Where Kanye West goes, the sneaker industry follows. The irrepressible multihyphenate has changed the dynamic of the sneaker industry time and time again since his first Nike Yeezy dropped in 2009 — and has really grown his sphere of influence since his first adidas Yeezy 750 released in 2015. Now, he’s set to bring another new silhouette to market: the YEEZY basketball shoe. After being teased by leakers for months, West recently took to his personal Instagram to officially unveil the sneaker/give his fans their clearest look yet — and at initial glance it’s nothing short of striking. West’s first foray into hoops footwear features a high-top construction with bold vertical and horizontal lines on the midfoot. The heel features a two-tone, two-piece construction, and what appears to be grey suede adorns the toebox. Reflective detailing is prominent as well, as both one of the triangular heel pieces and the throat appear to offer bright pops of the highly visible material. To complete the shoe’s blend of comfort and style, the translucent midsole looks to feature full-length Boost cushioning. Only time will tell if these new Yeezy kicks are performance-worthy or simply a basketball shoe-inspired silhouette, but with Kanye West, one thing is always certain: it’ll be an interesting journey nonetheless.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn9TImHn5T6

Image/video: Kanye West

