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When Baltimore-based skate imprint Carpet Company announced its highly anticipated collaboration with Salomon, the sneaker world immediately took notice. The resulting XT‑Whisper Void “Habibi Express” perfectly encapsulated founders Ayman and Osama Abdeldayem’s DIY ethos, merging Salomon’s rugged, trail-ready heritage with Carpet Company’s playful, skate-driven appeal.Leading up to the reveal, the brand dropped a series of conceptual Instagram reels that captured their distinctly irreverent vibe. Tinged with retro-nostalgia and offbeat humor, the narrative centered around a custom, red-horned minivan – the physical embodiment of the “Habibi Express” – decked out with Salomon’s logo alongside Carpet Company’s recognizable star-shaped motif. This gradually culminated in the grand unveiling of the campaign visuals, showcasing a sneaker that heavily echoed the custom vehicle: a bold vermillion exterior topped with a warm gold iridescent shimmer, anchored by a black mesh base, and tied together with hits of blue, yellow and metallic silver across various sections of the shoe.Almost a week later, Carpet Company co-founder Osama Abdeldayem revealed an unreleased, alternate colorway of the collaborative sneaker on his personal Instagram account. While Abdeldayem’s caption explicitly noted that this predominantly white version “didn’t make the cut,” the community response has left many wondering: could this discarded sample eventually see the light of day?Photographed directly alongside the official, darker “Habibi Express,” this unreleased sample offers a fresher, perhaps even cleaner iteration of the silhouette. Swapping the bold vermillion palette for a pristine iridescent white upper, the sample maintains the fun and boldness of the original release while offering a much more approachable look. Just like the official release, a stark black mesh base sits beneath the iridescent overlays, grounding the shoe and providing crucial breathability and depth. Bright, vivid red details highlight the Salomon branding, lace loops, and midsole accents, making the entire design pop.In today’s streetwear ecosystem, community feedback is a powerful currency. The comment section on Osama’s post was an immediate landslide of support, with sneakerheads and skaters alike flooding the feed to argue that the white and red iteration was actually the stronger of the two designs. While brand roadmaps and production schedules are typically locked in months in advance, independent operations like Carpet Company have a unique advantage: agility. If the demand is loud enough, independent founders often find a way to reward their most loyal supporters.To predict the future of this white and red XT-Whisper Void, we have to look at Carpet Company’s historical playbook. The Abdeldayem brothers are notorious for their unconventional release strategies and deep appreciation for their core community. When they released their legendary Nike SB Dunk High in 2021, the duo didn’t just stop at the retail pair. They produced wildly limited Friends & Family (F&F) versions, special boxes and surprise shock drops at their Baltimore storefront. They have a well-documented habit of creating ultra-rare samples and eventually distributing them to the people who support them the most—whether through hidden website drops, local pop-ups, or intricate scavenger hunts.Further stoking the demand for this white alternative is the reality of the initial “Habibi Express” release. Dropped with strict exclusivity and in highly limited quantities, the vermillion pair sold out almost instantly, leaving a massive portion of the fanbase empty-handed. This scarcity has only amplified the community’s hunger. Those who missed out on the official launch are now redirecting their hopes toward this unreleased sample, fueling an even louder push for a second chance to own a piece of the collaboration. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Osama Abdeldayem (@0samalama) As of right now, the official word remains that this is strictly a sample. However, the fact that Abdeldayem chose to post about it so publicly shows a degree of weight and intention. Whether this pair eventually reaches retail as a wider release, drops as a hyper-limited webstore exclusive, or remains a mythical F&F pair is yet to be seen. But Carpet Company is rooted in listening to its community and is heavily driven by its cult-like fanbase. While the brand is famous for strictly limited, seasonal drops, when certain hand-screened tees, customized hoodies, or unique skate decks generate massive feedback or absurd resale prices, the brothers occasionally bring them back—either as exact re-releases or slightly modified “flipped” iterations specifically to satisfy fans who missed out.Because this is a Salomon collaboration, bringing this white variant to market involves considerable production time and red tape. Unless the claim that it “didn’t make the cut” is merely a tease for a small batch already hidden away until the time is right, we can only dream. But if the community keeps the pressure on, Carpet Company might just have to give the people what they want.