👀 Sneaker of the Week: Action Bronson x New Balance 992 “Tiger Eye”

🔥 The Weekly Lace-Up: Costco and Nike SB’s first-ever SB Dunk Low collab, the debut of the adidas AE 2 “With Love,” and a game-worn Air Jordan 6 “Hare” selling for $600,000?

📸 Kick Flick: Travis Scott rocks unreleased Air Jordan 1 Lows OG “Shy Pink” at Bad Bunny’s final residency show in Puerto Rico

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…

Today, we’ll be exploring the Action Bronson x New Balance 992 “Tiger Eye.”

Following several teases throughout the year, Action Bronson’s newest collaboration with New Balance is finally here: the New Balance 992 “Tiger Eye.” Released on September 18th via specializinginlife.com (with a wider release occurring on September 28th), the sneaker draws inspiration from New York City—including the Knicks, the Mets, and the Timberland 6-Inch Wheat Boot—making it the Queens rapper’s most NYC-centric release yet.

Where past team-ups with New Balance have leaned into intentionally mismatched and bold colors, the “Tiger Eye” takes a more grounded approach, blending earthy tones with refined detailing while still capturing Bronson’s NYC-inspired aesthetic. Orange and blue accents on the mesh underlay and tongue nod to the Knicks and Mets, while the buttery tan suede overlays reference the city’s unofficial footwear staple: the wheat Timberland boot. Even the use of black on the inner lining and sole pays homage to New York City’s footwear culture, reflecting the city’s penchant for all-black shoes for every occasion.

With the New Balance 992 “Tiger Eye,” Action Bronson takes another step forward as a collaborator, merging his personal NYC roots with thoughtful design and attention to detail. The release further cements Bam Bam Baklava as one of the top multi-faceted creatives in music, fashion, and sneaker culture—leaving one question for fans to debate: Is Action Bronson the best rapper sneaker collaborator in the game today?

Action Bronson and New Balance are back with the New Balance 992 “Tiger Eye,” released on September 18th. Drawing inspiration from Bronson’s New York City roots, this bold colorway stands as one of the rapper’s most personal releases to date.

The “Tiger Eye” exudes NYC aura, with orange and blue accents nodding to the Knicks and Mets on the tongue and mesh base. Even the all-black midsole pays homage to the classic all-black shoe style New Yorkers are known for. Those details might fly under the radar for some, but sneakerheads who appreciate the art of storytelling will recognize the thought and care Bronson put into every element of the design.

Personally, I love the “Tiger Eye” 992, and I’m looking forward to adding the other colorway originally teased with the shoe—the “Digitalis Purpurea” New Balance 992—to my collection as well. While I appreciate the simplicity of New Balance’s GR colorways on timeless models like the 992 and 990v6, there’s something distinctly special about Bronson’s takes on these silhouettes—they feel like something only Baklava could have cooked up in the lab in Queens, with every detail reflecting his NYC roots and creative vision.

Nearly two years after the adidas AE 1 rocked the sneaker world, the adidas AE 2 is set to carry Anthony Edwards’ signature line forward. The sophomore silhouette builds on the bold design language of its predecessor with sleeker lines, updated materials, and performance tweaks tailored to Edwards’ explosive game. The first colorway, the “With Love,” drops October 4th in black, peach, and red—an homage to Edwards’ home state of Georgia and its official fruit, the peach. Design-wise, the AE 2 closely mirrors the AE 1, though interestingly, early reports suggest this pair was originally slated to be the adidas AE 3 before plans shifted. Buy them now →

Now entering his twenty-third NBA season, LeBron James is set to tip off with his twenty-third signature sneaker: the Nike LeBron 23. Debuting in a striking metallic gold colorway dubbed the “Uncharted” on October 2nd, the model continues his run of high-performance basketball shoes built for the game’s biggest stages. Each of the 23 planned colorways will feature a unique heel graphic celebrating James’ status as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. Buy them now →

Nike SB has seen its fair share of wild collaborations since its 2002 debut, but few are as unexpected as the recently teased Costco x Nike SB Dunk Low. Slated for a Holiday 2025 release, the pair taps directly into Costco culture by spotlighting Kirkland Signature, the retailer’s beloved private label.

The details read like an inside joke turned collector’s dream. A graphic of Costco’s legendary $1.50 hot dog combo shows up on the Zoom Air bag beneath the insoles, while an oversized Kirkland Signature logo stretches across the insole itself. On the outside, a subtle Kirkland box logo hits the lateral heel, and the underside of the tongue features a faux Costco price tag label. Rounding it out is a fuzzy grey fleece build—inside and out—that looks like a direct nod to Kirkland’s iconic bargain sweats.

With Kirkland Signature rising in popularity in recent years as a no-frills, accessible clothing brand that disregards any sort of hype, this team-up makes for an unlikely yet perfect crossover that turns bulk-pack practicality into a statement piece for SB collectors. Adding to the fun, Costco has a history of riffing on Nike—famously duping the Air Monarch with its own Kirkland-branded dad shoe. Now, the tables have turned, with Nike officially embracing the Costco aesthetic.

Specific release info has yet to be confirmed by Nike SB or Costco, but the shoe is expected to retail for around $135 (as hinted on the tongue tag) and could even be exclusive to Costco warehouses. Imagine lining up for Dunks right next to pallets of toilet paper and $4.99 rotisserie chickens. Keep it locked to the Culture Kicks newsletter for the latest updates.

Of Michael Jordan’s many signature moves, his occasional closed-eye free-throw shots don’t get nearly as much love as they should. That’s about to change. A game-worn pair of Jordan’s Air Jordan 7 “Hare” sneakers—laced up during a 1992 matchup between the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, where he famously sank a free throw with his eyes shut—is headed to auction.

The pair bears all the hallmarks of Jordan’s on-court wear: scuffs, creases, and the unmistakable signs of hardwood battle. Beyond condition, though, the shoes are tied to one of MJ’s most iconic moments of swagger. Auction house insiders expect the sneakers to draw intense interest from collectors, with early estimates reaching the high six figures and topping out around $600,000. Add Jordan’s signature across the heel, and the result is a truly grail-worthy piece of memorabilia.

This isn’t the first time one of “The GOAT’s” game-worn sneakers has surfaced at auction. A pair of Air Jordan 8s from the 1993 NBA Finals and a pair of Air Jordan 11s from 1996 both sold last year, underscoring the skyrocketing demand for MJ’s footwear. Collectors interested in this piece of Michael Jordan, sneaker, and basketball history can register now on Sotheby’s website to place their bids.

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Between collaborating with Fragment Design and Jordan Brand, stepping into major WWE storylines, and working on his own music projects, Travis Scott still finds time to support friends like Bad Bunny. At the artist’s final residency show in Puerto Rico this past September, La Flame pulled up in style, rocking his now-cancelled Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Shy Pink” collaboration—a pair he’s been spotted wearing on multiple occasions.

Just a few weeks earlier, in late July, Scott wore the same pair during a performance at Verde Beach in Ramatuelle, France. Rumors of the “Shy Pink’s” release had been swirling since 2024, but reports eventually confirmed that the colorway—along with an accompanying “Dark Pony” version—was cancelled by Jordan Brand. While neither Scott nor the brand ever provided an official reason, speculation at the time pointed to rising tension between the two sides.

Now, with Scott once again partnering with Fragment Design and Jordan Brand on an Air Jordan 1 Low OG slated for November (rumored for November 8 after an initial September 20 target), it seems any friction has since been resolved. As of now, the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Shy Pink” isn’t expected to see a retail release—but in sneaker culture, plans can always change.