👀 Sneaker of the Week: Air Jordan 14 “Ferrari”

🔥 The Weekly Lace-Up: A classic Air Jordan’s return, Vandy the Pink’s $30,000 collab with ASICS, and Converse & PUMA’s 2025 NBA Finals takeover

📸 Kicks Cam: Checking out PJ Tucker’s sneaker rotation with the Knicks

🚦 Street Signals: How “ugly” sneakers became cool again

Each week, we’ll select one standout pair, be it a classic, sleeper, new drop, or something with a story worth telling. Plus, Chase will give his verdict.

This week, we’ve tapped…

Cars and sneakers have more in common than you might think. Dozens of iconic sneakers have drawn inspiration from automotive design, like the Nike LeBron 11 Elite, the adidas Kobe 1, and even the infamous DaDa Supreme Spinner. But when it comes to cultural impact, few compare to the Air Jordan 14 “Ferrari.”

A luxurious, all-suede take on Michael Jordan’s “final” signature model, the “Ferrari” channels MJ’s own red Ferrari 550 Maranello, down to the carbon fiber-style midsole and yellow shield-style Jumpman badge on the collar. Released at the height of the “all-red-everything” craze—think Nike Air Yeezy 2 “Red October” and the red Air Max 1 “Independence Day Pack”—the Ferrari 14 wasn’t an official collab, but it didn’t need to be. It was a perfect fusion of performance design, lifestyle appeal, and storytelling.

The Jordan 14 “Ferrari” is a prime example of how Jordan Brand has often used sneakers to reflect chapters of MJ’s life, whether it's on-court triumphs or his taste for fast cars and luxury living.

The Jordan 14 “Ferrari” returns! Originally released in 2014, the Jordan 14 “Ferrari” is making a comeback on June 14th. Inspired by Michael Jordan’s passion for luxury sports cars, the design features a bold red suede upper and black carbon fiber detailing, a direct nod to the Ferrari F355.

The silhouette itself is based on the OG Jordan 14, famously worn by MJ’s final championship run in 1998. With its unique design and historic significance, this is one release that collectors and Jordan fans don’t wanna miss!

The Women’s Air Jordan 1 Low OG has become a go-to summer staple in recent years, and that trend isn’t slowing down in 2025. Up next for the sleek, wear-with-anything retro hoops model is the “Washed Teal” colorway, featuring an ocean-inspired design dressed in soft pastel tones. Buy them now →

Another women’s-exclusive Jordan 1 Low worthy of a spot in anyone’s summer rotation is the “Rust Pink.” Featuring a very “Black Toe” inspired color block, the “Rust Pink” has a casual summer vibe. Buy them now →

Debuted in 1990 and made famous by Will Smith on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” the Air Jordan 5 “Grape” is back in its original form this summer. The new release pays homage to the shoe’s first edition in the best way possible: it has “Nike Air” branding on the heel. What else needs to be said? Buy them now →

Bots have long been a thorn in the side of sneakerheads trying to cop on release day, but Vandy the Pink’s latest move might be a rare win for fair access.

On May 30th, the Korean designer dropped his highly anticipated ASICS Gel-Nimbus 10.1 collab via his website. But instead of a standard launch, he priced both “Banana Split” colorways at a staggering $30,000 each. The catch? A specific promo code, shared only on Vandy the Pink’s Instagram, would drop the price back down to its original $180. The goal: trip up automated bots run by resellers, which typically bypass any last-minute changes.

Not everyone caught on. In a screenshot posted to Vandy’s IG story, a text reveals that two people actually paid full price—proof that the anti-bot strategy might be more than just a gimmick.

This isn’t the first time a brand has tried to outwit bots with shock pricing. Back in May 2024, Jordan Brand used a similar method for J Balvin’s Air Jordan 3 “Sunset Medellín,” listing it at $25,000 before a code brought it back to retail at $250.

As resellers and bots get smarter, so do designers. If nothing else, Vandy’s measured approach proves that a little creativity can still shift the power back to the people.

