Month: September 2026

SummaryBeijing designer Syn Zhuang won the inaugural Jordan Design Studio program by reimagining the Air Jordan 1.Her versatile, women-focused design features a transformable suede collar and a softer toe box for comfortable everyday wear.Jordan Brand launched the inaugural Jordan Design Studio program in July, inviting creatives from major cities around the world to reimagine the Air Jordan 1 silhouette. Announced as the winner among a roster of global creatives, Syn Zhang from Beijing stripped the design back to its essence, while also making the silhouette more versatile than ever before.Through the program, creatives from Seoul, Tokyo, Mexico City, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Beijing, and Shanghai were mentored through the process, resulting in original design concepts inspired by themes of identity, community, heritage, ambition, and local culture. At Jordan’s “The One” event in Shanghai on August 31, Zhuang’s design, made in collaboration with mentors Yue Wu and Ji Ming, was selected among eight finalists.On her personal Instagram page, Zhuang shared more insight into the design: “A classic doesn’t have to be one fixed form. It can exist in different ways, to reach different people. I wanted this shoe to offer a little sense of ease — not laziness, not giving up, just a feeling that it’s okay to loosen up and be yourself.” View this post on InstagramA post shared by synful. (@synfulzhuang) Most noticeably, the upper of Zhuang’s AJ1 is redesigned with a transformable suede collar that conceals the toe box and lacing system. When worn up, the collar reveals a backwards swoosh, mirroring the perforated swoosh on the lateral panel. And when folded over, the upper swoosh then faces the right direction. Zhuang talks through more details in the post, saying, “I kept the heel — that subtle curve where two fabrics meet, which carries a hint of elegance, almost like a heel. I covered the toe fully and made it rounder, softer, less sharp.” By keeping the soles and heel panel in-line with the original design, the silhouette maintains its classic character, or in Zhuang’s words the “soul” of the shoe.”Zhuang aimed for the designs to speak to the needs of female wearers like herself: “A lot of girls love basketball culture and the AJ1 silhouette — but the original was born on the court, designed with a male wearer in mind,” she explained. “In today’s streetwear context, for many girls, it’s more of a daily piece — worn to work, on dates — yet it’s still stiff, heavy, and sharp-toed. So I started thinking — if a shoe is truly classic, it should be able to accompany more people, in more everyday moments. That’s how this idea came: take the original AJ1 and remake it so it feels right for girls too.”See the gallery above for a closer look at Zhuang’s winning design from the inaugural Jordan Design Studio program.  

Brazilian footwear icon Havaianas and Brooklyn-based label KidSuper have officially unveiled their collaborative four-piece footwear collection. Building on an ongoing creative partnership, the latest capsule bridges the gap between traditional athletic inspiration and avant-garde street style. KidSuper founder Colm Dillane applies his distinct design language directly to the renowned Havaianas footwear frame to merge art and sport.The unquestionable centerpiece of the release is the Havaianas x KidSuper “Top Turf Pitch” sandal. Originally previewed during KidSuper’s FW26 runway presentation at Paris Men’s Fashion Week, the model features an unorthodox material overhaul. The entire silhouette is wrapped in lush green velvet designed to recreate the visual and tactile sensation of a football pitch directly beneath the wearer’s feet. This structural choice connects directly to the “futebol arte” inspiration driving the collaboration.Beyond the velvet flagship model, the collection includes three additional styles featuring original printed artwork by Dillane. These graphic iterations focus on vibrant colors, movement, and the expressive character motifs that define the KidSuper design universe. Every pair in the four-piece lineup is finalized with exclusive co-branded detailing and specialized collectible packaging. Inside the box, buyers will find a custom card equipped with four distinct metallic pins meant for personalizing the sandals alongside a co-branded KidSuper gym sack.The partnership physically extends to São Paulo, where Havaianas and KidSuper restored a public football court. Transformed using original artwork by Dillane, the space eventually served as the physical setting for the campaign shoot.The release also builds upon Dillane’s deep personal relationship with Brazilian culture. A passionate football fan and former player, he previously lived in the country and spent time at Esporte Clube Vitória in Bahia. His connection to the Portuguese language and local football lore serves as the foundational creative exchange behind the footwear designs. “Havaianas is such a Brazilian icon, and for me that made it a really exciting canvas to play with. We took this shared love of football and brought it into the KidSuper world through color, art and a little bit of the unexpected. The result feels like both brands, which is always what you want from a collaboration”, Dillane said in a statement.The KidSuper x Havaianas collection drops globally at Havaianas stores on September 8, but will release earlier via KidSuper stores and KITH Los Angeles, New York, Paris and UK.

SummaryThe mfpen x New Balance Made in UK 991v1 uses upcycled surplus materials for a limited 90-pair release on September 3.It features a hand-debossed “N” logo, blending New Balance’s Flimby factory heritage with mfpen’s minimalist aesthetic.mfpen and New Balance give excess materials new life with their first-ever collaboration, which reimagines the Made in UK 991v1 in “Surplus Leathers.” The debut silhouette from mfpen x New Balance embraces the footwear brand’s archival history, while staying true to mfpen’s design philosophy and lived-in feel.mfpen founder Sigurd Bank offered Hypebeast exclusive insights on the partnership, sharing, “New Balance has always felt somehow connected to mfpen. I remember styling the first collections with my own thrashed New Balance sneakers. I’ve always loved the normy, dad-core look of the 99′ series, so it felt like a natural fit for us to work together.”Using leftover materials from New Balance’s Flimby, England factory, mfpen’s 991v1 gets a lived-in feel from a tumbled nubuck, pigsuede, and mesh makeup. The approach aligns with mfpen’s production values, which have historically centered on deadstock, surplus, and upcycled fabrics, as well as conscious mitigation of overproduction. “I went to visit the factory in Flimby, in northern England, and went through their old stocks of leathers and materials. Everything was available in different quantities and with different options, which is why the release is limited to just 90 pairs,” Bank explained. “All upper materials are surplus from past production,” he added.Notably, the collaborative model tones down the classic N monogram with a debossed finish, lending it a minimalist sensibility, in tune with the mfpen aesthetic. “Personally, I have a hard time with logos, and I think toning down the N is a simple way to mess with the silhouette while still keeping that recognizable New Balance reference,” Bank shared.And while the subtle N stamp may feel like a contemporary development, it’s actually pulled from the New Balance archives. However, applying the archival detail to the nubuck was its own challenge: “After some trials, they got it right, but they had to do every single emboss by hand. I really liked that process and the fact that it made each pair feel connected to the factory and its history.”The unveiling of mfpen’s New Balance 991v1 comes just weeks after the brand previewed a New Balance 992 at its SS27 runway presentation at Copenhagen Fashion Week. The mfpen 992 takes the stripped-back look even further, with the shadow of an N logo that appears as if it were torn off. As of the time of writing, the forthcoming silhouette has yet to receive an official release date.The mfpen x New Balance Made in UK 991v1 ‘Surplus Leathers’ will release in a limited drop of 90 pairs on September 3 at 12:00 CEST / 11:00 BST, with offline availability exclusive to mfpen Copenhagen and Dover Street Market London.