Image via Complex Original
Sneaker hype knows no pause. While you were taking a break over the holidays, maybe spending some socially distanced time with your loved ones, the long buildup to some of 2021's biggest footwear releases was steadily mounting. Now that the reflecting upon last year is complete, it's time to take a look ahead at 2021’s most anticipated sneaker releases. Note that this forecast of things to come is based mostly on shoes and release dates that aren't yet confirmed by brands, so these are subject to change. A leak around an upcoming collaboration or projected drop day could end up being off—let's not forget how many of 2020's expected releases were thrown off by production issues. Without further ado, these are the sneakers that will dominate the months ahead.
Trophy Room x Air Jordan 1 High
Expected Release Date: Feb. 10, 2021
Not even Michael Jordan's son can stop a sneaker leak. He doesn't want you to know it just yet, but Marcus Jordan's Trophy Room store in Orlando has another retro collaboration coming soon. Up next from the Florida-based shop is this icy take on the Air Jordan 1, inspired by the elder Jordan getting frozen out of the 1985 NBA All-Star Game. The leaks provided a reminder that early info isn't always accurate: November was the originally projected release window, but now it looks certain the shoe will drop in February. Whether it will get a proper All-Star rollout remains to be seen—it's likely right now that coronavirus precautions will preclude that—but this is going to be a big sneaker regardless. The shoes appear to be limited to just 12,000 pairs and feature Michael Jordan's signature on the heel. — Brendan Dunne
Adidas Yeezy 451
Expected Release Date: February 2021
The Yeezy 451 was initially revealed in April 2018 as part of a Kanye West Twitter dump that unveiled dozens of unreleased Yeezy samples including 350 V2s, 500s, and what we now know as the QNTM. Months later, West shared an updated tooling, saying, "Steven Smith's been reworking the bottom unit on the 451 I'm super excited about where he got it YEEZY 2019." But in a fashion similar to West's promised album drops, 2019 came and went with no 451 release. The 451 returned to the spotlight in March 2020 when West was spotted protecting his pair from puddles in Paris, but once again, no launch came to fruition. Rumors currently point to a February 2021 release date, which could follow the 2020 launch of the Yeezy QNTM at NBA All-Star Weekend. Considering that the QNTM didn't exactly feel fresh and new when it dropped a year ago, the sooner the 451 drops, the better. — Zac Dubasik
Air Jordan 1 High '85 'Neutral Grey'
Expected Release Date: February 2021
There are hundreds of colorways of the Air Jordan 1. There was even a boatload of them when the model first released in 1985. How many were there? No one is totally sure, but most of those have been re-released over the years. One that hasn't is the most simple of the bunch: the white and gray pair. Is it "neutral grey" or "natural grey"? It's a debate that Jordan purists have had for years. It looks like they'll be billed as "neutral" here, and the sneakers are said to re-release this year after sitting in the archives for 36 years. The Air Jordan 1 High, at this point, is one of the most popular sneakers amongst a crop of newer enthusiasts, with colorways, both original and new, receiving admiration everywhere from Instagram to TikTok to r/sneakers. Hopefully this shoe gets the same love, it's one Air Jordan 1 that deserves it. — Matt Welty
Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Low
Expected Release Date: Spring 2021
Throw a Supreme logo on a Nike and it will sell. That's been the case for years, but the partnership has lost its luster recently, with highly anticipated sneakers few and far between. The streetwear brand's upcoming project on the Nike SB Dunk Low, which revisits its SB Dunk High collaboration from 2003, has been turning heads on the internet since it was leaked a few months ago. The first collaboration featured three colorways—red, light blue, and orange—and this year's collaboration comes in four: black, green, brick red, and royal blue. This isn't the first time that Supreme has reworked its Dunk collaborations; the first Supreme x Nike SB Dunk from 2002, which was inspired by the Air Jordan 3, was rehashed in 2012. Supreme also released a trio of SB Dunks in 2019. A date on the upcoming Dunks hasn't been confirmed, but the current wave of SB hype is running strong. It's likely that these shoes will rank highly as fan favorites and in the resale market. — Matt Welty
Image via Nike
Image via yankeekicks
Image via twojskicks
Clot x Nike Air Max 1
Expected Release Date: Spring 2021
There's always a slight point of contention when it comes to see-through sneakers. Some hate 'em, some love 'em, and some are undeniably iconic. The Espo x Nike Air Force 2 from 2004 comes to mind, and while that special makeup isn't coming back in 2021, we can look forward to the return of the Clot x Nike Air Max 1, an absolute classic collaboration. In 2006, Nike tapped Clot and MC Yen for a triple collab on the Air Max 1. And just as Tinker ruffled feathers with the exposed air bubble back in 1987, Clot took it a step further and made the toe box transparent. At the time, it was only the third sneaker in Nike's history to be see-through, the less-celebrated "Invisible Woman" Air Force 1 being the other. In 2006 alone, we got the Supreme x Nike SB Blazer, the Stash x Nike Air Max 95, and the Air Jordan Defining Moments pack. Imagine one of those drops coming back in 2021? It'd be major, just like this one is going to be this year. — Joe La Puma
