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Believe it or not, 2016 is already halfway in the books. In respect to sports and music, the year has had its share of highlights and surprises, but how about shoes? Well, that’s where we come in. Celebrating six months of shoe drops, see our picks for The 25 Best Sneaker Releases of 2016 So Far and let us know your favorites in the comments section.
25. Air Jordan 10 “OVO”
Some could argue the Air Jordan 10 “OVO” was underwhelming, but we’d be hard pressed to find anyone that’d pass on a pair at retail. Yup, The Boy and JB have been keeping it subtle and spaced out in regards to their releases, seemingly hoping to put out collaborative product that’s as timeless as their individual work.
24. Nice Kicks x adidas NMD PK
Light on branding, heavy on attitude, the Nice Kicks x adidas NMD PK saw a bold first collaboration for the recently expanded NK retail. Celebrating the new store in San Fransisco, the tie-dye Primeknit upper and gum accented soles provided a statement sneaker on the style front backed by the always dependable Boost cushioning.
23. Converse Chuck Taylor II Engineered
The Chuck II had its moment last year but it got a lot better in 2016 thanks to the Engineered revamp. Tech’d out and taking well to color, these were a sleeper in the scheme of things but an awesome look at what could be and what’s hopefully to come from Converse.
22. Nike Zoom HyperRev 2016 “BETRUE”
Drawing comparisons to Nike Basketball classics endorsed by Dennis Rodman, the Nike Zoom HyperRev 2016 is one of the more daring and exciting inline models from the Swoosh’s hardwood branch. While Draymond PEs and team takes were solid, the “BETRUE” makeup was by far the best. Bold and brash, the colorway in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights is dope for all and a good reminder that sports and sneakers are for all, too.
21. Social Status x Diadora N9000 “Olympic Medals”
Pretty soon we’re going to be hit with Olympic overhaul of all sorts with Nike leading the way in both new-age and heritage fashion on the sneaker front. Oddly enough, the top half of the year saw Diadora and Social Status bringing home the top medals before the 2016 events even took place. Dressing the very versatile N.9000 in gold and silver with country conscious tones, anyone that got either pair of these was certainly a winner.
