With 2018 now behind us, there’s a lot to remember about the success of fashion, specifically shoes.  Nike and Adidas, the two most well-known athletic brands, exposed the world to new styles of footwear which quickly captured the attention of many. With Spring 2019 around the corner, both Nike and Adidas will continue to test the limits of footwear. By bringing together parts of popular footwear from the previous year with new colors and styles, Nike and Adidas strive to elevate their footwear beyond the simple capabilities of the shoe.

Nike will start 2019 off with their newest model, the Element React 87 in a “Light Orewood” colorway. They’ll make their first appearance on January 17 through various retailers, and once again on the official Nike SNKRS app on January 29 at a price of $160. Originally designed by Darryl Matthews, Nike Sportswear Innovation Designer, the sneakers began with the “Light Bone’” and “Anthracite” colorways which released in the middle of last year. Nike managed to release one more new wave of colors before the year ended, and will continue to do the same this year. This shoe separates itself from other models because of its completely translucent upper and soft-textured sole, which was inspired from a separate model, the Epic React. The shoe is very aesthetically pleasing, however it can feel weird at first. From personal experience, the upper felt weird and a bit stiff, but eventually loosened up after wearing them a couple of times. However, once it’s broken in, it’s a very comfortable shoe and provides more than enough comfort to be used daily.

The following shoe Nike will introduce is the Air Jordan 9, set to release on February 9 for $190 in a “Pearl Blue” colorway. First released in 1993, the Air Jordan was again designed by Tinker Hatfield, one of Nike’s most wellknown designers. During the time they were being designed, Michael Jordan was in Asia to promote Nike overseas which inspired Hatfield, influencing him to incorporate  Japanese culture on the shoe. For example, the circle on the back of the shoe represents the “Rising Sun” on the Japanese flag accompanied by various characters from a variety of languages on the sole of the shoe to represent Nike’s globalization. The colorway is also very prolific, as it was originally released in 2002. Nike chose to re-release the shoe to represent the color of the Charlotte Hornets, the team that will be hosting the NBA All-Star game this year. The Air Jordan 9 is also considered to be one of the more comfortable Jordans, so they are worth picking up if possible.

Finally, Nike intends to release the Nike x Off-White Air Max 90 on February 7 at a price of $160. The Air Max 90 was created in 1990 by Hatfield. But it isn’t the shoe itself that’s special, but the special collaboration with Off-White, a luxury brand founded by the lead designer at Louis Vuitton, Virgil Abloh. Additionally, the Air Max 90 was part of Nike and Off-White’s first project, called “The Ten Icons, a collection of 10 of Nike’s most famous sneakers with signature Off-White markings on the inside of the shoe accompanied by their signature zip tie. The shoe itself is very comfortable as it comes with a special air bubble in the heel of the shoe. However, this specific model is very high in demand, and obtaining a pair may be extremely difficult.

So far, 2019 seems like it will be an interesting year for sneakers. Just by looking at the first several shoes being released, this year seems promising for shoes. The Spring lineup appears to indicate that both Nike and Adidas are following similar trends to last year, however that may change later on. For now, Spring sneakers are all worth seriously considering buying, and will definitely be able to last through Spring into Summer.