sneakers
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Source: @zadehkicks / Instagram
It’s been more than a year since infamous sneaker reseller Zadeh Kicks was taken down by feds for fleecing countless customers out of millions of dollars, and now it seems like the state of Oregon has a bone to pick with him, too.
Nice Kicks is reporting that Zadeh Kicks founder Michael Malekzadeh has failed to pay the state of Oregon more than $19 million in back taxes and was publicly put on blast by the Oregon Department of Revenue as his name was one of 2,000 Oregon residents who owe more than $50,000 to the state. Being that his business is shut down, the feds have seized all of his remaining merchandise and his reputation is shot to hell, we’re not sure he’ll be able to pay the $19,302,486.13 that he owes the state anytime soon.
Nice Kicks reports:
Last May, Michael Malekzadeh surrendered the reigns to Zadeh Kicks when it voluntarily entered into receivership ending the nine-year-old sneaker resale business. In July of 2022, Malekzadeh and his CFO Bethany Mockerman were indicted with charges of Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Money Laundering associated with the Zadeh Kicks business. Malekzadeh and Mockerman have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Federal prosecutors accuse Michael Malekzadeh of knowingly selling shoes he could not obtain by pre-order that include 600,000 pairs of Cool Grey Air Jordan 11s totaling more than $70M.
Keep in mind there were one million pairs of Cool Grey Air Jordan 11’s produced at the time of release and Malekzadeh was out there basically saying he could get ahold of 60% of Nike’s entire stock. The audacity.
This just goes to show how cold the sneaker game is these days and if you don’t have a reliable plug out on these streets, you have to be careful when dealing with resellers and pre-sellers as you never know when they’ll be down to run off with your money.
Be safe out there my fellow sneakerheads.
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Reebok is treating fans to a summer blowout sale until Friday (July 14) with up to 60% off apparel, footwear and more. While your first thought may be to add a new pair of shorts or leggings to your cart, you don’t want to miss out on scoring a pair of sneakers, apparel and more from Cardi B’s collection for as much as 70% off.
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Cardi B’s elevated sneaker line with Reebok was originally released in 2022, but now you can get a pair of your own for less than half the price. Whether you’re looking to add a pop of color to your outfits or want to channel your inner rap star, now’s the time to grab a pair of your own.
Size out of stock? Don’t worry — you can still get a pair on sale from Amazon, Foot Locker and Journey’s. Don’t wait too long, though, as sizes are quickly selling out.
Keep reading to shop the shoes on sale.
Reebok
Cardi B Club C V2 Shoes
$44.97 $150 70% off% OFF
The electric blue Club C V2 shoes are a whopping 70% off, dropping the sneakers down to under $50. This style was designed with a molded Vector and oversized outsole lugs to pay homage to Reebok, while the vibrant blue shade represents Cardi B’s unique personality.
Reebok
Cardi B Club C V2 Shoes
$44.97 $120 63% off% OFF
Keep things neutral in a beige version of the rapper’s shoes that are not only versatile enough to wear with joggers or jeans, but will have your feet singing “I Like It” once they feel the support and padded comfort inside.
Reebok
Cardi B Slides
$24.97 $75 67% off% OFF
Slide your feet into a pair of these Cardi-inspired slides that are 67% off. They’re available in three shades — black, red and blue — and are perfect for lounging around the house or wearing to the beach.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best celebrity Crocs collaborations, Selena Gomez’s Our Place collection and the best Barbie merch.
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Okay 80’s babies, if y’all needed any more reason to completely love Boy Meets World‘s Topanga (Danielle Fishel), she just gave us (DJ Khaled voice) another one.
Over the weekend social media was abuzz with Danielle Fisher’s latest TikTok post in which she spoke on some of her favorite sneaker silhouettes and in the video not only did she reveal which kicks were her favorite, but also showed off a pretty impressive sneaker collection that no one knew she had. First showing off a gang of shelves with numerous Dunks, Jordans and Air Force 1’s, Fisher went on to talk about which kicks have cracked her top 5 over the last few moons and revealed that the Anna Wintour 3s, UNDEFEATED x Nike Dunk Low “5 On It”, Aleali May x Air Jordan 1 Zoom CMFT “Califia,” Nike Dunk Low “Safari Mix”, and limited edition Melody Ehsani’s Air Jordan 1 Mids, are her favorite sneakers of all-time.
Truth be told, we co-signing it and not just cause we still have a 90’s sized crush on her.
On top of having a dope collection and pretty respectable top five, all the kicks she showed off her wrinkles from some wear and tear, meaning she actually wears her sneakers and doesn’t just collect to show off or stack them.
Oh Topanga, how thy sneaker loving heart pines for thee. Corey really dropped the ball by not wifing you up.
Check out Topanga’s top five sneaker list below and let us know what you think and which gems you might’ve spotted in her closet behind her.
