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How to Elevate Your Sneaker Game in 2019

Sacai x Nike / Peter White/Getty Images

The past few years have seen sneakers evolve as the ultimate staple in every wardrobe. Even the Wall Street dudes who once scoffed at the dorky IT guys in trainers now have entire walls dedicated to their sneaker collections. Appropriately, they are now being paired with suits and carried down tunnels from the locker room to the court.

Long queues outside any Supreme store and hip-hop co-signs have slowly legitimized sneakerhead culture. On the luxury side, Off-White, Gucci and Balenciaga all have skin in the game while brands like Nike have mastered the art of collaboration. It’s now uncool to show up at a club in anything but the latest Balenciaga kicks. But as these once–mocked pair of shoes acquire a ubiquitous status, it makes it increasingly difficult to stand out.

To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the five hottest sneakers that will help you turn heads in 2019.

cav empt x nike air max 95
Nike

Cav Empt x Nike Air Max 95

RELEASE DATE: Jan. 10 at select Nike retailers

In this highly anticipated sneaker collab, the classic Air Max gets a zesty upgrade by Japan-based label Cav Empt. Disguised in a digital camouflage pattern, these trainers come in two colorways: “Blackened Blue” and “White.” They additionally feature speckled laces and a special Cav Empt C.E. insignia.

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Nike

Nike x A-COLD-WALL* Air Force 1

RELEASE DATE: Available now.

Made with Nike Flyleather—the super material crafted from 50 percent recycled natural leather fiber—the Nike x A-COLD-WALL* Air Force 1 challenges design innovation with its unique build. The technology behind the creation of the shoe not only offers a game-changing solution to fashion’s sustainability woes but is also a breakthrough in design.

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peter white gettyimages 982057820
Peter White/Getty Images

Sacai x Nike

RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2019 (rumored)

Debuted during Paris Fashion Week SS19 last June, this Nike collaboration marries the Swoosh with high fashion favorite Sacai for two hybrid models. The new models combine four iconic Nike silhouettes; namely, the Dunk High with the Blazer and the Waffle Daybreak and LDV fusion.

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Nike

Why Not Zer0.2

RELEASE DATE: Jan. 10

For his second performance sneaker, NBA champion Russell Westbrook has designed this elaborate pair in several colorways with a specific meaning behind each. With his family crest on the inner tongue, the shoes also symbolize Westbrook’s dedication towards his loved ones.

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air max 2 retro
Nike

Nike Air Max 2 Light Retro

RELEASE DATE: Jan. 11

25 years in the making, the Nike Air Max 2 Light Retro is the updated and modernized take on the 1994 cult sneakers. With a bright gold mesh base and a vibrant crimson and blue accent for the added contrast, these reworked classics make a triumphant return to the market on January 11.

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