Nostalgia is great this time of year as we spend time with friends and family embracing our unique holiday traditions – or at least that’s what I would be saying if it wasn’t for this pandemic. Instead, we’re looking towards the dark before the dawn as the proverbial saying goes; with a COVID-19 vaccine on the way, we just have to hold out for a little longer. To help sneakerheads like me do that, brands like Nike and adidas aren’t just innovating, collaborating and celebrating anniversaries, they’re also bringing back old school favorites – the nostalgia we need. This week’s Hot Cakes will not only be a blast from the past, but also some new new to take in. Let’s jump right into it.

 

Nike Dunk High “Varsity Maize”

There’s a lot of history between me and the Goldenrods and that ties into growing up in NYC. Back in 1999, these University of Iowa-inspired kicks were given a Wu-Tang Clan makeover for friends and family with the Wu “W” on the heel. The iconic colors of the Staten Island group made this the perfect grail for New Yorkers. That same year, a pair with “NYC” on the heel was also released, so even though we’re nowhere near the corn husks of the state of Iowa, these have DNA in our city too. I’ve owned every pair of these except the Wu’s – from the ’99 NYC edition to the 2003 retro and the Nike SB “BTTYS” version in 2005. These are a MUST HAVE via SNKRS app today.

 

Release Date: December 9, 2020 (Today)
Retail: $120
Resell pre-release: $215 – $425

 

Nike Air Total Max Uptempo “Black Volt”

Nike‘s Air More Uptempo was definitely the more popular version in their ’90s basketball sneaker catalogue thanks to Scottie Pippen but if you grew up watching bball in the ’90s like me, you’ll remember the Air Total Max Uptempo too. Reggie Miller wore this model along with many other Nike basketball sneakers as he annoyed anyone who wasn’t a Pacers fan. NBA legend Vince Carter also wore these during his time at UNC. For Nike to bring this sneaker back, and in the original “Black Volt” form, which also is reminiscent of the 1999 Air Foamposite Pro “Voltage,” this is a must have for bball heads via SNKRS app and select retailers.

 

Release Date: December 10, 2020
Retail: $170
Resell pre-release: $185 – $600

 

AMBUSH x Nike Dunk High “Black”

We got our first peek at these when Yoon Ahn announced the AMBUSH x NBA x Nike collection earlier this month. While this silhouette slightly reminds me of the Dunk Sky High Wedge sneaker due to its protruding heel area, that’s actually a nod to Japanese bike, car and truck subcultures – specifically Bosozoku and Dekotora – where they bling out and extend the lips, skirts and exhausts on cars and bikes as well as trucks respectively. A super clean black and white colorway, these will be rockable with anything in the wardrobe and a cop for me. Hit up SNKRS app and select retailers to land yours.

 

Release Date: December 11, 2020
Retail: $180
Resell pre-release: $470 – $900

 

Stussy x Nike Air Force 1 “Fossil Stone”

Stussy has been a champion for counter culture – specifically skate and surf – for over 40 years. A longtime collaborator of Nike – most well known for their Nike SB Dunk Low – the duo have joined forces once again to finish off 2020 with a bang. Covering the iconic Air Force 1 with durable hemp all over the upper, the “Fossil Stone” colorway is accompanied by a “Black” variation as well. We’re going for this more earthy tone because it’s easier to spot the dope embroidered Swoosh work and City logo on the tongue tab. Plus, we have a ton of black options so it’s nice to switch it up once in a while. Head over to your local Stussy chapter to purchase, you can find the full release details on stussy.com. Select retailers like Feature will also have them and are doing raffles now.

 

Release Date: December 11-12, 2020
Retail: $130
Resell pre-release: $430 – $2,000

 

Air Jordan 11 “Jubilee”

Ever since these shock dropped last month, they’ve been on my mind. You may have seen the storytelling series that Jordan Brand has been pushing out around the release of these and that’s because 25 years of this shoe means 25 years of priceless memories for a ton of sneakerheads around the world. Personally, I was never a big fan of the silhouette – an opinion that’ll get me shunned I’m sure – because they just weren’t comfortable to play ball in for me. But I remember Jordan rocking 45 and Concords just like everyone else and thinking that the patent leather and nylon mesh combination along with the carbon on the outsole was the sickest shit I’d ever seen back in ’95. So yea, I might not like the sneaker, but I sure as hell am going to celebrate the silver anniversary for this pair when they drop and attempt to cop from SNKRS app and retailers like everyone else. Oh, the “JORDAN” in silver on the eyelets was first seen on the sample pairs of DMP 11’s btw.

 

Release Date: December 12, 2020
Retail: $220
Resell pre-release: $265 – $335

 

adidas Originals YEEZY BOOST 380 “Hylte Glow”

If highlighter YEEZY 350 V2 “Semi Frozen Yellow” sneakers are in your wardrobe, you might want be interested in the latest adidas Originals and Kanye West offering. A “Hylte Glow” will be woven into the Primeknit upper of the YEEZY BOOST 380 silhouette which will offer glow-in-the-dark-on the side stripe while maintaining the bright yellow mix that the normal version will also have. A grey outsole gives this overly loud sneaker some contrast, which is much needed imo. You can pick these up via the Confirmed app in the Americas.

 

Release Date: December 11, 2020
Retail: $250
Resell pre-release: $280 – $700

 

adidas Originals YEEZY BOOST 380 “Azure RF”

The YEEZY lineup has been known to create region exclusive pairs in the past and this weekend is another example of that. While the above 380 colorway releases in the Americas, Europe will be getting the “Azure” version. I’ve picked out the “RF” variant which is short for reflective. I always think it’s smart to get reflective elements on your sneakers whether it’s for safety from cars or just to stunt. The brown and blue combination on the Primeknit is a lot more laid back than their counterparts and the pink laces are a nice touch. These drop via regional adidas websites like adidas.co/uk/yeezy.

 

Release Date: December 11, 2020
Retail: £220 GBP (~$295 USD)
Resell pre-release: $245 – $305

 

adidas Originals YEEZY BOOST 350 V2 “White/Core Black/Red” aka “Zebra”

I’ll be honest, I’ve lost track of how many times adidas has re-released the “Zebra” colorway of the YEEZY BOOST 350 V2. But, it sells out each time which speaks to just how popular this colorway has been since it first dropped back in 2017. If you live across the pond, you’re in luck this weekend as adidas UK will once again release these via the adidas app. If you’re stateside, keep an eye out for a possible restock, since the holidays are here. The sneakers are surprisingly still holding great value at resell even after all these restocks so they’ll be a great flip if you already have a pair or two.

 

Release Date: December 10, 2020
Retail: £180 GBP (~$240 USD)
Resell pre-release: $360 – $700

 

Awake x ASICS GEL-Preleus “Cool Grey/Silver”

New York label Awake has teamed up with ASICS for a very limited edition GEL-Preleus running sneaker. The detailing is hard to spot at first, but if you look closely, you’ll see the fire leopard pattern done in shades of grey underneath the initial mesh and overlays of the upper along with an “AWAKE” logo on the tip of the toe cap. Teal is used to hightlight the lines along the lateral, outsole and the GEL cushioning system. ASICS has also used their Advanced High Abrasion Rubber (AHAR) on this model so you know it’ll be able to take the punishment from the Concrete Jungle and any other city in the world. Hit up boutiques like Feature to get your hands on these via raffle.

 

Release Date: December 12, 2020
Retail: $165
Resell pre-release: N/A

 

Photos via Sneaker Politics, Nike, Yoon Ahn, Stussy, adidas, @lukaas_0710, Feature