Change is in the air across the NBA. For the first time since 2021, someone other than Nikola Jokić or Joel Embiid has taken home league MVP. Two small-market teams have made it to the Finals. And maybe most surprising of all? Neither Nike nor adidas is repping the league’s biggest stage. Instead, it’s Converse and PUMA holding down the spotlight, thanks to the signature sneakers of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton.

Nike and adidas have been the undisputed lynchpins of the NBA sneaker game for years, dominating endorsements, shoe tech, and culture-defining moments. So seeing Converse and PUMA break through at the Finals level isn’t just a blip, it’s a sign the playing field is finally leveling.

Converse, a heritage brand owned by Nike, has been quietly rebuilding its presence with fresh designs and a new focus on younger stars like Shai. Meanwhile, PUMA’s been aggressively chasing relevance, dropping bold styles and locking in rising talents like Tyrese Haliburton to rewrite the sneaker narrative.

This shift signals that sneaker culture, and the NBA’s shoe landscape, is becoming more diverse, competitive, and less predictable.

According to Sportsfluent, New Balance currently has about 2% of the league’s players wearing its shoe, while Chinese brands like Anta and Li-Ning are emerging, with market shares of 1.97% and 1.67%, respectively.

The sneaker throne is no longer just a Nike/adidas affair. It’s an open court.

Every week, we spotlight a standout sneaker moment caught on social, whether it’s from our own Culture Kicks feed or a fit check from an athlete, celebrity, or style-forward creator.

The New York Knicks’ season might be over, and former head coach Tom Thibodeau may have gotten a raw deal on the way out, but none of that dims the spotlight on PJ Tucker’s sneaker game. This week’s Kick Flip is all about showing love to the Knicks’ certified kick king and his unforgettable rotation.

After officially signing with the team on April 1 following back-to-back 10-day contracts, PJ wasted no time bringing heat to the Garden. On any given night, the former Texas Longhorn could be spotted in an orange-and-blue-friendly rotation that included: a Charles Oakley-inspired Air Jordan 8 “Oak” cooked up by OVO and Jordan Brand, Nike Book 1 PEs, the SLAM x Nike Air Foamposite One, multiple Nike Kobe models, Penny Hardaway’s Nike Air Penny 2, the new Nike GT Future, and plenty more.

If someone who isn’t into sneakers asked you what’s popular right now, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better phrase to sum up the current zeitgeist than “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Everywhere you look, sneakers are getting weirder, wilder, and yes, uglier.

In a market once dominated by sleek silhouettes and performance-based designs, today’s most sought-after kicks often lean heavily into offbeat proportions, asymmetrical builds, and “love-it-or-hate-it” aesthetics.

The Nike Air Footscape, once relegated to cult-favorite status when it debuted in the mid-90s, has emerged as a prime example of this shift. Its unorthodox lacing system, foot-hugging fit, and unconventional shape make it emblematic of a new era in sneaker design: one that values individuality over perfection.

This resurgence is part of a broader movement where “ugly” has become aspirational. From the Balenciaga Triple S to the Salomon XT-6, brands are leaning into oddball sensibilities. The Air Footscape’s return feels right at home in this new wave. It’s equal parts archival revival, which is a movement within itself, and normcore nostalgia.

The move from streamlined shoes like the Common Projects Achilles and adidas Stan Smith has been years in the making at this point, but it seems that recently things have taken a dramatic turn in favor of weird. But why?

Flexing a simple, basic shoe on social media isn’t as scroll-stopping as a shoe with a sideways lacing system, a triple-stacked sole, or—at the other extreme—a shoe with barely sole in the case of the new ballerina-inspired shoe craze.

In a world of endless content and curated feeds, visual loudness translates into engagement. The more unexpected the shoe, the more likely it is to turn heads on Instagram or spark debate on TikTok. Sneakers like the Footscape aren’t just footwear anymore—they’re conversation starters.