Why Are Sneaker Collabs a Thing?

Well, sneaker collabs are a tale as old as time! Just kidding, there are different types of collabs, but we’re gonna exclude athlete endorsements. Why? Because we can’t really compare MJ’s Jordan Brand to current deals. The Jordan contract became its own brand, and JB is collaborating with other athletes. So our focus today will be on streetwear brands, artists, and sneaker store collaborations.

Anyway, sneaker collabs have many reasons to exist, especially that there are many parties involved. Sometimes, a collaboration happens simply because the collaborating side is a sneakerhead! Other times, sneaker collabs are means to draw new crowds or send a message. Be it empowerment, environmental causes, or simply a product campaign, they all work!

So, when smaller retailers benefit from a big company’s name like Nike or Adidas, it’s a win-win! The big brand will sell, and the smaller brand will reach a bigger audience. That sometimes launches the person/brand into a big career. Take Sean Wotherspoon for example, his Nike collab definitely gave him huge momentum in the industry!

How Do They Happen?

Our case study today will be Nike. So we know that there are Tier 0 stores that sell the most exclusive releases. Sometimes, Nike and that retailer collaborate on a store exclusive or anniversary release! That almost always gives us hype sneakers with a high resale value. Other times, it feels like a major publicity stunt, but it does its job, so no complaints. And by those, we mean collabs with mega-celebrities like Beyoncé and Travis Scott! Besides, a little more exposure never hurt anybody, right?

Sneaker Collabs in 2021

Well, let’s just say that 2021 is exceeding our expectations, a lot. I mean, why settle for 2-way sneaker collabs when you can have them go 3-way? In other words, the brand-celebrity mix is apparently getting less hype. We can notice that from the resale values of collabs like Nike x Off-White and Nike x Travis Scott.

So what’s the solution? To go big or go home! First, we get an LV x Nike collab which is lowkey just another Virgil Abloh creative project. Next up, Travis Scott, Fragment Design, and Jordan Brand line up for a bombshell Jordan 1! And speaking about it, the pair is dropping on July 29, 2021. And that’s not all, because Sacai is racking up not one, but three big sneaker collabs for 2021, allegedly.

Three Is the Charm for Sacai?

The first collab is Fragment x Sacai x Nike LD Waffle, and this collab will probably drop during summer 2021. The second is a very colorful KAWS x Sacai x Nike Blazer low, and we really dig it. The mismatched pair first appeared during Paris fashion week! We can expect the awesome pair to drop later in 2021. But stay tuned to our blog for some more in-depth info once we have it!

Finally, a very odd-looking collab is coming our way! Just when we thought LV is the only high-end fashion house on our list, we got this bomb. Jean Paul Gaultier, the luxury designer is the third party to a very interesting Sacai x Nike Vaporwaffle capsule. The kicks have that quilt-like deconstructed vibe. But then again, the French designer isn’t famous for his in-the-box designs, right?

The Future of Sneaker Collabs – Will People Buy?

Although some people are over sneaker collabs, some are just getting into the industry. And as long as there are new buyers, there will always be new partnerships around the corner. Moreover, collaborations are a vital part of the resale industry. Heck, sneaker collabs were actually a major player in the growth of the industry itself. Be it retail or resale! After all, Yeezys and Jordans themselves are actually a result of collaborative work!

But how does one cop exclusive sneaker collabs like this? Well, you gotta have the best sneaker bot around, along with the rest of the botting ingredients. And even bots have their own resale market thanks to sneaker collabs! You can read more about that right here. Good luck! 

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Louis Vuitton Nike – Is Creativity Recyclable?

If you’re a sneaker and streetwear veteran, then you probably know what we’re getting at. This is not the first time we get a high-end fashion x streetwear crossover. Remember back in 2000 when Louis Vuitton actually sent a cease and desist to Supreme for copying their trademark. And then bam! 17 years later, LV and Supreme started off with a clean slate and an astonishing collaboration. It’s interesting what almost two decades can do, isn’t it?

We Never Forgot About Dior’s Wings!

Just last year, the sneaker industry and fans of high-end fashion were all on the edge of their seats. From the 2019 announcement to the very interesting raffle system worldwide, the Air Dior collab was the talk of the town. A whole apparel collection dropped, with the very expensive low and high-top Air Jordan 1s! In fact, a pair of the highs resells for $15,000 on average, while the lows go for $9,000. Pretty hefty sum if you ask me, but hype is hype and you gotta play the game! And believe it or not, there are rumors of another similar collab, but it’s still words till now.

The New Louis Vuitton Nike Air Force 1 – Worth the Hype?

We all know how sometimes a name is the reason behind how much hype sneakers are actually hype. One of the main examples is Travis Scott’s collabs. I mean, some of the actual kicks aren’t really lookers, but their resale is pretty high! So, could this be happening with Virgil Abloh’s designs? We know that “the Ten” collection was astonishing and hyped af. But will his new 50 Dunks live up to expectations? Well, they would, but also dropping a Louis Vuitton Nike AF1 collection could be overkill. And they could be extremely hype, depending on who you ask!