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Justin Bieber loves a good sneaker moment and for fans looking to add his picks to their wardrobe, one of his favorite New Balance styles is currently on sale. The shoe, like his Crocs collaboration, is currently sold-out on the New Balance site, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t grab a pair — and for a fraction of the price.
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If you’re looking for some trendy festival gear and are willing to purchase the shoes off of resale sites, the New Balance 990V2 Pink/Purple Sneakers are available on Farfetch for 40% off. You can also find them on StockX, but most sizes are already gone, which means you’ll want to pick up a pair quickly to avoid the dreaded “sold out” message under your size.
Farfetch
New Balance 990V2 Pink/Purple Sneakers
$159 $265 40% off% OFF
The sneakers will add a pop of color to your outfit as seen above in Bieber’s styling of the shoes. Whether you incorporate shades of yellow, purple or pink into your outfit like with a fashionable bucket hat, or keep it neutral with a black T-shirt and brown shorts like the “Peaches” singer, you’ll definitely be making a statement.
Bieber was originally spotted wearing the style on a trip to France with his wife, Hailey Bieber, and their friends including “Collide” singer, Justine Sky, and “Always” crooner Daniel Caesar. Instagram fan account @keepbiebsfresh that spotted the style first and posted how the singer styled the shoes, which you can check out here.
The pink and purple sneakers are made with a suede outer and rubber sole that’ll provide your feet with comfort, support and most importantly — they’re fashionable.
To add more Bieber-approved styles to your sneaker collection, shop below.
StockX
New Balance RC 1300 Kith 10th Anniversary Elephant Skin Grey
$216
These casual New Balance sneakers are one of Bieber’s go-tos and can be seen in a fan’s Instagram post paired with baggy denim jeans and a navy blue hoodie. Since they are made from a neutral gray suede material, it allows them to be paired with basically any shade of top or bottom.
StockX
Nike Air Force 1 Low ’07 LV8
$82
Bring some subtle color to your look with a classic pair of Nike Air Force 1 sneakers. The crisp white base is paired with a deep green shade that will add a light pop of color to your feet. The singer chose to pair these with yellow, red and green tie dye pants and a white and green tie dye top as seen in an Instagram post here.
Amazon
Nike Men’s Air Force 1 Shoes in Silver/Coconut
$115 $98.85
Mix your neutrals in with another version of the Nike Air Force 1‘s Bieber enjoys sporting like in this fan’s Instagram post. While he normally pairs them with denim jeans and a pullover, you can also wear them with trousers and a simple white or brown tee.
Nike
Nike Air Max 90
$130
It’s almost no surprise Bieber is also a fan of the Nike Air Max 90 as it’s the brand’s latest best seller. Thanks to the lifted sole, it’ll really elevate your look and take you (and your outfit) to new heights. See exactly how the star styles them in an Instagram post here.
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Foot Locker might have the sneaker game on smash as far as brick-and-mortar stores go, but SNIPES is looking to establish itself as a big-time player as well and is making moves to make us take notice while also supporting the culture.
This month SNIPES is launching their new “Pay It Forward” initiative which is designed to support HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) while also empowering the next generation of Black students by supporting their education and providing them a platform to address today’s issues that affect our tomorrow. The Pay It Forward initiative kicked off at Clark Atlanta University this past April 11 in partnership with The Big Homecoming 365 Impact Tour.
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“Celebrating the contributions of HBCUs to our nation’s rich history is a responsibility that we all share. At SNIPES, we believe in the power of community and education to create a better future for all.” said Paula Barbosa, VP of marketing for SNIPES. “We are thrilled to launch the Pay It Forward initiative and The Big Homecoming event, which represent our commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders and giving back to the community. Through these efforts, we hope to inspire and uplift students, faculty, and alumni at HBCUs across the country, and to showcase the importance of education and community engagement in creating a better, more equitable world for all.”
“Partnering with companies that are truly committed to creating consistent impact in the community is important to The Big Homecoming’s reason for existing. We’re more than a music festival, we’re a 365 Impact organization. And partnering with a community committed company like Snipes just helps further and accomplish our Impact goals for HBCUs and communities around the world,” said Amir Windom, Creator of The Big Homecoming.”
During the event, SNIPES committed to providing $50,000 in scholarships to Atlanta students who signed up at their Scholarship Booth to ensure that these students get the help they need to make their dreams come true and hopefully make the kind of change we need in the future going forward.
Props to SNIPES for taking such an initiative for Black college students looking to better themselves while trying to better society as well.
Balls are in your court now, Foot Locker and Jimmy Jazz (we kid, we kid, but nah, for real).
What do y’all think of SNIPES “Pay It Forward” initiative? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Photo: The Big Homecoming + 365 Impact / Snipes
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The Nordstrom Spring Sale is here! For a limited time, shoppers can save on shoes, clothes, beauty and grooming products, home goods and other spring essentials.
