Fashion and sports rarely mix, but when they do, it’s a unique and often intricate collaboration. To create the perfect product that touches upon both entities’ needs, functionality, and durability, as well as style and aesthetic, all have to be taken into account. And since fashion and sports are two totally different worlds, such partnerships have led to some of the most fascinating products in retail history. It’s often associated with a prominent athlete to draw in the sports fans. One such is Y-3 Adidas’ new Crazy Boost You Wear sneakers in collaboration with NBA star James Harden.
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Release Date: February 2018
The shoes debuted at Paris Menswear Fall 2018 Fashion Week last January during Y-3’s fashion show. They became one of the top talking points about the brand’s fall collection, popping up in various reviews from prominent critics and publications. James Harden himself already created buzz online when he posted on his Instagram page about his new collaboration with Y-3 prior to the event. Its public retail release is still unknown, but Adidas held a limited release last February 2018. The shoes are priced at $440, similarly to other pairs in Y-3’s Boost You Wear collection.
Pros
Arguably the most interesting feature of the new “Harden” shoes is its interplay of various materials. With a mix of suede, leather, and neoprene, the pair displays a harmonic mix of textiles that are both strong and durable enough for the sport, and fascinating enough for fashion critics. With an all-black or black and white colorway, the marriage of different materials look more sophisticated and help them compliment each other more rather than look too busy. The pair may not be the flashiest of all the NBA player collaborations with athletic wear, but it’s certainly one of the most refined pieces out there.
Cons
As beautiful as the shoes are, the James Harden BYW collaboration should also be durable enough to play the sport in, which may not necessarily be the case because of its size. With Adidas’ signature Boost tooling, as well as the various materials used, the pair is chunkier than most of its kind. The weight can create problems for wearers who chose to don the new kicks for a game of basketball, and they might find that the shoe is better to be seen in than to play in. Additionally, the strenuous nature of the sport can also harm the precious materials that make up the pair.
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Image Credits: Just Fresh Kicks, Sneaker News, Sole Collector, Flight Club