 

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But what does the new Louis Vuitton Nike collab actually include? Naturally, a bucketload of Air Force 1s! And we must admit, they’re a pretty colorful bunch. In fact, some of them are so colorful they’re on the verge of tacky. But others are pretty interesting with Virgil’s usual signature of air quotes. The kicks are coming in a variety of colors like yellow, red, green, blue, and more. Oh and in a variety of materials too. As for release details, we still don’t have any, but we probably shouldn’t expect the kicks to drop before 2022.

How to Cop That Collab?

It’s kinda too early to discuss that, but despite not having release deets, odds are you’ll need a sneaker bot. You’ll then need some sneaker proxies and some more ingredients. But that’s a discussion we’ll have later, won’t we? But keep that in mind: the Louis Vuitton Nike AF1 collection will probably be worth your while in resale. And here’s where you can sell your kicks if you wanna make that resale job worth it. Good luck fam!

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50 Look-alike Off White Dunks?

Alright so, back when we said Virgil is losing his touch due to overwork, we certainly didn’t see this coming. And 2021 is certainly a year with so many potential releases! Although we knew about the 50 Off White Dunks collection, we weren’t really ready, but now we are. So, what does it have in store for us?

The 50 Off White Dunks are honestly pretty similar #2 through #49. They’re all grey and white with colorful laces, numbers, and zip ties. However, #1 is all-white while #50 is all-black! What’s different about everything in between 2 and 49 are the colors (obviously) and the material. So the materials play out like this:

• #1 – #10: Mix of leather and canvas
• #11 – #20: Mix of suede and leather
• #21 – #30: Mix of leather and canvas
• #31 – #40: Mix of suede and leather
• #41 – #50: Mix of leather and canvas

Release Deets

So there you go, the Off White Dunks will come in alternating accessory colors and materials! Exciting, isn’t it? You can catch the upcoming collab starting August 9, 2021. Apparently, Nike will roll out the kicks gradually through their SNKRS Exclusive Access. If you’re wondering how the exclusive access works, well Nike did a pretty great job explaining it themselves here! So you better have been pretty active on the SNKRS app because it might finally come in handy.

Now off to the money talk peeps! A pair of the Off White Dunks will retail for $150, which is a bit more expensive than your Dunk Lows. But the extra bucks will be totally worth it since you’ll be making about 10x that value in resale. The pair currently resells for $1,500 on average, pretty worth it huh? So if you’re thinking about getting into the reselling business, Off White kicks are always a good idea!

But It’s Not Only Off White Dunks!

Just as we get ready to welcome the new Dunk collab, rumors of another collaboration just surfaced! It features a low-top version of the iconic Air Jordan 2. Apparently, Virgil has been keeping busy lately! The kicks will come in two colorways, black and white, and will feature all the usual Off White-ish details. However, an added bonus is Michael Jordan’s signature on the upper! Finally, a controversial detail comes in the form of a weathered midsole when in fact it’s pretty new.

These pairs don’t have any release details so far, and when we do, you’ll be the first to know! Make sure you stay up to date on anything in the sneaker industry through our blog. And if you’re looking for a way to cop sneakers, make sure you check out our cooking guide. Good luck!

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Nike Off White Sneakers: What Went Down in 2020

Okay so, we can all agree that 2020 wasn’t a nice year, and that’s an understatement. The world economy generally took a hit, including the sneaker industry! Sneaker brands went through a hard time for a while but managed to go back up. They also took different initiatives to support different communities. But what happened with the Nike Off White sneakers specifically?

Well, we thought the new kicks lost some of the original collab charm (and value). But that turned out really wrong. The women’s Off White Jordan 4 Sail currently resells for $1,500 on average! The Dunks kinda flopped, but you could still consider them as a pass because they can still get you profit. Finally, the last pair of Off-Whites was the Jordan 5 in its sail iteration. You can flip the pair for around $600, that’s almost 3 times the retail! But after all this talking, how does 2021 fit in?

2021 Could Be a Glorious Year!

Now that a new year’s already in full gear, so are Virgil and Nike! We got a pretty awesome website that actually teases… upcoming releases? The Public Domain flexes all previous Nike Off White sneakers and apparently blurs out 7 new ones. One of these 7 pairs is the yellow Air Force 1! LeBron James kickstarted the pair during All-Star weekend with an exclusive dedication from Virgil himself. Could the pair possibly be dropping in 2021? We’ll wait and see! Oh and there’s another similar yellow Air Force 1 with black outsoles! We can’t wait for that release honestly.

All the Elusive Nike Off White Sneakers

Now that we got one down, we still got 6 more to go! And we have some pretty cool predictions that you’ll like too. First off, we got the very elusive Off-White Air Jordan 1 Canary Yellow. Yes, that one! The one we saw during Virgil’s exhibition and never again. We can tell that one of the blurred images is the kicks’ shadow! Could it be another sneaker rumor? But we got an actual website now, so who knows?

