Dior, Nike, Adidas: 13 limited edition sneakers celebrating Lunar New Year
- Nike Air Jordan 1’s get a Lunar New Year makeover with a pair of limited edition kicks embellished with metallic gold embroidery and ox ornamentation
- Gucci go completely off piste with a capsule collection celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Ox with Doraemon, a Japanese cartoon catlike robot
The Year of the Ox is upon us, and that means the sneaker industry celebrating the only way it knows how: with Lunar New Year limited editions.
Footwear’s annual tribute to the Chinese zodiac is back with a vengeance this year, with all of the usual suspects emulating the fabled rat and climbing aboard the ox – but 2021 also sees new faces jumping off their celebrations.
Here’s what is fresh out of the box for the Year of the Ox.
Nike Air Jordan 1 Low Chinese New Year
The iconic imagery of temple fairs is distilled into this Air Jordan 1. Firecrackers, Chinese knots and spring blossom make the cut, embellished with metallic gold embroidery and ox ornamentation on a classic red and black base. They cost US$130.
Dior x Shawn Stussy collection
Doraemon x Gucci collection
Adidas Originals ZX 420
Adidas call it a “cloud white/lush red/core black” upper, but it is clearly meant to be ox hide (even though it is pony hair) and the only Lunar New Year edition to really go for the theme. These classic ’80s running shoes are available on the British website.
Air Jordan V Low Chinese New Year
The theme is “Crackle” for the Nike capsule, and these Jordan Vs put the crack into that with their wear-away uppers. The clean cream canvas will reveal a colourful Lunar New Year pattern as time goes on, meaning that the lows will have to go in your rotation to experience them. Priced at US$215 retail, you can find them on StockX and other resellers.
Nike Dunk Low Firecracker
Firecrackers provide the inspiration for the classic Dunk Low silhouette, with a pop-art print of their warning labels contrasting with the light blue mesh uppers. All of the outside is wear-away, a nod to gunpowder residue, and the tongues feature hazard-warning labels too. Available at resellers such as StockX after selling out on Nike China’s SNKRS app.
Jordan XXXV Chinese New Year
The modern iteration of the Jordan brand has proved popular on the street and the courts of the NBA. The Lunar New Year editions are in the classic Jordan brand’s black and red, with denim touches. Another to feature the wear-away upper, the black tears away to reveal a colourful pattern. Available on Nike China’s SNKRS.
Nike Dunk Low Disrupt Chinese New Year Firecracker
The women’s Dunk Low Disrupt comes in red wrapping paper – inspired by the traditional packaging for firecrackers – with the red part of the upper featuring heat sensitive technology, which reveals cartoon patterning. Again, they are only available at resellers after selling out at Nike China.
LeBron XVIII EP Chinese New Year
Red uppers and blue detailing are the order of the day for these “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (Mandarin for kung hey fat choi, a Cantonese phrase said during the Lunar New Year)-inspired China editions. They were designed by 400ml_Brand, a Chinese graffiti collective. Priced at 1,599 yuan (US$250), they are available on Nike China’s SNKRS.
Nike Kybrid S2 Chinese New Year
This Lunar New Year’s most meta limited editions are inspired by their previous versions, with the patterns mixed and matched from the New Years pasts of the Kyrie IV, V and VI. That vibrant pattern is said to reflect basketball player Kyrie Irving’s attitude. Sold out on Nike China’s SNKRS, but available at resellers.
Adidas Superstar Chinese New Year 2021
The Superstar silhouette is strong like an ox, and it is back for its annual celebration. Black leather uppers are offset with gold detailing and the contrast of the white sole. A white version has also been released.
Adidas Ultraboost DNA Chinese New Year 2021
The ever popular Ultraboost gets a Lunar New Year makeover that’s more minimalist than most. Patterning to the three stripes on the lace cage and the odd accented red detail provide the flair on the black versions, with a red and white version also released.
There is also an Adidas Ultraboost 2020 silhouette special edition that features an ox on the heel and purple accents as Adidas go all in. The three stripes also released Lunar New Year editions of four performance basketball shoes: the Pro Model 2G Low, D.O.N. Issue #2, Dame 7 and D Rose 11.
Reebok Instapump Fury OG
Not to be left out, Reebok have joined in with a “chalk/gold metallic/China red” colourway for a shoe beloved in Asia. Chinese characters on the heel are in metallic stitching. Available in Japan.
