to help do it. This collaborative take on the N9000 features orange all over±the corporate color for Beams—as well as leather, wool, and looped yarn traditionally seen on the letters of Varsity Jackets. The sneakers are super limited—they only made 200 pairs—and are only available through the Harajuku brick-and-mortar store. Which means you probably can't get a pari. But it's a cool sneaker to keep on your radar to see what else is going on in the world.
¥ 23,000, beams.co.jp
8-DIADORA X LAMJC "ALL GONE 2011"
Every year LaMJC's "All Gone" acts as something like a yearbook for all the greatest streetwear releases and moments from that year. The publication of the book is hotly anticipated and each becomes a collector's item for the most serious of streetwear and sneaker heads. This year LaMJC has teamed up with Italian sneaker brand Diadora to give a representation of each book in the form of a sneaker. Every pair's design reflects the cover of the year in question and this week's celebrates the "All Gone" from 2011, the one covered in leopard print.
€141.67, club75.fr
9-NIKE KYRIE 2 "WHAT THE" NORTH AMERICA
Nike's ongoing "What The" sneakers are always hotly anticipated. Typically the Swoosh combines all the favorite colorways of a particular silhouette onto one pair of sneakers in a neck-breaking mishmash of colors, materials, and textures, creating a sneaker only a mother could love. This time it looks like Nike has departed from the hard tradition, instead focusing on textural shifts in the "What The" Kyrie 2. The upper is almost entirely white, bringing color references to the lining, and whispers of favorite colorways in the topography of the sneaker.
$120, nike.com
10-NIKE KYRIE 2 "WHAT THE" OVERSEAS
Unlike the white version of this shoe, the Overseas take on the Kyrie 2 "What The" is going to be harder to get because—you guessed it—it's only available overseas. We can't even give you a link to buy these because they're locked based on your geolocation. But we thought you should get to see these very dope, minty sneakers even if getting your hands on them is going to be a chore.
$120 nike.com
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