We also have two new Dunks! Now our guess would be that these are the light blue and orange pairs. We first saw these as F&F exclusives. They’re actually a three-way collab with the graffiti artist Futura! We first saw the pairs during Paris Fashion Week in 2019. That was before the release of the red, green, and yellow Dunks.

Off White Nike Flare 2

Well, seems like Nike Off White sneakers will cover different sports! Here we’ll apparently get two servings of tennis shoes. The kicks were PE exclusives to the queen Serena Williams. However, from the look of things, it seems like we’re gonna get a general release of the sneakers!

Nike Off White Sneakers: 50 More Dunks?

“The Ten” collection was a pretty big deal in the sneaker industry, it still is today. Maybe that’s what inspired the Swoosh and Virgil to make not 10, not 20, but FIFTY Nike Dunks. Rumor has it that the 50 kicks will be a play on a grey base. So we can say 50 shades of grey?

Although that would be a cool idea, it’s not new. And this looks like a recycling process more than an actually creative collaboration. But nevertheless, we’ll be buying if they turn out to be real! They’ll totally make a good section in your sneaker collection. And when, or if, the day comes and any of these sneakers drop, make sure you got a sneaker bot! NSB is an all-in-one bot that will make every release a bit easier for you. And speaking of sneaker releases, Jordan 5 Raging Bulls is dropping soon! With our new updates, NSB will make sure you run on release day as smoothly as ever. And naturally, do some professional cooking!

The post Nike Off White Sneakers: Will 2021 Be Our Lucky Year? first appeared on .

The OG Sneaker Designers

Although collaborations have dominated the sneaker scene for a while now, we should appreciate the OGs. Without the creators of the silhouettes, we would never enjoy all the amazing releases today. So let’s get on with our designer appreciation mission! 

Disclaimer: The designers we mentioned are the most famous, but we know that many more deserve to be on here too!

Peter Moore

The man behind some of the most famous silhouettes in the world: Air Jordan 1 and Nike Dunks! Initially, he sketched the Dunks and was going to call them “College Color Highs”. The design was inspired by the Air Jordan 1 and Nike Terminator. Which, ironically were designed by him! Peter Moore is also the brain behind the Jumpman design. So really, when we think of all the best classic Dunks and AJ1s, we should remember that he was behind them! Moreover, Moore was the creative director at Nike and took the same position in 1993 at Adidas. So when we say a fruitful career, Peter Moore should come to mind!

Tinker Hatfield

Now that’s another name sneakerheads should know by heart. He’s arguably one of the most legendary sneaker designers in the world. He not only designed the most iconic Jordan silhouettes, but he also helped create Nike’s shoe legacy. Some of the kicks he designed are Jordan 3 through 15, 20, 23, and 2010 to 30! But that’s not all, he also designed the Air Max 1 and brought the Air cushioning out for all to see. His portfolio also includes the Air Max 90 and the legendary Nike Air Mag, among many other silhouettes. What makes Tinker Hatfield’s designs stand out is the storytelling he does through them. He also shows the future through kicks. For example, who knew the Air Mags would actually be self-lacing years later? That’s the power of his designs.

Bruce Kilgore

Another name that made it to sneaker history books. Bruce Kilgor is one of the widely known sneaker designers in the sneaker industry. Why? Because he designed the Air Force 1 which is a staple in every sneakerhead’s closet. Moreover, he did the almost mythical Air Jordan 2. So if anyone deserves to be on that list, it would be him.

Designers and the Hype Game

In this category, we’re not limiting the list to sneaker designers. We’re going to talk about designers who, by adding their own touch, contributed to the hype game. They’re not exclusively sneaker designers or have their own silhouette. However, they took hype sneakers and exclusivity to new heights!

Kanye West

You didn’t think we’re going to do a list of sneaker designers and not mention Yeezus, did you? Kanye West not only influenced the sneaker industry, but he also made a huge impact on fashion generally. He first started out with Nike’s Air Yeezys, but after disagreeing on royalties, Kanye took the Adidas leap. Now if we should credit anything to Kanye, it’s his unwavering faith in himself. And this faith is contagious because he boosted Adidas’ shares with the partnership. Yeezy Boosts are some of the most famous silhouettes in the world. A person sees a Yeezy and just knows.

Virgil Abloh

The guy who, along with Mr. West, made sure streetwear gets the credit it deserves. However, his collaboration with Nike brought his name to the sneaker map. “The Ten” collection which included his iconic take on the Jordan 1. He went on and recreated some iconic sneakers later on, and they’re all worth a lot on the aftermarket. So whenever we hear there’s a Nike x Virgil release rumor, we brace ourselves. And 2021 seems to have several of those rumors. We’d also like to mention that Virgil Abloh is currently Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of men’s wear. Much to Kanye’s pain.

