The Kicks You Wear, Vol. 419 — A sneaky link 👀
The SNKRS app is bringing a new drop strategy to the table. But will it help?
Good morning, folks! Welcome back to the Kicks You Wear. Thanks so much for rocking with me today. Appreciate your time.
I watched a video of a dude making a burger on a pair of Lost & Found Jordan 1s, so now you have to watch it, too. On one hand, I regret wasting this time. On the other hand, corny Instagram sneaker pics and videos are back! The feeling is restored.
Let’s jump in.
The SNKRS link system
Nike announced a new strategy for high heat releases coming to its SNKRS app on Friday. I’ll let you be the judge on whether you should get your hopes up about it.
What’s happening: Nike announced its new “SNKRS Link” strategy, detailed on the SNKRS app.
How it works: Going forward, Nike will use its influencers and brand partnerships to release its limited drops and collaborations on the app.
Drops won’t simply be available through the SNKRS app anymore. You’ll need a special link for access.
Nike’s various partners will provide those links via their social channels and platforms. We’re talking athletes and celebrity influencers.
They send out the link on whatever platform, you click it, the SNKRS app opens and you get access to the drop.
The point: Nike says it’s doing this to give access to “true fans.” This is yet another strategy Nike is using in limited releases to combat bots and scalpers who buy up these items and sell them on the aftermarket.
You can see the logic behind it. If you’re a true fan of Superstar X and they’re tied to Product Y and you follow them on Platform Z, then theoretically you should be able to get the link when they post it on the platform. At least you will if you’re truly locked in.
I think that’s fine in theory. In practice? We’ll see.
Between the lines: Nike has actually used this strategy already — you may not have noticed. It released the Nike SB Air Jordan 4 in navy blue a few weeks back with a SNKRS link.
To gain access to the drop, you had to be following pro skater Eric Koston on Instagram. He shared the shock drop link on his IG story.
Once you clicked the link, there was also a scratch-off screen that you needed to pass to gain access to the product.
Once you finish the scratch-off, you could make your purchase like you would any other Nike drop.
This was the only way to access the drop. It didn’t pop up on the SNKRS app otherwise. If you didn’t find Koston’s link, you couldn’t see the Jordan 4 drop. This was essentially one big social media CAPTCHA strategy in action.
It went well on my end. I accessed the drop about 10 minutes after Koston posted the link. There were still plenty of pairs available and I could’ve bought one if I wanted to. The process was also easy enough to do, although it was a bit tedious.
The other side: Like anything, there are pros and cons to this. No drop style is going to serve everyone — in the end, these are meant to be exclusionary to some degree. That’s part of it.
But our attention is splintered across so many different platforms. What if Platform Z mentioned above is X and you’re not on there anymore? Or what if you don’t like a crowded Instagram feed, so you’re not following Superstar X on the app? Should you be penalized or denied access because of that?
And while I do think it worked, it’s also not lost upon me that the Koston link circulated through Discord servers after it happened. The links appeared on multiple accounts on X. Eventually, bots gained access to them. They were late this time, but they’ll likely be more prepared moving forward now that they know this is the strategy.
These points are a bit nitpicky, but they’re also valid counterpoints.
The big picture: Nike has tried various strategies over the years to make the SNKRS app more accessible and less frustrating for its community. Exclusive access, non-shocking shock drops, FCFS. It doesn’t really feel like much of anything has left anyone happy. Chances are this probably won’t either.
But, as far as SNKRS app strategies go, this one was at least a bit more fun than the others. It’s something I’m willing to give a try.
What do you think? Does this SNKRS link strat sound like a good one? Here’s a quick poll. Feel free to sound off in the comments.
Adidas’ Supershoe is bringing it back to running
You’ve probably read about Adidas’ new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2 running shoe. If you haven’t, you’ve at least seen video of regular people trying to run in these and embarrassing themselves.
For those out of the loop, this is Adidas’ $500 follow-up to 2023’s Pro Evo 1 and, well, it’s expected to win just as many — if not more — races as its predecessor. It’s an elite performance shoe. It’s not meant for the casual runner.
Yes, but: The homie Marc Bain wrote in The Business of Fashion last week about how Adidas plans to use this supershoe’s success to catapult itself back into running with normies like you and me.
Where things stand: Adidas has never been known as the quintessential running brand — that was Nike’s usual spot. Adidas sat in second place. But, like Nike, Adidas has ceded ground in this key market to up-and-comers like On and Hoka as well as more established, smaller brands like Asics and New Balance. All while still trailing Nike.
Adidas is hoping to use the Pro Evo 2 as a springboard to bring people back into running with the three stripes.
First, the takedown models are taking over. Adidas is developing new runners for casual consumers that replicate certain aspects of the Pro Evo 2 while being more affordable.
