European Sneaker Releases August 25 Weekend

Sneaker culture may be a global phenomenon, but — while we can all see the same sneakers at the same time — their release dates are usually staggered from continent to continent. So, as always, we’ve whittled the vast and fast-paced selection down to a manageable handful of the best footwear available in Europe.

This weekend is retro-styled and homage-heavy, with Nike paying attention to two legends in two different disciplines — Kobe Bryant and Kenny Moore. While most of us will be aware of the recently-retired Black Mamba, Kenny Moore is slightly less known, but he’s nonetheless intrinsically linked to Nike’s founding days, having been one of Bill Bowerman’s prize students during his running coach days. And that’s still not the end of the retro releases, with Hummel dropping a capsule collection of the Marathona GBW.

And, as we move closer to September, there’s a shift away from canvas and nylon to heavier fabrics such as leather. While Converse and Vans have both released two explicitly leather shoes, even the aforementioned Kenny Moore Cortez shoes include a leather edition. Scroll on to see our picks for the week and read just why we chose that shoe.

Nike Cortez “Kenny Moore” Tour QS Collection

Release Price: £64.95-£69.95 from Nike. Broken Foot edition, Track Spike edition, Marathon Record edition

Kenny Moore was one of the greatest distance runners during Bill Bowerman’s Oregon coaching days and it was a foot injury that the athlete suffered that resulted in the making of the Nike Cortez. The accident helped Bowerman to create a shoe with more foam cushioning and better arch support — a show that became known as the Tiger Cortez. In honour of Moore’s contribution, Nike has released three pairs of shoes, which come in white leather, blue suede and yellow nylon.

Converse One Star Ox Leather

Release Price: €89.95 from OVERKILL

The first of this week’s winter-ready releases is the One Star. Converse continue to push the silhouette, providing an alternative to the Chuck Taylor for the brand that ensures that they stay clear of one-trick pony accusations. This time the One Star is making an appearance in a subtle dark brown leather.

Kobe A.D. “Mamba Mentality” Pack

Release Price: £139.95 from Nike. Optimism, Passion, Honesty

Kobe celebrated his birthday earlier this week (you can watch a special highlight mix here) and now Nike has released the “Mamba Mentality” pack. The pastel-colored shoes are each named after a different part of Bryant’s mental attributes, with “Passion,” “Optimism” and “Honesty” being honored in this drop.

Nike Air Max 1 “Jewel”

Release Price: £104.95 from Nike for Black Pure Platinum and Dusty Peach

Nike continues to release the “Jewel” editions of its classic shapes and this week sees the Air Max 1 receive the small swoosh treatment. The silhouette is a great choice for this update: as such a classic shoe the best changes are usually subtle ones, rather than broad strokes applied to a design that’s difficult to improve on.

Hummel Marathona GBW “Hive Release”

Release Price: €120 from OVERKILL

Hummel aren’t a constant presence in this series but we believe that the “Hive Release” is a shoe worthy of bigger coverage. The retro runner style means they’ll be perfect for fans of clean footwear that isn’t an overbearing part of your outfit.

Vans UA Old Skool Lite LX Horween

Release Date: August 26
Release Price: £135-£155 from Hanon Shop

Vans Old Skool is an evergreen shoe style but, even though it’ll likely never go out of fashion, it is currently undergoing a particularly notable resurgence of sorts. After all, even Kendrick Lamar was pictured wearing a pair during his DAMN tour. For this capsule drop, Vans has worked with leather experts Horween on three pairs of the shoe using the Chicago-based factory’s specialist fabric.

Sneakersnstuff x adidas Originals EQT “EQT Materials” Pack

Release Date: August 26
Release Price: £135 from Sneakersnstuff

adidas has been focusing on the EQT model lately, having released several pairs over the recent weeks. Sneakersnstuff continues its long term partnership with the sportswear giants in the form of this Materials Pack. This time the retailer has kept the colorways muted, with a pair of beige and navy silhouettes available.

Air Jordan 8 “Cool Grey”

Release Date: August 26
Release Price: £169.95 from Nike

Jordan Brand continues its stream of releases, this time focusing on the Jordan 8, which comes in a “Cool Grey” colorway. Basketball shoes are still having a difficult time in terms of the wider market but the VIII is a fan favorite. This pair sports some of the same details as the 1993 original, such as the cross-tongue design.

Nike Air Zoom Generation

Release Date: August 26
Release Price: £139.95 from Nike

The Air Zoom Generation is notable for being LeBron James’ first ever signature shoe. There’s little extra that needs to be said about LeBron’s career to date, but the shoe — which originally dropped back in 2003 — had the unique inspiration of being designed after a Hummer truck. Fans of The King will be able to get their hands on the shoe on Saturday.