Chitose Abe

Although the sneaker industry has been mostly dominated by men, female representation made it there in recent years. And whenever we think about female sneaker designers, we must mention Chitose Abe and her brand Sacai. She brought to the industry a sense of customization. Her layered fashion apparel took a new form with Nike sneakers, and we love it. Moreover, she’s not only representing women, she’s also representing a new generation of Japanese designers. And as far as we know them, they bring innovation wherever they go.

Hiroshi Fujiwara

Aka, the godfather of streetwear. The man is of many talents, from music to streetwear. And along that line, he managed to make it as one of the cooler sneaker designers. Although he doesn’t have his own silhouette, he managed to make one of the most famous kicks. The Fragment Jordan 1 is worth a lot on today’s resale market! And his recent collab with the brand left us wanting more.

Sneaker Designers in 2021 and Beyond

With the industry growing day by day, sneaker designers are evolving. Fashion is a universal language, and representation is getting more important by the minute. And even though some people wouldn’t think about kicks when they first think of design, they should! A sneaker designer is a pretty cool job to have. Where else can you dress casually AND get paid? Finally, if you’re not designing but only wanna appreciate the designs, it’s shopping for you! But getting them hot sneakers is not as easy as it seems. And that’s what NSB is here for, to get you cooking like a pro!

The post How Well Do You Know Your Favorite Sneaker Designers? first appeared on .

Best Sneakers Dropping in 2021

Although it’s still too early to be certain of the sneaker drops, we’ll discuss the most likely ones. These are the best sneakers that will get us lining up (virtually) to cop, flex, and probably flip.

Yeezy “Ash” Collection

Although this year’s main focus was Yeezy 380, 2021 will be a comeback to the 50 shades of Yeezy 350. First of all, we’ve got “Ash Stone” which features an earthy Primeknit upper. The only thing making it different than Yeezy Sand and Earth is the orange translucent stripe!

Next on the list, we’ve got Yeezy “Ash Blue”. And as the name suggests, the kicks feature different shades of blue on the upper. The yellow stripe breaks the monotony and gives the kicks an awesome appearance. It kinda gives a darker Yeezy Israfil vibe, if you know what we mean.

Finally, we go back to plain whites and creams with the new Yeezy “Ash Pearl”. The white and cream Primeknit brings back memories of all the white Yeezys we love. All these kicks are scheduled to drop in SS21, so not really long from now!

We Got Some University Blues…

Air Jordan is always ahead of the game with their sneaker reveals. The brand dropped the news in November 2020, and two pairs really caught our attention. The two pairs dress in a well-loved colorway. University Blue is the color that reminds us of where Michael Jordan came from: The University of North Carolina! Luckily, we’ll be having a new Air Jordan 1 and Jordan 4 in the same colorway. The University Blue Jordan 4 will also feature a cement-like grey midsole that adds just enough flair to the kicks!

Air Jordan 1 University Blue will be available in Men’s and GS sizes. It will drop on February 20, 2021, for $170. Meanwhile, Jordan 4 University Blue will drop the following month, on March 6, 2021, so now is a great time to start saving up for the new sneaker resolutions!

Supreme Nike SB Dunk Low

2003’s Supreme Dunk Highs are still relevant today. In fact, they’re worth thousands of dollars on the aftermarket because they’re some of the best sneakers out there. And back then, a low-top version of the kicks was canceled due to legal issues. In 2021, almost 18 years later, the kicks will comeback in a low-top, but with no legalities! The same golden stars will be on the side panels to give us the cool Supreme vibes. Finally, the available colorways will be black, brown, blue, and green! And it seems like we’ll have to wait for the 2021 seasons for actual release dates.

CLOT x Nike Air Max 1 “Kiss of Death”

So, 2020 and 2021 really are the years we go back to the oldies, aren’t they? The CLOT and Nike collabs went on everybody’s radar when they did the AF1s. However, these were not the first releases. In fact, the Kiss of Death Air Max 1 is one of the earlier collabs between the two companies. The 2006 design is inspired by the Chinese art of pressure points. Although the name “Kiss of Death” is a pretty grim idea, the kicks are definitely very popular. They’re actually worth $1,500+ on the aftermarket! In 2021, CLOT and Nike are celebrating this pair’s 15th anniversary by dropping it once again. So make sure you follow this pair closely, it’ll be worth it.

Nike SB Dunk Low Club 58

Nike Dunk seems like it will extend its reign through 2020! How? Definitely thanks to some new colorways and drops. The Club 58 Dunks feature an awesome blue suede upper and an equally popping orange outsole. Now we still don’t know the origin of the “58” we can see on the heel and tongue, but there are theories. The first theory is that 58 is the numerical equivalent of SB. The second one is that 58 is the number of skaters and designers who worked on it. We personally would go for the first one though. Anyway! We can expect these kicks to drop in early 2021 according to leak accounts!

