The Kicks You Wear, Vol. 322 — How much is too much? 💰
Let's talk about a cool thing and a maybe not-so-cool thing coming from Jordan brand
Gooooood morning, family. Welcome back to the Kicks You Wear. Thanks so much for rocking with me today. I appreciate you, fam.
MAILBAG TIME: Remember, this Friday we’re dropping our second KYW mailbag for the month! Drop your questions in the mailbox here at this link! Excited to chop it up with y’all again.
Poll response: I asked you all if I was bugging with my complaints about the EQL “Run Fair” free on the A Ma Maniére raffle. 71 of you responded! Thank you!
A whopping 75 percent of you said I wasn’t bugging with my complaints. It’s $5. It’s not a lot. But it’s also very irritating.
Another 25 percent of you said I should pay the $5 and stop complaining. I’ll end up doing that anyway if I get them, so I guess you’re still right.
I just need these prices to chill. Speaking of prices needing to chill…
$300 for one shoe?!?
Speaking of things that might be a little too pricey, the Air Jordan 17 is reportedly coming back in 2024 with a UNC Lowcolorway, according to a leak from zSneakerheadz. That’s exciting news.
But… What’s not so exciting is the $300 price tag attached to it. Three. Hundred. Dollars. That’s a lot of money, man.
The backdrop: When this sneaker was first released it was for literally half the price.
The UNC Air Jordan 17 low originally came out in 2002, putting Jordan’s college roots on his latest silhouette.
The shoe retailed for $150. It’s worth noting that, while that seems reasonable now, it was certainly pricey back then. But now it’s double what it was.
The big picture: There’s still reportedly quite some time before we get these in the fall of 2024, so things could change. But this would be right on trend with what Jordan Brand and Nike have done over the last few years with price trends.
The brand’s most coveted models keep rising in price.
In 2019 the price of a Jordan 1 sneaker was $160. Now, it’s up to $180.
Jordan 3s and 4s were once $190. Now those have risen to $210.
The Nike Dunk’s price has steadily risen from $100 to $115.
Part of this can be explained by inflation, but some of it is also certainly Nike just getting a little more gristle off the bone. For it to be such a huge increase with the AJ17 is jarring — especially considering other models like the Jordan 15 haven’t seen the same treatment.
Be smart: A shoe with that hefty of a price has to be coming with a special box of some sort. My guess is that — like the original 17s came with a suitcase — these may come in one, too. Would that justify this price tag? Not in my eyes. But maybe there’s something cool and collectible here that consumers will be in on.
A reminder: This is the problem with leaks. We don’t get the full scope of upcoming releases and are only left to speculate.
Let’s be patient: This is a leak so it’s not time to worry. The price might not even be the price by the time it gets here.
Just keep an eye on this one.
A tradition unlike any other
It’s almost that time of year, folks. The Holiday Air Jordan 11 release is almost upon us.
There are lots of new sneakerheads out there and plenty of them read this newsletter. Some have asked me a bit about the December Jordan 11 drops, so I figured now is as good a time as ever to do a quick explainer on it.
The skinny: The Jordan 11 has been released on the second week of December every year since 2008.
There’s a Jordan 11 that releases every year in a different colorway.
Sometimes it’s a retro like what we’re seeing this year with the Gratitude 11s. This one was originally released with the 2006 DMP back along with the Jordan 6.
Other times it’s an original colorway like what we saw in 2020 with the Jubilee AJ11. That was inspired by an original Tinker Hatfield sketch.
The best part is the drop is always large in quantities. There are usually more than enough pairs to go around through several retailers.
The why: The business behind the Holiday 11 drop is what drives it.
The 11 is universally one of the most beloved Jordan models ever. Nobody is ever going to call this sneaker ugly so it’s easy to sell.
Because it’s easy to sell, Nike can make as many pairs as it wants and swing a big end-of-year win in its second fiscal quarter.
Plus, it leaves the consumer happy. After all the Ls you take through the year you still know you’ve got a great shot with the Holiday AJ11 drop.
The other side: While the 11 drop is usually fun, things haven’t always been so peachy-keen.
This is one of those drops people would line up for year after year at their local sneaker stores and in the malls. Sometimes it got dangerous. There were multiple instances through the years of violence surrounding these shoes. People would riot over them. It’s part of the reason (aside from the DTC takeover) that brands have moved hyped drops online.
Today, things aren’t so bad. You see a bit less of this over these because things have moved online primarily so no one is camping out anymore.
The bottom line: Even still with that dark history, this is a drop people look forward to every year. As this culture continues to grow and change, some things remain the same.
I’m glad this is one of those things.
It’s almost holiday gift guide time! Plus let’s talk December content schedule
The Kicks You Wear gift guide is coming soon and I want your input on it.
Backdrop: For those of you who are new here (WELCOME!!!), I put together an annual holiday gift guide for readers with gifts to give the sneakerhead in their lives.
Everything is under $100! We try to stay budget-friendly.
It’s not just all sneakers, either. It’s everything from art to cleaning kits to lace packs to socks and more.
It’s that time again: The gift guide is dropping on Friday, Dec. 8 this year. And I want to know from you all what you want to see in it.
I’ll keep some things the same. It’ll remain under $100. That basic rule still applies. And I’ll also keep some of the things in there that I enjoy.
But I want to know from you if there’s anything specific you’re looking for. Any deals you haven’t been able to find? Is there anything you’d like to see? Let me know and I’ll hunt it down.
I’ve created a comment box here for you all to drop your gift guide suggestions/requests in! Let me know what it is that you’re looking for. Let’s make this the best sneakerhead gift guide on the internet.
Thanks, folks. You’re the best.
The holiday schedule:
Dec. 8: KYW Holiday Gift Guide
Dec. 15: KYW Holiday Mailbag
Dec. 22: KYW’s Best Everything of 2023
How the Grinch stole New Balance
I’m about to chop my feet in half to fit these Grinch 990v4s. These are incredible. Everything about them is so fun.
This is reportedly a DTLR drop coming for the holiday season at some point. We’ll see. I hope it’s soon. Seeing a Christmas iteration of the 990 is so fun. That Grinch colorway always hits hard — shoutout to Kobe.
I’m hoping these come in adult sizes, but I won’t hold my breath on that. Regardless, these are sick.
What’s droppin’, bruh?
Air Jordan 13 “Wheat” — Tuesday, November 21
END x Adidas Samba “Past” — Wednesday, November 22
NOCTA x Nike AF1 low “Love you Forever” — Friday, November 24
Puma MB.01 “Golden Child” — Friday, November 24
Air Jordan 5 x A Ma Maniere “Dawn” — Friday, November 24
Air Jordan 3 “Fear” — Saturday, November 25
That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for reading today. Remember, drop your questions in the mailbag for this week. Hopefully, it’s a fun one! I’m sure it will be. Always is.
Let’s chat again on Friday. Til then, peace and love. Be easy, be safe, be kind. And we out.
-Sykes 💯
That NB grinch colorway may need to be scooped. I like those a lot more than I thought I would. You the GOAT Mike!