Here’s Bain with more on that:
“Supershoes can also be the impetus for new innovations, which trickle down from those products for the few into what Adidas creates for the many. Because of the manufacturing process required, from the chemical composition of the foam to constructing the sole with its propulsion plate, the Pro Evo line is complex and expensive to make. Adidas can only produce about 1,000 units a month. But by adjusting the construction, Adidas created its LightStrike Pro midsole, which Manganelli said doesn’t have quite the same energy return but is far more scalable and accessibly priced.”
Second, and maybe most importantly, the company is re-engaging consumers where they are. Bain points out that, as part of Adidas’ direct-to-consumer push, the brand took its running shoes off the shelves of local running stores around the country.
They’ve ceded shelf space to competitors. That space is significant — especially in performance categories like running. Comfort matters most and the only way to know a shoe is comfortable is by trying it on. Local stores bring you that experience — you can’t find that online. That’s why Adidas’ change in approach here is so important.
Will it work? It depends on the product. Many brands are offering a lot of good things. For any of this to work, Adidas’ product has to be on point.
We know how good things are at the top with the Pro Evo line. If Adi can replicate that at all for us peasants, it’ll be in a good spot.
Corteiz runs the sneaker world
There’s something hilarious about a United Kingdom-based streetwear brand that was inspired by a landmark in San Francisco, making people in New York lose their minds.
But I swear, every time Corteiz and Clint419 touch down in the Big Apple, we see riots like this.
What you’re watching: NYC locals are running all over each other (and security!) just to get on a school bus…to go to school…and buy a pair of Air Max 95s?
Wild times!
What happened: Corteiz dropped its latest pair of Air Max 95s — the honey blacks — at an elementary school in Harlem. There was a whole activation behind it. The brand filled a bus with sneakers, dressed up the school, had a classroom set up.
We don’t usually see people going crazy like this for drops, but it happens every time Corteiz touches down in NYC. It was just two years ago that Clint had people running through New York’s streets for another pair of 95s.
Why does this keep happening? A couple of reasons.
Corteiz isn’t the biggest brand in the world, but it has a passionate cult following that developed overseas in London, where the brand is operated.
That cult following has grown and stretched throughout the global streetwear scene. As we’ve seen here, it’s reached a fever pitch in NYC — arguably the streetwear capital of the world.
The brand does geolocation-based pop-ups through social activations that get its fans up and moving to get limited pairs of sneakers.
It’s all chaotic on purpose. That’s how the brand wants it to be. If I’m being real, I’m not sure it could pull something like this off in another city. But it works. And it’s impressive.
The big picture: London-based streetwear is having a moment in 2025. Between what Corteiz is doing here, the Apron Records Air Max collection with Nike, Drama Call’s work with Adidas and more, there are lots of overseas brands grabbing the space by the horns these days. What a fascinating movement.
Shoutout to not putting trauma on tees
There’s a new Joe FreshGoods interview with Complex’s Aria Hughes out that is certainly well worth your time in checking out.
He’s dropping gems. There are interesting talking points throughout. There’s one on streetwear that I think might be worth exploring. More on that another time.
What I want to talk about is the “I’m finna put trauma on tees” bar he dropped here. I audibly cackled. Take a listen.
This was the face I made, too, Aria.
This is a very clear reference to Tremaine Emory’s attempt to put lynchings and whip scars on Supreme t-shirts. Supreme rightly refused to do this and Emory threw a tantrum and quit. Things haven’t been the same for buddy since.
I don’t have much more to say there. Just, uh, shoutout to not putting trauma on tees. I really respect that.
What’s droppin’, bruh?
Corteiz x Nike Air Max 95 “Honey Black” — Wednesday, April 30
Travis Scott Jumpman Jack “Bright Cactus” — Wednesday, April 30
Nike Air Max 95 “Pink Foam” — Thursday, May 1
Adidas ClimaCool — Friday, May 2
Nike Foamposite “Ice Blue” — Friday, May 2
Nike Book 1 “1995 All-Star" — Friday, May 2
That’s a wrap! Thanks so much for reading today. Appreciate you. Have a fantastic week.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns feel free to hit me at mikedsykes@gmail.com or shoot me a message via Substack.
Peace and love, folks. Be safe, be easy, be kind. We out.
-Sykes 💯
adidas is really doing great things in running. Their more consumer friendly running lineup of the Evo SL, Boston 13, and SL 2 are all top tier. They generate buzz with the Evo 1 and 2 and then capitalize at retail by delivering high performing shoes under the same Adizero banner.
SNKRS asking people to do homework for access to limited drops (I'm NOT going back to Twitter, I'm not following every sneaker-related celeb on IG) is not going to get me to put that app back on my phone.