Sneaker Rumors

Just like we know what sneakers are dropping, we love us some juicy sneaker rumors. And honestly, the best sneakers usually start out as rumors. So let’s see what gossip 2021 holds for us!

Air Jordan 1 x Trophy Room

Trophy Room is Marcus Jordan’s store, and it’s like stepping into MJ’s actual trophy room. In fact, it was the actual inspiration for the business. Trophy Room and Jordan Brand collaborated on different occasions. And one of the most famous collabs is the friends and family red Jordan 4. So this year, a new Jordan 1 collaboration might be happening. If true, the kicks will feature the OG red and white colorway along with MJ’s signature. So we’ll just wait and see!

Off-White x Jordan 4 Bred

Will Virgil Abloh strike again with a new Jordan collab? Although we saw the Bred 4s in his Figures of Speech exhibition, we can’t know if they’ll actually drop. We still remember the canary yellow Jordan 1 disappointment. Nevertheless, the kicks feature the OG Bred colorway with Abloh’s touches. In other words, he slapped the Off-White tag and “AIR” branding on there, with a bit of see-through material.

Supreme Air Force 1 Flax

Here we are, back at it with Supreme kicks! Rumor has it that Supreme will feature a Flax-colored edition of the monochromatic Air Force 1. This time, they’re dropping the leather in favor of suede! The Supreme Bogo will also be on the heel as usual. So if this pair becomes more than a rumor, we’ll definitely be running NSB and going for the cop.

Travis Scott AJ6 British Khaki

Now that one is a long shot, but we’ll definitely keep our fingers crossed! Travis “accidentally” showed off the kicks back in April during a live story. And according to leak accounts, the Houston rapper is cooking up something with Nike! So will Travis’ latest collab be the Khaki colored 6s? Some fans are still bitter about the olive Jordan 6, so this could be a cool second chance! But definitely not without a sneaker bot.

Yeezy 450

It’s on our list every year since 2018, but 2021 might be it! The dumpling-like sneakers will maybe drop in February 2021, and maybe they won’t. So we won’t get our hope up. However, if they do, the first colorway will come in a sail colorway and under the name “Nuriel”. However, the name is debatable, since Kanye dropped the religious Yeezy names. And this one literally translates to “Fire of the Lord”, so we’ll see about that!

NSB’s With You Through Rumors and Facts!

Although we’re not entirely sure that every one of these releases is actually gonna happen, we can only hope! And either way, you should make sure that you’ve got the best all-in-one bot out there. Otherwise, many of the very hype releases will probably turn out to be a huge L. So let’s hope for a better year and better odds at cooking kicks the right way!

The post Here Are the Best Sneakers You Should Expect in 2021! first appeared on .

Obviously, Covid-19

We’d be trippin’ if the pandemic wasn’t on top of our WWW list. Coronavirus crossed the world at an unbelievable speed, and the whole world went into lockdown. But that didn’t really stop the spread. People fell ill, and many died. The lockdown affected so many businesses and many fell out of work. This caused money trouble for small and big companies alike, and some managed better than others. On the other hand, big sneaker companies took some great initiatives to fight Covid-19. The resale market, though? It stood strong through it all, and the $2B industry is still as good as ever. However, the value of many sneakers dropped on the aftermarket according to owners and specialists. So the question must be asked: Would resale values of sneakers be higher if it wasn’t for the pandemic?

People Cashed Out on Kobe’s Death

January 2020 wasn’t fun for basketball fans and players. One of the legends of the game passed away in a tragic helicopter accident. And while some people were mourning Kobe Bryant’s death, others were cashing out on the tragedy. The resale value of Kobe kicks skyrocketed and they were selling out at retailers. That’s why Nike pulled the kicks out from stores, and other stores stopped selling them for a while until the tide settled.

Black Lives Matter & The Looting

Don’t get us wrong. People went to the streets for all the right reasons. However, you always get the people who went there for all the wrong ones. While the protestors were trying to demand equality and a better future for the generations to come, others were not. They were down there to cause riots and loot stores! So if you somehow stumbled on one shoe with the other one lost and a “seller looking for it”, well… You know what that means. Some of the looted sneaker stores were Kith, Round Two, Concepts, Flight Club, and more! Bigger stores like Foot Locker and Nike Store didn’t survive the lootings either. However, the stores’ responses to the incidents were all pretty decent because what’s done is done.

…And Then Virgil Abloh Donates $50!

You probably heard about the backlash the designer received from the crowds. Virgil Abloh is a pretty influential figure in streetwear and high-end fashion. Especially since he was the first black designer to hold a high position at a French brand like Louis Vuitton. However, his statements during the BLM protests were controversial. Later on, he felt inspired and donated $50 to support Fempower that helps with the legal fees of arrested protesters. The public didn’t take that very well, especially that the Off-White apparel isn’t by any means cheap. Some people even expressed their outrage through Wikipedia, but that has long been changed.

