The Kicks You Wear, Vol. 421 — Day one for the A'One
Some tips for copping A'ja Wilson's first signature shoe.
Goooood morning, folks! Welcome back to the Kicks You Wear. Thanks so much for rocking with me today. Appreciate you. Hope you’ve got a good week coming.
I was very disappointed that Journalism lost the Kentucky Derby over the weekend. My industry cannot catch a break, even as a horse. You really hate to see it.
Let’s jump in.
The A’One has arrived
A’ja Wilson’s big moment is here. The reigning WNBA MVP’s first signature shoe is set to have its wider release on Tuesday.
The Pink Aura colorway will be officially released first on May 6.
That’ll be followed up a few weeks later by the Blue Fury and Pearl White colorways coming on May 15.
Nike has poured a ton into this sneaker. We’ve known about it for nearly a year now. There were entire activations centered around it. There’s even a Malia Obama-directed commercial for these joints:
This is a big moment: People have been waiting for this sneaker for years. That includes sneakerheads like myself, sure. But most of the people who have been waiting in anticipation the longest are Wilson’s biggest fans and supporters, not necessarily the same folks who know how to chase a hyped sneaker release.
With that in mind, and the shoe’s release coming soon, I thought it’d be a good time to drop a few tips here for those who might not be as experienced in the area.
I know, I know: You’re probably asking, “Wait. Is this necessary? Will these be hard to get?” It’s hard to know when we don’t know inventory numbers, but considering the hype we saw during Wilson’s pre-heat tour with Nike, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
There are a lot of people who want this shoe on day one of its release. A lot of them read this newsletter. And I want you all to be prepared for anything.
With that said, let’s get into it.
Tip 1: Download the Nike app and the SNKRS app.
The shoes will be released on both at 10 a.m. ET on May 6. Here’s the link if you’d like to access Nike via desktop.
Input your payment and shipping info into both beforehand. You want to make the process as quick and smooth as possible.
I’d prioritize SNKRS, but either one works.
Tip 2: Prioritize the shoes before the apparel.
There’s an apparel collection coming alongside these shoes that people will also want pieces from.
If you want shoes, however, you should go for those first. They’ll sell out before the apparel. Resellers will move fast.
Once you cart the shoes, are in line and have submitted your payment, you can look at the pieces from the collection. They shouldn’t move as quickly.
Tip 3: Be patient. Do not go to the resale market if you miss out on these.
This is a general release model. It’s not a collaboration. Nike isn’t limiting these — they want people to have them.
With that in mind, even if these sell out, there will be eventual restocks down the line.
If you hit the aftermarket, you’ll pay extra money you might regret in the long run. You can do that if you want, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
The big picture: This is a huge moment for women’s basketball. It’s the best player in the game finally getting her first signature shoe. That, alone, makes this a moment worthy of your attention.
The hype behind the A’One is indicative of the hype behind women’s basketball. Women’s hoops is the next great frontier in sportswear. In the coming years, this space will be a barometer for brand performance.
Doing well here would do wonders for Nike, both financially and culturally. The brand wants you to have this shoe.
We’ll see how this all goes.
A letter to the president
The footwear industry has come together seeking relief from President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
What’s happening: The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America wrote a letter to Trump asking him to make an exemption for footwear with his “reciprocal” tariffs.
What they’re saying: The letter describes the peril the footwear industry faces because of the tariffs. Companies say the tariffs will lead to job losses on their end and increased prices for consumers.
“Given the nature of the U.S. footwear industry, American footwear businesses and families face an existential threat from such substantial cost increases. Hundreds of businesses face the prospect of closure. Tens of thousands of jobs are at stake. Many orders have been placed on hold, and footwear inventory for U.S. consumers may soon run low.
…
Many companies making affordable footwear for hardworking lower and middle-income families cannot absorb tariff rates this high, nor can they pass along these costs. Without immediate relief from the reciprocal tariffs they will simply shutter.”
The who: Dozens of companies signed off on this letter, including several spots you know and love. That includes Nike, Adidas, Puma, Under Armour, Crocs, Deckers, VF Corp, Brooks, Wolverine Worldwide, Skechers and more.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen brands align in this way. But, I guess, when the entire industry is aggrieved, it’s a pretty good time for unity.