The sale offers up to 60% off bestselling brands, but if you’re looking for some of the deepest deals, you’ll need to hit up the men’s shoe department. Sneaker lovers can save up to 76% off tops brands including Adidas, Nike, Puma, Reebok and New Balance in addition to Fear of God, Givenchy, Raf Simons, Jill Sander, Alexander McQueen and other designer brands.
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To make things easier for you, we dug through the sale to find eight of the best deals on men’s sneakers. See the roundup below, and for more spring shopping recommendations, be sure to read our picks for the best music festival gear and can’t miss tech deals.
Adidas ’84 Forum Low Sneaker
$65 $100 35% off% OFF
With more than 2,000 customer reviews, it’s safe to say that Adidas’ ’84 Forum Low Sneaker has its own fan club. The ’84 Forum Low is on sale in blue and white colorways as well as purple and gold, and red white and blue. You can also find Forum ’84 Lows on sale at Adidas for $59.
Nordstrom
Fear of God The Essentials Tennis Mid Top Sneaker
$103.25 $295 65% off% OFF
Fear of God’s Essential Mid Top Sneaker is a sustainable shoe to cop during Earth Month and beyond. This casual shoe is made from pieces of recycled leather and available in cement, tobacco and warm taupe.
Nordstrom
An all-time classic. The ultra-comfortable New Balance 574 sneaker is on sale in four colorways including arctic gray (pictured) apollo gray, agave green and black/red.
Nordstrom
Vans U-Sk8 Hi-Sneaker
$39.98 $79.95 50% off% OFF
The walnut-colored Vans SK8 Hi-Sneaker is currently half-off at Nordstrom. This popular shoe has a velvety-smooth upper with a padded collar and rubber waffle sole.
Sorel Explorer Waterproof Sneaker Boot
$91
Part sneaker, part boot. The Sorel Explorer Waterproof Mid Sneaker will help you take on cold and rainy weather in style.
Nordstrom
Nike Air Presto
$67.60 $130 48% off% OFF
With more than 20 years under its belt, the Nike Air Presto is officially vintage. This high-performance running sneaker first hit the market in 2000 and has been a hit ever since. The Air Presto is on sale in select colors including the teal design pictured above along with black, white and gray.
Nordstrom
Nike Air Max Terrascape 97 Sneaker
$129.50 $185 30% off% OFF
Another vintage shoe from the Nike catalog, the Air Max Terrascape ’97 sneaker features the signature ripple design inspired by Japanese bullet trains. This shoe is on sale in summit white and black/elemental and pink/lime.
Nordstrom
Alexander McQueen Court High Dunk Sneaker
$272 $850 68% off% OFF
Alexander McQueen‘s Court High Dunk Sneaker offers up one of the deepest Nordstrom deals that you can find on men’s shoes. Marked down nearly 70%, this high-performance dunk sneaker features an airy mesh, color-pop accents and an exaggerated rubber sole.
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Source: MSCHF / MSCHF
Oh y’all thought MSCHF’s Big Red “Astro Boy” Boots was ridiculous? Wait to you see what they got coming down the pike next.
Hypebeast is reporting that after revealing their latest sneaker, the Super Normal 2 “Mint Green” (not bad), MSCHF is focusing on their wildest creation to date, the “BWD” silhouette which seems like the footwear of someone who got stuck between two different dimensions or something. Boasting two entrances per foot, the strange design is sure to be an attention grabber though we’re not sure it’ll be a hit amongst customers who take their fashion style seriously.
The two-way silhouette is likely the first of its kind, boasting dual foot entrances allowing for multiple styling options. In addition, standard toe boxes — usually concealed and ventilated — are completely unlatched, while customary compartments are also left open for a mule-like design.
The rest of the sneaker remains simple, featuring white leather uppers (or whatever is left of them) with pierced medial decor and striped ankle graphics. Reminiscent of ’90s skate shoes, it dons a chunky outline complemented by red suede heel counters with MSCHF’s triple exclamation point motif and arrows that might signal correct wearability. Finally, cautionary branding continues across the pair, stacked atop angular speckled midsoles and ribbed gum bottoms.
Yeah, we good on these. Let thy sneaker bots eateth on this particular sneaker drop.
No word on how much these mutt puppies will be going for but they’re slated to drop exclusively via the MSCHF app on April 11th.
Will you be trying to copp a pair? We know we won’t. Let us know in the comments section below.
Written By Alvin aqua Blanco , Director of Content Posted 38 mins ago @aqua174 Alvin aqua Blanco is the Director of Content in the Men’s Division for iOne Digital, steering Cassius Life and Hip-Hop Wired. Representing the Bronx, he was nurtured by a steady diet of Hip-Hop culture and music. He graduated from the University […]
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Is it going to be “Grand opening, Grand Closing” for sneaker brand Allbirds Inc.? It kind of looks that way if stock prices are any indication.
