We can’t help wondering what the future holds for sneakers for 2022. Sneakerheads should keep an eye out for new releases and compile a wish list. We’ve compiled a list of ten most anticipated pairs for 2022. There will be delays in shipping, so there will always be uncertainty. But that’s part of the fun.
1. Aime Leon Dore and New Balance 650R
Aime Leon Dore and New Balance 650R
Although Aime Leon Dore’s loyal followers were able pre-order the brand’s forthcoming 650R collaboration with New Balance as early July, it is not planned to release until 2022. This makes the shoe more than worthy of a place on our list. The 650R is a heavier and more bulky version Aime Leon Dore’s New Balance 550s. The shoe has a retro-styled high top design and design elements that are similar to the 550 silhouette. The sneaker features a white upper with a primarily white sole. It also has black, green, and grey detailing, as seen on the logo, sole, and heel tab. A long, off-white midsole is included and the shoe’s laces are long. This sneaker is inspired by retro basketball sneakers and follows a number of highly sought-after releases from luxury brands as well.
2. Air Jordan 1 High ’85 “Georgetown”
Air Jordan 1 Hi ’85 ‘Georgetown’
The silhouette debuted in January 2020 to great enthusiasm. It was available in a ‘Varsity Red’ colourway and included in the ‘New Beginnings’ bundle that includes the first ever Air Ship retro. The silhouette was put on hold for almost a year before its ‘Neutral Gray’ colourway was released. The premium flat leather upper is paired with the classic color-blocking style and the aforementioned Georgetown colors. A nylon tongue has a slight yellow tint that hints at the soft interior padding. The college grey interior lining and insoles match the midsole, while the white midsole is sleekly cut. A folded card detailing the technical specifications of the Air Jordan 1 Hi ’85 “Georgetown” sneakers is included with the purchase. An OG-style shoebox may also be included. The Hi ’85 is a one-off release, similar to the retro holiday Air Jordan 11 Hi ’85. We do know that the Hi ’85 is going to be released in February 2022, in a Georgetown colorway.
3. Air Jordan 5 “Green Bean”
Air Jordan 5 ‘Green Bean’
The Air Jordan 5 “Green Bean”, a Lifestyle icon from 2006, will be making its 16th year debut this year. With its distinctive green accents and gleaming silver top, it’s a welcome throwback. The “Green Bean” colorway was originally released in 2006. It will make its 16th year retail debut. The 3M reflective grey upper and contrasting dark grey hits are some of the most distinctive features. Bright green pops of color are also common to this shoe.
4. The Basement x New Balance 2002R
The Basement x New Balance 2002R
After a hugely successful Nike collaboration in 2019, The Basement is back at the game again. This time, they are collaborating with New Balance. New Balance is one of the most popular sneakers brands right now. They have collaborated on two colorways of the 2002R silhouette. It is easy to see why footwear enthusiasts have waited patiently for these two colourways. The BSMNT 2002R is available in olive green and grey. Each color highlights the silhouette’s layers with subtly different shades. This sneaker is typically made on a mesh base. However, this version uses suede or nubuck. The latter is sharply blocked in Black at the heel and toe on both colorways. The iconic New Balance logo “N” is only partially stitched to complete the look. This evokes the DIY aesthetic of BSMNT Air Max 90 London.
5. Union x Air Jordan 2
Union x Air Jordan 2
The Air Jordan 2 was unfortunate to be sandwiched between two of sneakerheads’ most coveted Air Jordans, the Air Jordan 1 or the Air Jordan 3. It doesn’t have the same cultural appeal as the models around it. The Union x Air Jordan 2 is currently only in mock-up. Air Jordan 2s are co-branded in a icy gray-blue colourway, with yellow accents on the insole, laces, and lining. The tongue, insoles and sides of the ankle collar feature Union branding. Union’s Air Jordan 2 has been dubbed “Gray Fog”
6. adidas Yeezy BOOST 350 V2 CMPCT
adidas Yeezy BOOST 350 V2 CMPCT
Kanye West has made the Yeezy BOOST 35 V2 a cultural icon and a classic in five years. The new Yeezy BOOST 350V2 CMPCT will give it a facelift in 2022. Although only mock-ups have been made, the CMPCT appears to be a simplified version 350 V2 and will herald a new era in the Yeezy BOOST350 series.
7. Air Jordan 1 HighOG ‘Patentbred’
Air Jordan 1 High OG ‘Patent Bred’
This patent leather version of the classic was inspired by the 1985 Air Jordan 1 “Bred”. These shoes are made from premium materials and come in a limited edition box.
8. New Balance 990v6 Grey ‘Grey’
New Balance 990v6 ‘Grey’
The New Balance 990 is a long-standing favorite among sneakerheads. The New Balance 990v6, the latest version of the 990 will be released in 2022. It was developed by Teddy Santis, the brand’s creative director (of Aime Leon Dore fame).The “N” logo on the quarter panel is now not atop a suede panel but on the perforated leather web that runs across the base of the mesh. The sneaker has a slimmer, more refined look thanks to the increased visibility of mesh than in previous iterations. The sole unit has been updated, and the heel overlays as well as the entire sole unit have been revised.
9. Yeezy 450 ‘Resin’
Yeezy 450 ‘Resin’
The wild-looking 450 silhouette caused shockwaves when it was first released. Now, the ‘Resin” colorway has been added to the lineup. If you are looking for a new pair of sneakers that will add some controversy to your collection, look no further. The shoe features a muted olive green Primeknit upper and a matching EVA foam exoskeleton-like, organic-shaped sole. The design is completed by a traditional, sock-like ankle collar with co-branded insoles.
10. Off-White x Nike Air Force One Mid
Off-White x Nike Air Force 1 Mid
Off White(tm) reworked and updated the Air Force 1 Mid silhouette before the passing of Virgil Abloh. Similar to the Air Jordan 2, however, a mid-cut Air Force 1 shoe is very different from a style everyone already loves, such as the Air Jordan 1, Air Presto, and Air Max 97. The sneaker’s dual-printed upper is paired with a crisscross lacing system, neon-accented sole, track spikes at its toe and Off-White’s iconic sans serif branding. Off-White’s streetwear icon opts instead for heavy-handed detailing, which ultimately confuses the sneaker. Although the Mid’s iconic ankle strap is intact, Abloh adds a pull tab to the heel and eliminates Nike’s “AIR” branding at the midsole. These are seemingly minor tweaks that make it look more like a running shoe than a basketball sneaker.
