January is usually a big month for sneakerheads as every titan of the game seeks to set the tone for the upcoming year. It can also result in plenty of leaks as rumours of new collections begin to come to surface and luckily 2021 is no exception.
From inventive reinterpretations of classic grails to never before seen silhouettes, the stage is set for this year to be another good one for trainer releases and we’ll be sure to keep you posted with our monthly list of Top Tier Trainers. Check out the first wave of cold trainers dropping in 2021 in the January round-up below!
7th January – Nike Air Max 90 M2Z2 Black Electric Green
The new Air Max 90 is the latest progression of Nike’s transition toward being a more sustainably conscious organization. Following on from the success of the Nike Space Hippie, the Air Max 90 will comprise largely of upcycled black and neon rubber. It will also feature Nikes new signature ‘Grind’ sole design. It is clear that Nike hopes to draw wider interest in its eco-friendly range by initiating a larger array of its classic silhouettes into the ‘Grind’ collection.
8th January – Air Force 1 ‘Raygun’
Since it first graced an SB Dunk back in 2005, the ‘Raygun’ colourway has been a firm favorite amongst fans that idolise the NBA career of Vince Carter. The sleek stitched red and gold design features the crest of the fictional ABA team, ‘The Roswell Rayguns’, that starred in a series of Nike commercials. During his record breaking 22 year career, Vince Carter became synonymous with gravity defying dunks both as a New Jersey Net and as a ‘Rosweld Raygun’.
This is the first time the colourway will adorn an AF1 Low since the design was created during the pink box era of SB Dunks.
14th January – Nike Dunk Low Retro In Black/White
Nearly identical to its predecessor, the reintroduction of the monochrome Nike Dunk Low pays homage to the simplicity of the 2008 OG. Dropping alongside the Syracuse & UNLV renditions, this Black and White version boasts a white smooth leather casing with black highlight and a two tone tongue design that contrasts its blacked out laces. January 21st is set to be a busy one for those running the Nike SNKRS app.
16th January – Air Jordan 1 High OG “Volt Gold”
2020 was full of well-received Air Jordan 1 colourways and the guys at Jordan look to continue that success this year with the “Volt Gold”. This trainer is made up of White, Volt, University Gold, and Black and put a colourful spin on the classic Jordan model. Given the increasing popularity of Air 1s in recent years, we can expect this shoe to also be an instant hit.
21st January – PG 5
Despite falling short in his attempts to play the Lakers in an all LA Western conference finals, this year is starting on a high note for NBA superstar Paul George. ‘Playoff’ Paul will no doubt become ‘Payoff’ Paul once these cold black and gold flyknits drop on January 21st.
23rd January – Yeezy Boost 700 “Sun”
Reinvention has been the buzzword of the moment at Yeezy HQ. Since the warm reception of the Yeezy 350 v2 Beluga back in 2016, Yeezy has been constantly transforming its flagship lineup of silhouettes. Usually this metamorphosis involves the addition of some new wacky texture or unexpected hue.
However, now it seems as if this seminal partnership in sneaker history will be going back to basics with an unchanged Yeezy Boost 700 shape.
This release is reminiscent of the old “Wave Runner” textures. Yet it showcases a brand new “Sun” colourway of titular orange, floral yellow and deep sea blue. Coming in at an eye watering £220, this unique release is certain to do big numbers.
28th January – Air Jordan 4 “Taupe Haze”
2020 saw the Jordan 4 return to its roots. The classic design dawned some of its most iconic colourways from its storied 33 year history. So far, the full roster of Jordan 4 2021 releases are yet to be revealed by Nike. However, this taupe tonal non-leather rendition of the iconic silhouette is a sight for sore eyes.
It features a mesh window, collared lining, heel panels and a smokey grey tongue and body that could easily fit into an Astroworld collaboration.
January 30th – Customizable Nike Air Force 1/1
Dubbed the ‘1/1’, this new AF1 design is a sought after edition of the classic silhouette. This is due to the removable and interchangeable overlays that come with the each pair. The Christmas colourway contrasts ‘Chile’ & ‘Pine’ leather and a Velcro removable tick on a black and red base layer.
TBC (Rumored) – BAPE x Adidas Superstar 80
The closing chapter of Adidas year-long anniversary celebration of the original Superstar release is finally upon us. This last installation of Superstar’s sees Adidas collaborate with Japan based label A Bathing Ape to drop a cold camo infused interpretation. Drawing inspiration from the original hard leather shell toe, BAPE offers us a matte black suede texture and shimmering gold take on the signature 3 stripes.
So far, no release date has been officially confirmed. However, rumor has it that these will be flying off the shelves from January 23rd onward.