We’re starting a new series focused on the best release of each month and calling it, you guessed it, Sneaker of the Month. It won’t be based on sales numbers. It won’t be based on resell prices. It won’t be based on limited quantities. Instead, it will be based on nostalgia, storytelling, and overall execution. And we’re not talking the story that the brands tell, we’re talking about the real world story of the sneaker, what makes it important, who’s behind it, why it should be remembered as the best sneaker released years from now, not just because of the hype of the moment.
To create something tangible that recognizes the sneaker as the best of the month it released, we’ll also be creating a limited amount of stickers based on an artist’s rendition of the sneaker, which you can purchase from our Sneaker History webstore.
For January of 2018, we’ve selected the Levi’s x Air Jordan 4 as our Sneaker of the Month. Although there were dozens of solid releases to bring in the new year, the partnership between Levi’s and Jordan Brand has a nostalgic element tying back to the first time the brands collaborated 10 years prior back in 2008. This time around, the Air Jordan 4 was chosen as the silhouette of choice for the collaboration and the teams at JB and Levi’s did not disappoint. These Jordans use the traditional Levi’s waist label as the centerpiece of the design front and center on the exaggerated tongue of the Jordan 4. Ash Lewin, the artist behind our limited edition Levi’s Jordan 4 stickers, highlights the unique combination of the Jumpman logo and Levi’s branding in his rendition of the Levi’s Jordan 4.
One of the unique things about the Levi’s x Jordan 4 is how it will wear down over time. Those that picked up a pair, and actually wear them, will find them break in and break down like that favorite pair of jeans in your closet. Now let’s just hope people actually wear them and let that personalized story and character come to life.
You can grab our very first Sneaker of the Month sticker here.
Nick Engvall is a sneaker enthusiast with over 15 years of experience in the footwear business. He has written for publications such as Complex, Sole Collector, and Sneaker News, helped companies like Eastbay, Finish Line, Foot Locker, StockX, and Stadium Goods better connect with their consumers, has an addiction to burritos and Sour Patch Kids, and owns way too many shoes for his own good.
