👀 Sneaker of the Week: Air Jordan 5 “Fire Red - Black Tongue”

🔥 The Weekly Lace-Up: the highly-anticipated Travis Scott x Fragment x Air Jordan 1 Low OG, Angel Reese’s new Reebok Angel Reese 1, an official release date for Derrick Rose’s adidas Fear of God Athletics II PE, and a new exhibit honoring the late, great Virgil Abloh’s work with Nike, LV, and more

📸 Kick Flick: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shows out in an all-pink Converse SHAI 001

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 Air Jordan 5 “Fire Red - Black Tongue.”

The Air Jordan 5 is widely regarded as one of the greatest sneakers ever made. Worn by Michael Jordan during the 1989–1990 NBA season and designed by legendary Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, the retro basketball silhouette has left its mark both on and off the court. Its cultural impact extends beyond sports—actor Will Smith famously rocked the “Grape” colorway in an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and over the past two-plus decades, the shoe has been worn by a who’s-who of celebrities, athletes, sneaker collectors, and everyone in between. 

In 2025, the Jordan 5 is celebrating its 35th anniversary with both retro and new releases. One of the most hyped moments has been the return of the iconic Air Jordan 5 “Fire Red – Black Tongue” colorway on September 13th.

One of four original Jordan 5 colorways, the “Fire Red – Black Tongue” mirrors the design of the “Fire Red – Silver Tongue,” but swaps the reflective silver tongue for a sleek black neoprene version. The 2025 release stays true to its OG roots, featuring a crisp white leather upper, red accents on the midsole and lining, the classic “Nike Air” logo on the heel, and the signature shark-tooth detailing on the midsole for a true ’90s vibe. Adding an extra nod to Jordan history, it also includes a Player Exclusive-inspired “23” embroidery on the lateral heel, directly referencing the font and styling found on the PE version MJ wore with the Bulls.

Following the return of the “Grape” in June, the Jordan 5 “Fire Red – Black Tongue” is the latest colorway to carry the model’s storied legacy. The 2025 edition is the most authentic release of this colorway since the original in 1990. That meticulous attention to detail makes the new “Fire Red – Black Tongue” a faithful tribute to one of the most iconic Jordans ever made.

I’m going to keep this brief because I don’t think I need to convince anyone of the Air Jordan 5 “Fire Red – Black Tongue’s” greatness. The “Fire Red – Black Tongue” is an all-time great sneaker, deserving a spot in any collector’s closet. It oozes early-’90s basketball in the best ways possible, from its impossibly chunky design and ultra-cozy, puffy neoprene tongue to the “Nike Air” detailing on the heel and outsole, and, on this glorious 2025 release, the “23” insignia that looks exactly like it did on Michael Jordan’s PE pair.

If you owned the OG of this shoe, the new release is a no-brainer for your rotation or collection. If you’ve owned past retros, the 2025 version is a must-have for its accurate detailing, shape, and the iconic “23” on the side. And if you’ve never owned the “Fire Red – Black Tongue,” this is your chance at a true classic.

In sneaker culture, few collaborations are as highly regarded as the Travis Scott x Fragment Design x Jordan Brand team-up. On September 20th, the trio will continue its partnership with the long-awaited follow-up to 2021’s Air Jordan 1s: a new Jordan 1 Low OG.

Like previous iterations, the Jordan 1 Low OG by Scott and Hiroshi Fujiwara features both creators’ signature design elements. La Flame’s oversized, reverse Swoosh appears in Military Blue on the lateral side, while his “Cactus Jack” and smiley face logos appear on the heel tab and heel of the left shoe, respectively. Fragment Design’s iconic lightning bolt motif lands on the heel of the right shoe, complemented by industrial logo detailing printed on the medial side of the aged midsole.

This third installment of the three-way collaboration introduces a new vintage touch, with Sail and Muslin accents on the upper and rubber midsole, respectively. Buy them now →

It’s been quite a return to sneakers for Deion Sanders. Since rekindling his storied partnership with Nike a few years ago, Coach Prime has watched some of his most iconic signature silhouettes—like the Nike Air DT Max ‘96 and, more recently, the Nike Air Diamond Turf—return in retro form, captivating sneaker culture with their true-to-OG styling. Next up for the pair is the Nike Air Diamond Turf “Must Be the Money,” a colorway inspired by Deion’s brief mid-‘90s rap career and most well-known song, set to drop on September 15th.

Succeeding the return of OG Air Diamond Turf colorways like the “Falcons,” “Ravens,” and “Emerald,” the new “Must Be the Money” edition adds fresh storytelling to the silhouette, highlighted by a dollar-sign insole graphic that nods to Sanders’ iconic track of the same name. The rest of the shoe leans vintage, with Sail and Coconut Milk overlays accented by subtle hits of yellow for a naturally aged look that feels straight out of the ’90s. Buy them now →

Derrick Rose’s NBA playing career may be over, but the former league MVP and potential Basketball Hall of Famer continues to maintain a close relationship with adidas, his longtime footwear partner. Back in December 2024, Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God Athletics imprint tapped Rose to help debut the adidas Fear of God Athletics II, the next performance basketball shoe in his brand’s ongoing partnership with adidas. Soon after, images of a Derrick Rose PE of the shoe surfaced. Now, to close out the year, that pair will finally see a retail release on October 1st.

Among the shoe’s standout features are a D-Rose x adidas signature logo on the heel and a fiery red, Chicago Bulls-inspired Fear of God tab on the back of the semi-translucent rubber sole. The rest of the shoe is designed in Fear of God’s signature minimalist approach, with grey fabric overlays on top of creamy white underlays and cream-colored laces.

With the Derrick Rose x adidas Fear of God Athletics II becoming a reality, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more from this partnership in the near future. The shoe releases via adidas retailers on October 1st and is priced at $180.

Four years after his untimely passing, Virgil Abloh’s impact continues to resonate across fashion, streetwear, and sneaker culture, solidifying his legacy as one of the most influential designers of his generation. In a recently announced exhibit, Nike and the Virgil Abloh Archive will pay tribute to the visionary with a special event titled “The Codes”, set to take place in Paris starting September 30th.

A press release via virgilabloh.com details dialogues, workshops, performances, and screenings accompanying the program. GQ was recently granted access to the archive to preview select pieces that attendees and the public can expect to see. Among the more notable sneaker-related items are a sample prototype of the Air Force 1 Low “MoMA” that Abloh worked on, alongside a cleated version of the ISPA Mid previously released. Fans can also glimpse the inner workings of his Louis Vuitton collection, including early sample versions of the LV x Air Force 1.

In total, “The Codes” will feature over 20,000 objects from Virgil’s creative practice, all on display at the Grand Palais in Paris from September 30th to October 9th.

After months of anticipation, the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander x Converse era is officially in full swing. The reigning NBA MVP’s first-ever colorway of his debut signature shoe, the Converse SHAI 001 “Butter,” launched a few weeks ago. And, thanks to an Instagram post teasing some of Shai’s latest moves, it looks like a new all-pink colorway of the performance basketball shoe is on the way.

Details surrounding this all-pink stunner have yet to be officially released by Shai or Converse, but based on photos captured, the vibe is giving full-on 2000s-era Cam’ron energy. The monochromatic pink Converse SHAI 001 mirrors the one-tone design of the popular “Butter” colorway, with matching pink laces, midsole, and outsole for a head-to-toe statement look. The upper appears to be crafted from the same lightweight, performance-ready materials as the original, making it versatile for both on-court functionality and off-court style.

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