Virgil Abloh, artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s wear and CEO of OFFwhite donates $50 dollars to protesters that need bail money. #georgefloyd pic.twitter.com/489nxks7zg

— BallerAlert (@balleralert) June 1, 2020

Hypebeasts Traded FOGs for Quantums

Alright so, we could’ve put that on the top of our list if there weren’t more pressing matters. Remember the mysterious trucks rolling out on the streets of Chicago that turned out to be Kanye’s work? Yeah, Santa Yeezus gave people free Quantums, and that’s when the controversy started. Some people traded their $2,000+ Fear of God kicks in exchange for the kicks. Although Adidas denied any requirements to get the Quantums, videos said otherwise!

StockX Receives Backlash for Extra Fees

The last thing resellers needed during a pandemic and unemployment crisis is an extra fee. That didn’t stop StockX though, did it? The resale platform added a 3% processing fee for the buyers in addition to the pre-existing seller fees. Resellers and sneakerheads didn’t welcome the decision at all because that meant more paying. And that was during a very hard time of the year (not that now is much better).

Raffles Got Us Like… Ugh

So raffles are technically like playing the lottery. A sneaker raffle means you submit your name and hope you win that ticket to buy the kicks for retail. This year, due to COVID19, most in-store releases got canceled. And sneaker stock went into raffles rather than online drops to NOT give sneaker bots more stock to cook.  But really, there are raffle bots out there.

Most stores held raffles for the most exclusive releases, and not everyone likes it. For one, your odds are particularly low since it’s all about your LUCK. Unlike copping with sneaker bots where having reliable tools can really up your chances.

Warren Lotas Gets Sued by Nike

Well, it all started in September, when Warren Lotas announced the pre-orders for a Nike SB Dunk Pigeon lookalike. Now, not to be biased, but the kicks are very similar to the Nike Dunks. So naturally, Nike did what Nike does and sued Warren lotas for copyright infringement. That’s not the whole surprising thing though. It was Jeff Staple low-key defending the kicks that did it for us. The lawsuit battle is still ongoing and we have yet to see who’ll win. What we do know is that the Pigeon look-alike would have made Lotas millions of dollars in revenue. In fact, each pair of his “Dunk-alike” retailed for $300, and that’s a heck of a lot. But to be fair, no one would buy them not knowing that they’re not REAL DUNKS. The joke’s on them if that’s the case.

DataDome Footsites Security

That’s for the botters of the sneaker industry! Security updates on sneaker sites are the norm in the game. What fun would we have without the occasional updates that change the way we cop? However, this year featured one of the biggest changes we’ve seen in a while. Using DataDome as the new antibot on Footsites was a big deal for most sneaker bots and sneakerheads in 2020. What it basically did was force Captcha for users with bad quality or suspicious IP addresses or proxies. But as with most security updates, reliable sneaker bots, like NSB, worked around this and are back to copping on Footsites again.

We Lost Track of Kanye’s Neutral Streak

Seriously, my guy has a thing for neutrals. In 2020 ONLY, we got several colorways that got us convinced that Kanye is merely switching uppers and midsoles. And don’t get us started on white kicks. So this year we got… let’s see… Yeezy 350 Natural, Yeshaya, Earth, Sand, Flax, and Tail Light. Oh, and Yeezy Sand Taupe will join soon! That’s only in 2020, we didn’t even mention previous drops. The question is, would you recognize which is which at first glance?

Sneaker Renting Is A Thing…

Yes, you read that right, sneaker renting is apparently not a new concept. But when a famous figure in the sneaker industry launches such a project, it will definitely generate some additional clout. Once again, Jeff Staple makes it to our list with his latest video promoting Kyx.world. The new sneaker renting platform provides different plans you can choose from so you could flex any pair. The way we see it, the project is a two-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a pretty good idea since the number of “streetwear influencers” is ever-growing. And many of them don’t really own the kicks. On the other hand, the idea could bring a lot of headaches to the owners. But oh well, to each their own, and we hope it works out for them!

The Silver Lining

It was a pretty rocky year generally, but we can’t ignore all the sick drops we got in 2020. Despite all the bad things that happened, the sneaker bot industry is going as good as ever. So if you haven’t hopped on the sneaker train yet, now is a good time to get a headstart on 2021! And let’s just HOPE 2021 brings some better news. Who knows? We might just do a list of the Best of the Best!

The post Worst of the Worst: What Went [Literally] Down in 2020! first appeared on .

Disclaimer: We listed the best kicks of 2020 according to their release dates.

2020’s Best Sneaker Releases

Here you’re going to find the most hyped sneakers of 2020 to date. You probably already know that, but some number$ won’t hurt!

Nike Dunk Plum

A pair that took us back to 2001! The Nike Dunk Plum was part of the Ugly Duckling pack, but this time it came back alone. However, that didn’t stop it from being one of the best sneakers of 2020! Naturally, when the kicks dropped on February 7, 2020, they were pretty exclusive. But with the help of NSB, our users got their heart’s plummish desire to own this pair. If you didn’t though, you can get it off the secondary market for about $600!