Nike Lebron 8 'South Beach'
Expected Release Date: Spring 2021
In 2010, LeBron James declared he would be taking his talents to South Beach. Some sneaker fans might equate that moment with a pair of brown leather Nike Tokis that he wore during his infamous The Decision telecast. However, the vast majority link LeBron's arrival in Miami with the "South Beach" LeBron 8. The pair pulled its now-iconic color palette from Miami Vice and the neon lights of James' new home. The teal and pink palette is still used by the Miami Heat on jerseys to this day. The unique look sold out swiftly and has become a grail among collectors. Not only is it LeBron's biggest sneaker, it is arguably one of the biggest basketball sneakers ever, period. Back in 2010, these had people camping out for days. Campouts might be a thing of the past, but there's no question that these will be extremely hard to cop whenever they return later this year. — Mike DeStefano
Air Jordan 5 Retro 'Raging Bull'
Expected Release Date: April 10, 2021
Jordan Brand will always be at the top of the sneaker ranks when it comes to storytelling. It doesn't hurt when you have the most decorated basketball player of all time as the face of your brand, with countless moments and statistics to call upon when designing product. Inspired by Jordan's iconic run with the Bulls, the original Air Jordan 5 "Raging Bull" pack came in a double-stacked box made to look like a wooden crate with killer bull eyes peering through. Of the two sneakers housed in the pack, the red suede "Toro" iteration became the hero, and 12 years since its original release, it's finally coming back in solo form. While "Raging Bull" packs initially sat on shelves in 2009, you can expect that will certainly not be the case with this shoe this time around. — Ben Felderstein
Tom Sachs x Nike Mars Yard 2.5
Expected Release Date: Spring/Summer 2021
The good news about the next Tom Sachs NikeCraft Mars Yard sneaker is that you won't have to wait in long lines or enter a million raffles to try to get a pair. The bad news is that you have to beg the artist for them on social media, and even if you're selected to receive a pair of the shoes, you won't get to keep them. Sachs announced at the end of last year that the upcoming Mars Yard 2.5 shoe would be available first via a wear-test program that asks applicants to make their pitch in a one-minute-long Instagram video. Those who are granted the shoes for this process are essentially testing them out and will have to return them after the testing period. It's a smart rollout for the shoes given how utilitarian Tom Sachs has always been about his sneakers, but it doesn't mean getting them will be any easier. This next iteration of the hyped space-age footwear looks similar to previous versions, this time featuring a reinforced toe cap and metal eyelets. It's not entirely clear when the sneakers will be given out, but rumors have pointed to a late spring/early summer arrival. —Brendan Dunne
Image via Nike
Fragment x Sacai x Nike LDWaffle
Expected Release Date: Spring/Summer 2021
One of the most popular collabs in recent memory is Sacai's Nike LDWaffle design that first hit stores in 2019. In fact, it was so big that Chitose Abe was tapped to make more layered designs the following year—four colorways of the VaporWaffle to be exact. Now, quite frankly rather randomly, it looks like the LDWaffle will be making a comeback in 2021 with the help of the godfather of Japanese streetwear, Hiroshi Fujiwara. As he has done with icons like the Air Jordan 1 and obscure offerings like the Sock Dart in years past, Fujiwara will be stamping Fragment's signature lightning bolts onto Abe's creation. While details remain scarce at the moment, the navy blue and white pair is currently rumored for a Spring/Summer 2021 release. Sometimes Fujiwara's creations fly under the radar. Don't expect a Fragment x Sacai sneaker to be one of the ones that does. — Mike DeStefano
Image via zsneakerheadz
Image via zsneakerheadz
Air Jordan 11 Retro 'Cool Grey'
Expected Release Date: Holiday 2021
Aside from heavily hyped collaborations, original colorways still carry the majority of the clout when it comes to coveted Air Jordans. It only feels right, because those are the shoes that Michael Jordan made all those memories in, which is why many of us care about these sneakers so much in the first place. One longstanding exception to this rule, however, is the "Cool Grey" 11. The colorway first released in 2001, and its simple blocking made it feel like it could have dropped in 1996 right next to the Columbias. Its launch also helped set the unfortunate standard for chaotic sneaker releases thanks to the madness and national headlines that accompanied it. 2010's re-release was more tame in comparison, but no less anticipated. A rumor of a 2020 retro was fueled by Jayson Tatum posting a mesh-based pair to his Snapchat account, however that was immediately debunked. Signs currently point to a holiday 2021 return though, and it's one that would be welcomed by Jordan fans everywhere. —Zac Dubasik