Author: Sneaker Blogger

Just like that, we’re crossing the halfway point of August this week. Summertime rages on and footwear brands aren’t letting the heat slow them down, as New Balance, Crocs, PUMA, SATISFY, Nike, Jordan Brand, and adidas have all assembled key drops to look out for this week. Before we dive into what to expect in this seven day period, let’s look back at what news stories stood out in the previous one.Our latest feature within the footwear vertical is a round-up of the Hypebeast team’s favorite shoes of 2025 (so far). As for our usual slate of news, the 30th anniversary of the Nike Air Max 95 is still being celebrated, with first looks at a Yu-Gi-Oh! x .SWOOSH x Nike Air Max 95 and Jay Chou PHANTACI x Nike Air Max 95 surfacing. We were also treated to previews of a new Martine Rose x Nike Shox MR4 and Zellerfeld’s Nike Air Max 1000.Pivoting to basketball shoes, an official reveal of the Nike Kobe 3 Protro appeared alongside word of Caitlin Clark’s Nike Kobe 5 Protro “Rookie of the Year” PE releasing next year. As for the Jumpman crew, we were treated to initial glances at a Mexico-themed Air Jordan 3 “El Vuelo,” an A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 6, and the Jordan City Boot.Elsewhere in the sneaker space, VERDY’s VK Design Works teased a collaboration with Dover Street Market and New Balance on the 991v2. The American sportswear brand also revealed a “Triple Black” version of its ABZORB 1000 sneaker. Meanwhile, James Harden teased the adidas Harden Vol. 10 during his summer tour of China and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander announced the release date of his debut signature shoe, the Converse SHAI 001.Now that you’re all caught up with the latest headlines from the footwear industry, let’s dive into this week’s best drops, starting with New Balance’s second in-line colorway of the 204L. Afterwards, be sure to head over to HBX to shop styles that are available now.New Balance 204L “Timberwolf”Release Date: August 13Release Price: $110 USDWhere to Buy: New BalanceWhy You Should Cop: Has New Balance done it again? The sportswear brand produced a hit with its 1906L “sneaker loafer” last year and the 204L is well on its way to a similar fate. This new model was first introduced by Kith last month, which was quickly followed by its in-line debut in a “Mushroom” brown. Now, a second “Timberwolf” pair is ready to drop this week. As with its predecessor, the low-profile sneaker sports suede at its upper, this time favoring a light gray throughout the entirety of the shoe.Salehe Bembury x Crocs Pollex Cypress “Tetra”Release Date: August 14Release Price: $130 USDWhere to Buy: BeASpungeWhy You Should Cop: Salehe Bembury is an unstoppable force in the footwear space. The versatile designer’s list of collaborators continues to expand each year as he remains consistent with his output involving his existing partners. For Crocs, he’s back with his second iteration of the Pollex Cypress, a boot that first debuted in 2024. This “Tetra” version of the shoe sees it combine brown at the sculpted sole with “Espresso” at the rubber top and blue canvas at the uppermost layer.Skepta x PUMA Skope Forever “Triple Black”Release Date: August 14Release Price: $160 USDWhere to Buy: PUMAWhy You Should Cop: Skepta and PUMA are back in black this week. The duo have outfitted his Skope Forever sneaker with a “Triple Black,” debuting the shoe at last weekend’s Big Smoke Festival. It’s now ready for a global launch, with the entirety of the shoe dressed in black, save for the green PUMA wordmark at the lateral midfoot’s stitched tag and the chrome co-branding at the tongue.The Whitaker Group x New Balance MADE in USA 990v4 & 998 “Willful Bias”Release Date: August 14Release Price: $220 USDWhere to Buy: New BalanceWhy You Should Cop: In case you missed out on last week’s launch, New Balance is back with a second chance to snag its latest project with The Whitaker Group. The American sportswear titan’s MADE in USA division has lent its 990v4 and 998 sneakers to the collective, which has bundled the two under a “Willful Bias” theme. Both pairs feature premium mixed material builds, sporting “Jade Green” as a key accent color.SATISFY TheROCKERRelease Date: August 14Release Price: $290 USDWhere to Buy: SATISFYWhy You Should Cop: Parisian running brand SATISFY is finally dropping its debut in-house sneaker this week. Previews of the shoe have appeared from time to time since last November, with SATISFY previously offering a rundown of its key technical specifications. A Vibram TuneLug outsole backs the shoe alongside bouncy Euforia Super Foam while Rippy 66 Monomesh strengthens the lightweight upper. Its three debut colorways of “Falcon,” “Shadow,” and “Antique White,” offer a clean look that is ready to race across any terrain.Nike Air Foamposite One “Cough Drop”Release Date: August 15Release Price: $230 USDWhere to Buy: SNKRSWhy You Should Cop: Nike is turning back time this week with the return of the Air Foamposite One in its “Cough Drop” composition from 2007. This throwback version of the shoe sees red enliven an otherwise all-black colorway. These accents are present at the forefoot’s Swoosh, the pull tabs, heel branding, and the rubber outsole.Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Better With Time”Release Date: August 16Release Price: $165 USDWhere to Buy: SNKRSWhy You Should Cop: Nigel Sylvester has become one of Jordan Brand’s most exciting collaborators thanks to his Bike Air series. The professional biker dropped a sneaker of the year contender, the Air Jordan 4 “Brick By Brick,” in March and has shifted gears back to the Air Jordan 1 for another campaign. This time taking on the OG low-top version of the shoe, his “Better With Time” colorway features faux aging with a black leather base hosting yellowed Swooshes that match the midsole, laces, and tongue. From there, red enters the mix at the “Bike Air” tongue branding and the pre-dirtied outsole.Air Jordan 12 “French Blue”Release Date: August 16Release Price: $205 USDWhere to Buy: SNKRSWhy You Should Cop: Another blast from the past that Nike is dropping this week is the Air Jordan 12 “French Blue.” The 2004 colorway was last on shelves in 2016 and is back in action once again. As with its predecessors, a pebbled leather mudguard in blue matches the sole unit while white strikes the upper, combining with silver accents to recreate the original color scheme.Oasis x adidas Achille SPZL “Liam Gallagher” & Marathon SPZL “Noel Gallagher”Release Date: August 16Release Price: TBCWhere to Buy: adidasWhy You Should Cop: Fans of Oasis have been indulging in the band’s prominent resurgence, with everything from their reunion tour to a wide range of collaborations keeping fans busy. One partner of the group’s is adidas, which is back this week with an Achille SPZL dedicated to Liam Gallagher and a Marathon SPZL that pays homage to Noel Gallagher. Both pairs feature their portraits at the co-branded tongue tags while also sporting color schemes of brown and blue respectively.Awake NY x Air Jordan 5Release Date: August 17Release Price: $210 USDWhere to Buy: Awake NYWhy You Should Cop: At last, it’s time for Awake NY’s two takes on the Air Jordan 5 to hit the market. We’ve been tracking the project since it was rumored last year, offering updates as each teaser revealed an additional element of the unique kicks. For a quick recap, you can expect colorways of “Arctic Pink” and “Racer Blue” to deliver “A” hits at the midfoot, Nike Air branding on the heel, a “NY” callout at the right shoe’s lateral heel, as well as co-branding atop the tongue and underneath the icy outsole.