Are Retros retroing too soon?

[JRepp23]

No offense but ya’ll sound so washed lol

Go to any college campus and , in terms of sneakers, the vast majority of kids are wearing NB these days.

Seeing people wearing the same shoes your parents and grandparents wore now? Makes you washed? As a mid 40 year old, Im not visiting college campuses to check the latest footwear of todays youth. Not knocking todays trends but I swear if the right entertainer or influencer rocked some Spaldings, these kids today would simply follow and go after.

 

[Dr.BlasterCombo]

Seeing people wearing the same shoes your parents and grandparents wore now? Makes you washed? As a mid 40 year old, Im not visiting college campuses to check the latest footwear of todays youth. Not knocking todays trends but I swear if the right entertainer or influencer rocked some Spaldings, these kids today would simply follow and go after.

No, thinking what you liked 29 years ago still applies today does . Times have changed my dude

 

[staffsgtdignam]

Seeing people wearing the same shoes your parents and grandparents wore now? Makes you washed? As a mid 40 year old, Im not visiting college campuses to check the latest footwear of todays youth. Not knocking todays trends but I swear if the right entertainer or influencer rocked some Spaldings, these kids today would simply follow and go after.

Yes, saying things like “Who the hell wears New Balance besides Boomers, is that really what the kids these days are wearing?” makes you sound washed when they are clearly very popular with the youth in 2025. This is giving “old man shouts at cloud” type energy lol

Also, anyone who either has older kids (either their own or in their family) and/or works with kids (I.e. teachers or coaches) probably sees these trends.

 

[Dr.BlasterCombo]

Said this in the foam thread, kids don’t care about the lore or players from the 90’s and the stories behind the shoes like we did. That time has passed. That’s why these shoe companies are banking on collabs with people I’ve never heard of lol. Jordan for example is more known for the crying face meme than his actual playing for a generation of kids .

As a parent, I love it. I’m not dropping 215 on shoes for a kid who’s feet are still growing either way

 

[sharpshooter718]

Who the hell wears New Balance besides Boomers, is that really what the kids these days are wearing? When I grew up in the 90's every kid was wearing Nike basketball shoes, boy have times changed. LOL

The new balance thread is thriving... I have two pair of ds new balance in my collection. My collection is mostly jordans mixed with foams and new balance. Wearing one brand of anything is weird when there is so much diversity to be had...

 

[beh235]

I think 6 years is too soon for a retro. 8-10 years is still doable.

But, I can’t complain either. I find the 2015 Aquas and 2018 Shadows superior than the recent retro.

Then I look at Nike and how quick they are retroing Barkley’s, air maxes, uptempo

I read this and the first thing that popped into my head was the XI. There's only a 5 year gap between the OG and first retro release. While it feels "too soon" it is a timeline that was always part of the retro schedule. I get what you're saying, but it's not entirely far fetched. I think what now changes things are the additional cws that got tacked on to the og cw cycle after the year 2000 when retros got popular. The retro+ cws and "gimmick" cws now can make a retro timeline feel longer.

 

[[ ]]

I think the golden era pairs in their respective colorways should drop every three years.

GOAT and stock x killed the whole, “Imma pull these out years later and break necks” thing, so there’s no point in keeping popular pairs on ice.

 

[JMB10215]

The classic OG pairs should honestly retro every 3 to 5 years if you ask me. If we are being technical we haven't gotten a true retro OG air Jordan white cement 3 retro since 1994...that's sad.

 

[Edge4079]

I remember when time, for me, felt as if it was moving at a slower rate. I would see a retro from two years ago and it would seem ancient

 

[WASPS ANDD ASPS]

Theyre releasing poorly.

Either unavailable or the shape/cushioning is beat to death

 

[JRepp23]

No, thinking what you liked 29 years ago still applies today does . Times have changed my dude

I agree. But thinking I have to like something just because its in to todays trends, is pretty nuts also.

 

[rainking]

No, thinking what you liked 29 years ago still applies today does . Times have changed my dude

It doesn’t apply? At all? I think you probably mean something more like, things that weren’t so popular back then are also now popular. No?

I see loads of kids and young adults wearing Js. I see a brand that has multibillion-dollar revenue. Surely that’s not all from us washed Gen Xers etc.

 

[rainking]

Those are good questions not sure how to answer the second one but many would agree you’re one of the best on this board. Love you to death hope you have your best holidays ever.

I think doing the anniversaries every few years is appropriate. Every year would get stale and plus it’s a lot of work. But that being said I will do one today for you

SoleFly XII (1 Year)

Dirty Bred XIII (11 Years)

Flint Grey XII (22 Years)

Space Jam XI (Retro) (25 Years)

I was just yanking your chain and being silly, hope you have a great holiday season, brotha!

 

[WASPS ANDD ASPS]

No, thinking what you liked 29 years ago still applies today does . Times have changed my dude

Yeah, because.........

 

[Dr.BlasterCombo]

I agree. But thinking I have to like something just because its in to todays trends, is pretty nuts also.

Believe it or not, YOU like what you do based on a trend lol. If Jordan went to adidas you’d be wearing adidas. Trends leave a mark on everyone

 

[Dr.BlasterCombo]

It doesn’t apply? At all? I think you probably mean something more like, things that weren’t so popular back then are also now popular. No?

I see loads of kids and young adults wearing Js. I see a brand that has multibillion-dollar revenue. Surely that’s not all from us washed Gen Xers etc.

Yeah, you took it that extreme next step. Nobody said Nike is dead, but other brands are popular now as well. More so than before.

 

[staffsgtdignam]

Nobody said Nike is dead, but other brands are popular now as well. More so than before.

