Pharrell's adidas NMD Hu is a Leopard that Changes its Spots
Model: NMD Hu Animal Print "Orange"
Release Date: June 25
Price: TBC
Buy: Online at adidas
Editor's Notes: There’s this somewhat universal thinking that 2016 was the best year of the 2010s. Many factors contribute to this thinking, but many attest to the state of the culture, which hip-hip albums and artists were charting (Travis Scott, Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, etc), plus the general attitude and trajectory of streetwear and sneakers. Things were pretty carefree, no fucks given, and retrospectively, it was pretty live.
Something that’s almost easy to forget from that era, is just how insanely popular Pharrell’s adidas NMD Hu sneakers were. This was the year that they debuted, and once they touched the market, they flew like wildfire. Secondary markets went absolutely bananas for every colorway that stepped into the spotlight, and once three-way collaborations came into the fold, it felt like curtains for any other silhouette releasing alongside them.
This run stayed strong for a few years but inevitably, as tastes changed, the NMD hype as a whole somewhat fizzled out, and new competitor styles rose to popularity, Pharrell’s signature shoes took a backseat.
Sure, they’ve continued to release, but that level of popularity hasn’t been matched. Perhaps change is on the way, however, as bold new iterations have begun cropping up.
One such look is the upcoming Hu NMD Animal Print “Orange.” This look is as Pharrell as it gets, with a strikingly bold, in-your-face orange animal print filling the full length of the silhouette, emphasized by an orange BOOST midsole, and contrasted with green laces.
There’s absolutely nothing low-key about these, so if you’re looking to make a statement this summer, look no further.
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