We’ve entered Phase 4 of re-opening in New York City and slowly but surely, everything is starting to open up once again. As someone who’s been an avid sneaker collector for close to two decades, it was a breath of fresh air to not have to wake up every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. for a SNKRS drop thanks to quarantine. But with summer in full swing, sneaker brands have picked up their release pace after observing a period of silence to allow for the voices of those continually seeking social justice in the Black Lives Matter movement to be amplified and to allow people to adjust to COVID-19 life.

This new weekly column will summarize some of the releases that are occurring and hopefully help you make sense of what to wear, what to hold and what to sell. We’ll also be sharing more content like this through our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts so please give us a follow. Let’s jump into it.

Off-White x Air Jordan 4 “Sail”

We briefly talked about this sneaker earlier this month, and now the release is finally happening. As with most Virgil Abloh collaborations, you can get a decent return through the secondary market if you’re buying to flip. If you do manage to get your hands on these whether through Nike’s SNKRS app drawing or through retail raffles, I’d recommend wearing this pair (or holding it until quarantine is over). It’s a great all-season colorway and the Air Jordan 4 is one of the sturdiest models out there. Just remember that the sizing is women’s and another colorway of the Air Jordan 5 collaboration is rumored to be arriving soon. Some lucky ladies already got early access via SNKRS yesterday and Virgil has actually hinted that a men’s release will happen in the near future.

Release Date: July 25, 2020 (Saturday)
Retail: $200
Resell pre-release: $1,100 – $2,400

Nike SB Dunk Low “Grateful Dead”

Nike Skateboarding’s resurgence in recent months can be attributed to Travis Scott’s collaboration and him wearing rare OGs but more importantly, it’s because the brand has found its voice once again – they’re back to using great materials and doing collaborations out of left field (think Ben & Jerry’s). Paying homage to OG rock band Grateful Dead, the trio of bear-inspired footwear ties in the band’s DNA and iconic imagery with a fun and bright sneaker for the summer. Nike’s SNKRS app will only release the yellow pair. Green pairs will be available at skate shops and the orange pair was released last week exclusively at FTC. These pairs are definitely a flip for me, there are COVID-19 bills to pay after all.

Release Date: July 24, 2020 (Friday)
Retail: $110
Resell pre-release: $ 1,600 – $3,500 (Yellow) / $3,200 – $7,500 (Orange) / $1,800 – $3,400 (Green)

adidas YEEZY BOOST 380 “Blue Oat”

Kanye West and adidas have been churning out YEEZY sneakers at a rapid pace over the last year compared to when he first arrived at the brand in 2013. The latest YEEZY BOOST, the 380, crosses between his 350 V2 and QNTM basketball shoes. Like some previous releases, this one will arrive in a reflective “RF” version as well as a non-reflective variation. If you’re a fan of New York sports teams, this is a definite cop and stock for you and the family (because you won’t be going to any games live for a while). You can pick these up via adidas’ app, YEEZY SUPPLY and through select retailers.

Release Date: July 25, 2020 (Saturday)
Retail: $250 (reflective), $230 (non-reflective), $170 (kids non-reflective), $150 (infants non-reflective)
Resell pre-release: $400 – $600 (reflective) / $300 – $400 (non-reflective)

Photos via END. / FTC San Francisco / YEEZY SUPPLY