Nike Dunk SB Strangelove “Valentine’s Day”

Valentine’s Day in 2020 was like no other! Nike decided to do a romantic gesture and dropped the pink and red collab with Strangelove Skateboards. Although the brand canceled the online drop and the stock was low, NSB managed to snag pairs for its users! The kicks then dropped at select retailed and Nike SNKRS on February 8, 2020, in a regular and special box. The regulars resell for about $1,500, while the special box goes for $2,200.

Off White x Jordan 5

A pair of kicks that generated so much controversy. People were split between feeling the hype and hating on it. But love it or hate it, the kicks sold out very fast. They were only available on the Nike and Off-White websites. The Off White Jordan 5 might not be the best sneakers in 2020 revenue-wise, but the hype was real! They dropped on February 15, 2020, and currently resell for up to $1,500! The new sail colorway of this pair will probably be more popular, and you can find out why here!

Travis Scott Nike SB Dunk

A Dunk by the Astrowold artist, what more can we ask for? Travis teased this collaboration in so many ways. First, we saw a glimpse of it in his music video. Second, we saw them on lowkey marketing posts on his personal Instagram account! But his collabs honestly don’t need any marketing because the hype is built in! Crowds immediately went wild over this pair. And as usual, they were pretty limited and extremely hard to cop!

The kicks dropped on February 22 and 29 2020, in a special and regular box respectively. And they’re easily some of the best sneaker releases this year. Both drops were hard because the regular box drop was exclusive to select Nike SB retailers. Meanwhile, the special box was an exclusive raffle on Travis Scott’s website! They currently resell for an average of about $2,500 (special) and $2,000 (regular).

Air Dior High & Low

Easily the pair of the year, and on the top 10 list of the most expensive kicks of the decade. A high-end pair of sneakers sure got us all going WOW. The release was a pretty difficult procedure that included a raffle and in-store pickup and safety measures. And we shouldn’t forget a pocket full of money because they retailed for $2,000! The kicks officially dropped on April 6, 2020, and currently resell for starting prices of $7,740 (high) and $5,919 (low).

Travis Scott Air Max 270 “Cactus Trails”

Another Cactus Jack product. This time, the marketing campaign was extremely cool and we had to cop because they looked so good! NSB made sure we could flex this release, and flip it. Travis’ Air Max 270 dropped on April 10, 2020, and it currently resells for around $500! And if you flipped multiple pairs, it’s cash cash baby!

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NSB2.0 fam cooked on every Shopify site

Securing 515 Cactus Trail sneakers and apparel items
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— NSB Bot (@NSB_Bot) May 29, 2020

Air Jordan 1 Royal Toe

This is one of the best sneakers releases in 2020 that holds so much nostalgia and street culture that we couldn’t not cop! And NSB totally smashed this release back on May 9, 2020. You can read about this pair here to know why we love it. Today, you can buy the royal toes for $450!

Jordan 13 Flint

Now, this is one of 2020’s best sneakers, not for resale, and not for nostalgia (although it does give us the vibe). It’s actually what went down with this release that put it in this place of honor. The sneaker industry was initially going to sleep on this release. However, the winds changed direction and the sneakers sold out in a matter of minutes! That was probably due to the Jordan popularity surge thanks to The Last Dance. Although the brand doesn’t need a boost, it was a welcome move nonetheless!

Jordan 13 Flint officially released on May 30, 2020. The good news though? NSB copped thousands of pairs for its users! We’re talking about OVER 4500 PAIRS! Today, you can find the kicks on resale platforms for an average of $400!

We’re Not Done with the Best Sneakers Yet!

2020 still has 3 months to go, and that’s plenty of time for you to get NSB and profit. Our users have made in the last few months only, several million dollars of profit! So why wait? Join the NSB fam today, the October releases won’t wait forever!

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Over 300,000 Sneakers & hyped item COOKED by NSB users in just a few months!

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— NSB Bot (@NSB_Bot) September 25, 2020

The post Here Are the Best Sneaker Releases! (2020 Edition) first appeared on .

New to the sneaker industry? Better take a look at our guide to everything Air Jordan!

A Quick Recap Won’t Hurt Though!

We’d like to remember the first Off White Jordan 5. The awesome Jordan 5 silhouette came in with a DIY vibe like no other. You could literally punch holes into it and flex the cool socks you own. The kicks dropped on February 15, 2020, after much teasing in 2019, and retailed for $225. Today, the kicks resell for up to $1,150, that’s a lot of pocket cash if you ask me. But if you missed this release, it’s alright, you’ll get another chance soon!

Off White Jordan 5 “Fire Red”

We love modern twists on classic colorways! And the new Off White Jordan 5 Sail is all that and more. The new colorway is an interesting take on the original AJ5 Fire Red! Instead of the white upper, we’re going for an off-white upper (yes yes, the pun is on purpose). But that’s not it, Virgil is going for the same DIY synthetic material for the upper! So you can punch these holes in on this one too! The midsole comes in classic black along with the red shark tooth design.