According to Bloomberg the sneaker brand took a major hit on the stock exchange after going public just 18 months ago as share tanked as if they had a celebrity spokesperson spitting antisemitic rhetoric on social media. Things have gotten so bad that Allbirds will be hitting the pause button on opening new stores and have even replace their Chief Financial Officer Mike Bufano with former Adidas AG, Annie Mitchell.
Revenue in the three months through December sank 13% to $84.2 million, trailing the average analyst of $96.7 million. Joey Zwillinger, the company’s co-chief executive officer and co-founder, said Allbirds, which makes shoes from wool and eucalyptus, tried to win over more younger consumers and runners, but those products missed expectations.
“We just didn’t see the sell-through on those franchises that we would’ve hoped for, and that came at the expense of that core franchise,” Zwillinger said in an interview. “We took our eye off the ball a little bit.”
Though Allbirds took a net loss of $101.4 million last year, it still pales in comparison to adidas $540 million loss after cutting ties with Kanye West. Still, adidas is a monster in the game and can take that kind of loss and keep things moving. The same cannot be said about Allbirds which is looking to get stabilize their business before they can fly high again.
“We know we disappointed in 2022,” the company said to begin an investor presentation. “Decisive action” is being taken in what Allbirds described as a “transition” year.
Anytime you take a loss in the business game the best you can do is say it’s a “learning lesson” or it’s just a “transition” into a new direction. Still, it’s L’s regardless. Just sayin.’
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Jayson Tatum is one of the most electrifying basketball players in the NBA today, culminating in his being a starter in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah. The St.Louis native unveiled his first signature shoe as a member of the Jordan Brand slate of athletes, the Tatum 1, with a design with adults and younger folks in mind.
Jayson Tatum, 24, shared his excitement of getting his own sneaker under the revered Jordan Brand offering of sneakers in a statement. The motivation for the sneaker and its innovative design transported Tatum back to his younger days as he admired other basketball legends and their signature shoes.
“I want people to feel like they can connect to me,” Tatum said in a statement. “I remember being a kid, walking into the store, and looking for the signature shoes of my favorite players. The moment I saw the shoe or put the shoe on, I felt like I was in sync and closer to them in a way. So, I want this shoe to be a bridge between my fans and me to bring us closer together.”
As shared in a press release from Nike, the Tatum 1 was designed with Tatum’s comfort in mind as one of the most athletic players we’ve seen in the game in recent times. With a secure connection to the foot reinforced by a lightweight TPU frame, the shoe is surrounded by ground-contact foam that featured an integrated traction pattern. The shoe has very little rubber on the toe and ball of the foot, styled for how Tatum plays off his forefoot.
Via the trade-off in the design, the Tatum 1 is the lightest Jordan Brand shoe in its vast lineup and also houses an uncage Zoom Air bag in the forefoot that provides some bounce back but still fosters a connection to the court floor. The collar of the shoe is padded to support the ankles and the mesh knit upper of the shoe is well-made but light in weight.
The Tatum 1 “Zoo” colorway was inspired by Tatum’s young son, Deuce, and their trips to the zoo hence the animal prints on the outside of the sneaker.
The “St. Louis” colorway features the colors of his hometown baseball team and has “Archer Ave,” the street where he grew up, stitched inside the tongue of the shoe.
The “Barbershop” colorway, only available in adult sizes, gives a nod to Tatum’s always crisp lineup and fade and how he feels most confident after a cut.
Lastly, the “Pink Lemonade” colorway is a salute to Tatum’s favorite beverage.
Other flourishes to the shoe are the words “Living Proof” on the outer part of the rubber, which is a hat tip to fellow St. Louis native, Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards. The words “I Just Didn’t Quit” are located on the TPU portion of the outsole, and Tatum has that same phrase tatted on his calf. The TPU piece also features the coordinates of St. Louis.
Tatum has often expressed his deep respect for the late, great Kobe Bryant, who inspired his all-around All-Star game. Just as the Black Mamba inspired him, Tatum hopes to serve as a beacon for other up-and-coming players and all of those who are chasing dreams.
“Kobe inspired me to follow my dreams, dedicate myself to my craft, and ultimately become the person I am today. Today’s kids are our future, and one of my main responsibilities is to inspire the next up. Whether I get to meet them or they’re inspired by me from afar, my hope is that my journey and my story can impact people to go after whatever they want in life,” Tatum added.
The Tatum 1 will go to retail on April 7 with the “Zoo” colorway coming in both adult and kid sizes along with the additional aforementioned colorways coming as well.
Congratulations to Jayson Tatum!
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Photo: Jordan Brand/Nike