This is a really good point, anyone growing in the early 2000s probably remembers when retros and select Nike basketball releases were basically the only “hyped” shoes that had any semblance of resell value on the secondary market (which was basically just eBay and often sketchy in person meetups) and more/less defined the sneakerhead culture and trends of the time.

In recent years though, other brands like NB, Adidas, ASICS, etc. etc. have gotten a ton more attention and younger people (especially Gen Alpha) seem far more attracted to them than when Gen X, Millenials, and even Gen Z were when all of us were their respective ages.

 

[staffsgtdignam]

I see loads of kids and young adults wearing Js. I see a brand that has multibillion-dollar revenue. Surely that’s not all from us washed Gen Xers etc.

I don’t think Js will ever become “unpopular” so to speak (as long as Nike as a company exists) but, as crazy as it sounds in 2025, I do think MJ will eventually become like Stan Smith and Chuck Taylor where almost nobody wearing the shoes really cares about the dude. It’ll take a few decades for us to get there and MJ will be long dead but it is bound to happen eventually. I think this is a testament to the excellent design of some of the models that will last that long though (my money is on the 1s, 3s, and 4s).

 

[Dr.BlasterCombo]

I don’t think Js will ever become “unpopular” so to speak (as long as Nike as a company exists) but, as crazy as it sounds in 2025, I do think MJ will eventually become like Stan Smith and Chuck Taylor where almost nobody wearing the shoes really cares about the dude. It’ll take a few decades for us to get there and MJ will be long dead but it is bound to happen eventually. I think this is a testament to the excellent design of some of the models that will last that long though (my money is on the 1s, 3s, and 4s).

Basically. Jordan’s are a staple. They will always be. Part of that is the amount of marketing Jordan and Nike does. You can not NOT see their stuff.

 

[rainking]

Yeah, you took it that extreme next step. Nobody said Nike is dead, but other brands are popular now as well. More so than before.

I was just clarifying because the way you worded it sort of sounded like you were saying things that were popular 29 years ago aren’t any more, which isn’t the case here. As I said and you said, it’s just that brands that weren’t popular or as popular then are bigger now in addition to brands like Nike and Jordan.

As for the stuff about kids today not knowing Jordan the player, that was always inevitable. This has come up before on NT. I always say, so what? It’s now a long-established brand that doesn’t have to rely on that. Enzo Ferrari died nearly 40 years ago. Doesn’t have any impact on the Ferrari brand’s desirability and popularity today.

 

[STUSSYDREAMER]

Another point to the reason why Nike will never die is because the company is too huge to not control its marketing in just the right way. What I do believe is that reselling is going to go out of bounds and this whole sneaker hype trend is going to revolve itself back to the community. No body is interested in hype from the looks of it everyone’s opinions on sneakers are biased on personal views. Which is great that’s progress for the sneaker industry. What’s even better is seeing what comes out of Nikes participation when it comes to sneakers. You can never expect what could set off resellers like StockX , GOAT, etc so the community can get their hands on their favorite sneakers.

 

[eltouha]

jordan brand retro frequently for the same reason dogs lick their own bawls.
cuz they can

will jays be forever popular? i don't know and i don't care. as long as i can cop what i like, i'm good. makes no difference to me if my shoes break necks or draw ridicule. *shrugs not drugs*

 

[Dr.BlasterCombo]

I was just clarifying because the way you worded it sort of sounded like you were saying things that were popular 29 years ago aren’t any more, which isn’t the case here. As I said and you said, it’s just that brands that weren’t popular or as popular then are bigger now in addition to brands like Nike and Jordan.

As for the stuff about kids today not knowing Jordan the player, that was always inevitable. This has come up before on NT. I always say, so what? It’s now a long-established brand that doesn’t have to rely on that. Enzo Ferrari died nearly 40 years ago. Doesn’t have any impact on the Ferrari brand’s desirability and popularity today.

For sure, you’re correct.

As for the second part, THIS is where our generation and the newer differ. We grew up in the era where athletes were larger than life and so were their shoes, clothes, etc. We knew the history, the lore, the performances in said shoes, etc. To me, that love isn’t coming back because things are just different. Shoes now are just looked at as shoes. With us it was always more than that.

 

[EZMONEY SERVANT]

For sure, you’re correct.

As for the second part, THIS is where our generation and the newer differ. We grew up in the era where athletes were larger than life and so were their shoes, clothes, etc. We knew the history, the lore, the performances in said shoes, etc. To me, that love isn’t coming back because things are just different. Shoes now are just looked at as shoes. With us it was always more than that.

WINNER WINNER CHICKAHN DINNAH


the LORE isnt coming back becasue HE isnt coming back, sorry its a fact

I was at gas station today and eye hear some cat yell out "yo! thjem black toes fresh as **** yo!"



That only happens with 1, and sadly enuff, thats where it ends, with all due respect to any other with a line, this ish was a 1 AND DONE


as shoe is just as shoe .......................... jk jk





kinda

 

[JRepp23]

Trends leave a mark on everyone

For sure they do. That trend started 35 years ago for me. My point was, that just because new trends set in, I do not have to comply to them. Moved to a new school in early 1993 and nobody was wearing Jordan shoes. Except me and maybe one other. They all had either Barkley or Converse KJs and LJs. Then Pennys took over. I still stayed with Jordan. Did trade some cards for some used Penny 2s though lol. Its what I liked. That has not changed since. But it has nothing to do with appeasing others. Its about simply what I still like. Totally aware of todays climate and whats in, whats not. Some today may say Js are played out. That is fine. As long as I can say that certain brands are old man shoes. And I am an old man lol.