Interestingly enough, New Balance was not included on this. The brand pushed back against Trump in 2019 on Chinese tariffs. This is a president that New Balance generally supports, so this isn’t a shocking absence. But considering how the current state of the industry is undoubtedly impacting it, you’d think it’d have asked for relief by now.
I’ve contacted New Balance for comment on Trump’s tariffs multiple times, but have received no response.
Will this work: I have my doubts, but there are small slivers of hope there. Trump has carved out exceptions for the technology and auto industries.
However, the president is also predictably being stubborn, saying that his 145 percent tariff on China might stick moving forward, even as he claims to be willing to negotiate with the country for relief.
In a Meet the Press interview on Sunday with NBC News host Kristen Welker, Trump said he wouldn’t grant exemptions for small businesses because “they wouldn’t need it,” despite all the problems they’re clearly having.
If small businesses aren’t granted exemptions, I can’t imagine a world where a Nike or an Adidas would. But, hey. All this president does is weird, off-the-wall stuff. There’s no sound strategy or reason here. Anything is possible.
But I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Grey Day is more like Grey Month
New Balance is taking this Grey Day stuff to another level this year.
The backdrop: New Balance has celebrated “Grey Day” annually in May.
This is a company-manufactured holiday that New Balance uses to celebrate its signature grey colorway we’ve seen on all of its signature silhouettes.
New Balance has used the day to sell its newest and most popular models.
What’s coming: This year, New Balance has turned its singular holiday into an entire month. The brand has filled its release calendar with releases for the occasion, ranging from retros like the New Balance 1300JP to debuting new releases like the upcoming 2010.
In between, there will be popular models that we’ve become more familiar with in the last few years. The 1000, 9060, 1906L, and 740 are part of the action. There are more obscure silhouettes to like the Numeric 933, the 471, MT10 and more. Coco Gauff’s new Coco Delray is getting a Grey Day treatment, too.
A look: Here’s a top-down look at several models included.
My take: Company-branded holidays are always strange to me. This is the same as Nike’s Air Max Day.
There are a few treats here, like the 1300JP and the 2010, but what we’re essentially getting are a bunch of GR models that probably didn’t need to be promoted in this way.
But I get it. New Balance wants you to be excited about its product. This is a way to stick out and take up some shelf space with different wholesalers. Just like Air Max Day, this is a smart move. It works for less-cynical consumers than I am.
It’s not enough to get me to pay $300 for that 1300, but I might slide on a pair of 2010s.
Another Brooks surprise
Brooks has been known as a competitive performance running brand for all of its existence, but it’s leaning hard into this lifestyle wave.
What’s new: A month after relaunching the GTS Adrenaline 4 with Jeff Staple, the company hired former Footwear News reporter Peter Verry as its Lifestyle marketing manager.
Verry announced the hire on Instagram.
Shoutout to journalism leading to new career paths. You love to see it.
This is smart: Verry is significantly tapped in with various players around the industry through his work at Footwear News over the last decade. He’ll have connections that Brooks can leverage to sink its teeth into the culture.
I’d wondered how serious Brooks was about lifestyle. I thought there was a chance the Staple move would be a one-off to try and capitalize on the recent retro sneaker wave.
This move makes it clear that real resources are being dedicated here. The company wants us to take it seriously.
What’s droppin’, bruh?
Nike A’One “Hyper Pink” — Tuesday, May 6
Nike Air Force 1 Low “Dirty Triple White” — Wednesday, May 7
New Balance 2010 “Dockside” — Wednesday, May 7
Nike Air Force 1 Low “Escape” — Thursday, May 8
Nike Dunk Low BHM “Rodeo” — Friday, May 9
thisisneverthat x New Balance 991v2 — Friday, May 9
Air Jordan 1 Retro High “UNC Reimagined” — Saturday, May 10
That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks for reading. Hope you have a fantastic week coming up.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, message me at mikedsykes@gmail.com or hit me here on Substack.
Peace and love. Be safe, be easy, be kind. We out.
-Sykes 💯
Easy way for the footwear companies to get Trump to listen to them: leave a giant bag of cash sitting on the White House front steps! I'm obviously joking, but it's crazy how brazenly this administration is flaunting their corruption.