While 2021 had its fair share of mishaps, what was not lacking was the sneaker releases that had us in a chokehold each time they dropped. Whether you are into Nike Dunks, Retro Jordans, or Yeezy’s, there was something for everybody this year.
Here are our favorite sneaker drops this year:
A Ma Maniere x Air Jordan 3 Collab
A Ma Maniere boutique released its version of the Jordan 3 in April. Designed with women in mind, store owner James Whitner’s Jordan 3 design was inspired by the first Jordans his mother bought him.
Nike Dunks & Nike SB Dunks
No shoe had a better return this year than Nike Dunks. It was literally Year of the Dunks! The company unleashed a slew of colorways in the Dunks and their cousin, SB Dunks. Popular colorways included the abstract artistic SB Nike Dunk Parra, unveiled July 31st, and the Nike Dunk Strawberry Cough, released on October 22nd.
Travis Scott has been a hot topic lately, especially since the tragic Astroworld festival. However, his AJ1 collab from July was one of 2021’s must-hyped sneaker releases.
Off White x Nike Dunk Collab
In one of his final collaborations before his untimely passing, Virgil Abloh delivered another stunning Off White x Dunk Collab. The ‘Dear Summer’ project included fifty different Off-White x Dunk Lows, with 48 of them featuring vibrant pops of color over a neutral base. Each Nike Dunk Low is individually numbered from 1 of 50 to 50 of 50. They were released over a two-week period through Nike SNKRS Exclusive Access. Following the death of Abloh, landing a pair from resellers could run you anywhere from $400 to $2,000.
Yeezy 450 Cloud White
Released on March 6th, the head-scratching exoskeleton-inspired sneaker was a popular topic on social media. As with all Yeezy drops, people roasted the shoe for its odd look, yet it still managed to sell out.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXgg-prB3CV/
Air Jordan 4 Retro University Blue
The Air Jordan 4 returned in a University Blue. The light and dark blue colorway is an ode to Michael Jordan’s alma mater, the University of North Carolina. They were available for purchase on April 28th.
Air Jordan Retro 11 Cool Grey
Making its comeback for the first time in a decade, this highly anticipated Air Jordan Retro 11 Cool Grey returned on December 11th and sold out in most places the same day.
Which of these exclusive kicks did you cop?
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