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Nike’s “First Use” pack has gained another member: the Blazer Low. As 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of Nike’s famed Swoosh — it was created on June 18, 1971 by Carolyn Davidson, then a graphic design student at Portland State University in Oregon — the brand has been celebrating it all year long with everything from Dunk Highs to Air Max 97s and Waffle Trainer 2s. The “First Use” pack is undeniably expansive, but one thing that sets this low-cut Blazer apart from its compatriots is its mismatched color scheme.Officially dubbed “Smoke Grey/White/Red,” this Blazer Low “First Use” is a tale of two halves. The lateral side uses a light gray leather, cut away on the midfoot to reveal a recessed golden Swoosh. Red contrast stitching adds extra flair into the mix as well. On the medial side, this Blazer Low equips a very traditional white leather build with a classic red Swoosh. Toeboxes follow the stylings of the lateral side, while toe caps and heel pieces alike take on a shaggy gray suede — the latter of which adds in a navy Nike graphic for extra branded flair. Exposed foam tongues feature a tag with a classic Nike Sportswear graphic, and are covered by two sets of laces, gray and white, for a sacai-like touch of detail. There’s also a gold Swoosh lace deubre that provides a pop of metallic embellishment. Insoles feature a diagram of different Swoosh designs from Nike’s history, while down below classic white rubber midsoles and outsoles complete the look.The Nike Blazer Low “First Use” is available now via Nike China, and will likely release in the US later this month. For more news on new sneaker styles, take a look at the latest installment of HYPEBEAST’s weekly Best Footwear Drops list.

Summer 2021 has been quite eventful for the Vans family as it has unveiled collaborative initiatives with the likes of Palace, NEIGHBORHOOD and Coutié in recent memory. To follow up on those projects, the skatewear brand is diverting back to its GR family and unloading a Vans Slip-On “Charger” colorway as an exclusive with BILLY’s Tokyo.The charging icon that displays just how much “juice” your smartphone serves as the inspiration for this tech-y installment. Fully charged green icons and 5% red battery symbols are printed across the entire toe box and heel overlays in the Anaheim brand’s signature checkerboard pattern, all of which are broken up by a solid black mid-foot panel. Vans banners are positioned in their usual spots towards the mid-foot and come made with white backgrounds and black font. The side tape on the midsoles continue its cellular device motif by mimicking the look of an actual cord which runs its length and “plugs” into the Vans logo heel that can be interpreted as the charging block.If interested in picking up a pair, BILLY’s Tokyo has them available to order right now for ¥7,700 (approx. $70 USD).Elsewhere in the world of kicks, A$AP Rocky was recently spotted in his upcoming Vans Slip-On collaboration.

After recently releasing its GEL-LYTE III in a paisley-printed two pack, ASICS is keeping the patterned style rolling with two quilted, paisley-equipped takes on the GEL-MC Plus. Arriving in “Ash Rock/Cream” and “Black/Cream,” the duo of styles combines running and casual design cues for a unique, richly-detailed build.First up is “Ash Rock/Cream,” which uses a trifecta of purple shades on its upper. The first of these is a regal dark purple on the quilted base, the second is a lighter lavender that provides contrast on overlays like the midfoot’s Tiger Stripe and the third is an airy periwinkle that’s used sparingly around the midfoot. Paisley is dispersed around the tongue and heel alike.On the other end is the “Black/Cream” pair, which does away with the tonal contrast of its counterpart in favor of a monochromatic build. This provides a more simple look, but one with a greater paisley pop — as the cream embellishments stand out more boldly against the black base. Both pairs are finalized by a cream midsole with GEL cushioning in the heel and forefoot.The “Ash Rock/Cream” and “Black/Cream” colorways of the ASICS GEL-MC Plus are available now via the ASICS webstore. Each is priced at $110 USD.Looking for more news on sneaker releases? Check out the latest installment of HYPEBEAST’s weekly Best Footwear Drops series.