Other details include the yellow translucent outsole that gives the worn-out vibe to the kicks. We also got the signature 23 on the side of the heel along with the Nike Air heel branding. So all in all, we can conclude that the Off White Jordan 5 Sail is the hybrid result of AJ5 Fire Red and the first OW Jordan 5! Although we know where the pair gets its looks for, there’s still a little similarity to another pair. The 2015 Supreme Jordan 5 collaboration dropped in three colorways: black, white, and camo. The white pair looks pretty close to the new Off White Jordan 5 Sail. And the Supreme pair currently resells for about $1,200!

Release Info

Rumors originally had it that the upcoming Off White Jordan 5 Fire Red will drop on Holiday 2020. Now that’s not really specific because the holiday season is technically Q4 of each year. However, the latest news narrowed it down to November 2020! The kicks will most likely retail for $225. Moreover, the new pair currently resells for an average of $1,900! So a value like that is definitely worth your attention. Make sure you keep checking for the latest news about this pair and everything else! And speaking of updates, Supreme’s week 6 is definitely on our list.

The post The Off White Jordan 5 Dresses Up in Sail This Season! first appeared on .

So are Virgil’s “high-end” non-Nike sneakers worth your while? We’ll see about that. But first, let’s go through Abloh’s resumé and check out his achievements!

Speaking of achievements, the upcoming Jordan 1 Snakeskin should go on your “best of cops” list of the summer.

From Streetwear to Homeware, to Luxury, Virgil Abloh Ain’t Playing!

From Civil Engineering to Architecture, to DJing, to Fashion Design, Virgil took on the creative process from different angles! His fashion career started with Kanye West, who also influenced fashion in his own way. They both interned at Fendi, and according to Abloh, they made fashion more exciting than it actually was.

In 2010, Abloh became the creative director at Kanye’s creative agency Donda. Two years later, he launched his own brand Pyrex. A year later though, the Pyrex project went to rest and Off-White came to life. The brand is a fusion of fashion, art, music, streetwear, and luxury. The brand is “simply the gray area between black and white as the color Off-White”. From then on, it was an uphill trip!

Fast forward to 2017, a lot of things happened for the designer. But the sneaker industry wasn’t included until the Nike Off White sneakers collab happened. And that was the game-changer. Virgil managed to dig his way into an industry that’s very hard to please. And please the sneakerheads he did! Well, that’s if they managed to get their hands on the Ten collection.

And because hard work always pays off, the Chicagoan designer became the artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton. Much to Kanye’s sadness. So now that we know what there is to know about the designer. Let’s go into the fun part: Off White sneakers!

Top 5 Off White Sneakers

We all know the Nike Off White sneakers. We all love the aesthetic. But there’s more to the brand that the collabs. So let’s check out the best independent Off White Sneakers!

We sorted the Off White Sneakers according to their retail price, from lowest to highest.

Industrial Strap Slides

Not Off White Sneakers per se, but slides are always a staple in every person’s closet! So naturally, black slides with yellow industrial straps will definitely make it to the list. The kicks are a recurring drop on every season. The retail for $220, and resell for an average of $400. IS that the definition of walking on money?

Arrow Canvas Mid Top White

A clean looking pair of kicks that kinda looks like the Off White Chuck Taylors. After all, Virgil uses the same aesthetic with all of the Off White sneakers. The only difference is the “luxury” price range. And this one retailed for $505. However, you can find it on resale platforms for less than retail at an average of $300.

Vulc Low Top Black (2018)

A cool twist on a silhouette that looks a lot like Vans’ Old Skool skating kicks. Naturally, the orange tag is there, along with the famous quotation marks! The Off White sneakers dropped back in 2018, and the C 2018 on the upper vouches for that. They retailed for $596 and currently resell for an average of $500. A bit more than your average Old Skools, but luxury comes at a price!

Motowrap Black

Nike FOG 1 Triple Black, is that you?! If we look at the release dates though, the Off White sneakers are the black boot OGs. The kicks retailed for $645 in August 2018. But they currently resell for an average of $448, less than the black FOG1. So it’s a win-win!

Off-Court 3.0 Distressed

Did you ever dream of having graffiti on your kicks without ruining them? Well, this pair of Off White sneakers can give you this possibility! Only if you’re willing to pay $780. But luckily, you can find them for less than retail at about $577. So if you look at it that way, the kicks are a catch if you’re not really picky about the Nike branding!

Although they’re not collab kicks, these Off White sneakers deserve some recognition! They’re usually overlooked by the hype-driven sneaker community. And if you don’t wanna spend a couple of thousand dollars in resale, these seem like a reasonable alternative. On the other hand, don’t forget to check out the OW x Jordan 4 dropping today!

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