Half of 2018 has gone by, and we’ve seen some fire so far, from the Nike React Element 87, Off-White Converse, Sean Wotherspoon Air Max 97/1, and the upcoming Off-White Air Jordan 1 “UNC,” but along with it, came a plethora of other collabs that were overshadowed by the ones previously mentioned. Good news is, the resell market hasn’t really taken notice of this, or even if they did, the prices will just be a lil bit above retail due to the lack of hype surrounding the silhouette. With that here are 7 underrated collabs that you can get now!
Adidas Consortium X Solebox “Italian Leather” Pack
Solebox collabs usually don’t go under the radar, but this one has had a tepid reception. The PureBoost DPR and Quesence make up The “Italian Leather” Pack, which pays homage to the level of craftsmanship and quality benchmarked by Italian leatherworkers, implementing premium suedes and leathers throughout its construction. The dark, muted colours are reflective of Milan’s architecture and the city’s overall palette. Details in the insole include patterns from the Piazza del Duomo to solidify the respective theme.
Commes Des Garcons Air Max 180
The primary colour palette on this pair, is simple, brash, in your face. “Laser Pink” makes up the majority of the colour blocking, with 3 different cage colours to choose from, black, white, and pink. Donning on this pair means you’ll be spotted from kilometres away, but then again, why would you want a collab to be silent? People gotta know it’s CDG bro. It is what it is.
Yeezy 500
The 500 silhouette didn’t get much traction compared to the likes of its siblings, the 350 and 700, which means its the closest pair that you can get for retail. While the 350s and 700s go for twice or thrice its retail price, the 500 is only a smidge above the MSRP, making this one of the more easily accessible Yeezys in the whole line. Build quality too is up to par, using high quality suede and mesh detailing that that covers a pretty complex looking silhouette. No Boost here, AdiPrene makes up the midsole while still providing cloud comfort for the feet. Sure cop.
ACRONYM Vapormax
We’re quite surprised that the ACRONYM Vapormax has been slept on, considering its fairly uncommon to find laceless iterations of the Vapormax, let alone in three different colours. Following an advanced tech cowboy aesthetic, the Vapormax features the A from Acronym printed all over the silhouette, resulting in something that came out from a techwear lookbook. Which is perfect, because the Vapormax is pretty futuristic in its construction too.
Kim Jones Air Max 360
Released in conjunction with Off-White’s ‘Football Mon Amour,’ the Air Max 360 from Jones ‘Football Reimagined’ combines all of Jones’ favourite silhouettes into one shoe. A hybrid of sorts, design cues from the Vandal High are mixed with the Air Max 360 sole, which includes a swoosh smiley on the medial portion of the shoe
Supreme x Vans “Multi-Textured”
Very rare that a Supreme release is muted in the scene, but the “multi-textured” pack has barely got any shoutouts whatsoever. Comprising of the Sk8-Hi and Lampin silhouettes, contrasting panels make up the shoe, as well as including 12-wale corduroy and crocodile-embossed suede on the upper. Co-branding is present on the rubber heel stamp, and “SUPREME” embroidery present on the Sk8-Mid heel and the Lampin tongue.
Adidas X Porter Campus
Porter’s last collaboration that involved footwear was with Timberland, and that one was already a tanker as it is. The Campus model is a more lightweight version that still combines both brands’ signatures in a very tasteful way. Donned up in black suede, Porter wording replaces the Campus on the lateral side of the shoe, while the stripes have been coloured in the iconic Porter orange. Toebox and tongue are made from Porter’s proprietary ‘Tanker’ material, the same one they use to make their bags, so it’s not only just for aesthetics, it is in some ways functional too. Many are still sitting on shelves, so an easy pickup is waiting for your feet.
