Good morning, pals! Welcome again to the Kicks You Wear. Thanks a lot for studying at the moment. Appreciate you giving me a little bit of your time. Happy Friday!
Happy Halloween! The vacation is actually 24 hours out (as I’m penning this on Thursday) and I nonetheless have but to provide you with costume thought. I’m enthusiastic about being Mr. Johnson from Abbott Elementary? We’re each bald. I feel it may well work. But if y’all have some other concepts, please assist. I’m begging.
Let’s dive into the publication and cease speaking about my unhappy social life.
Enter the Squid
Replicating designs is a technique that’s sometimes frowned upon within the trend world, nevertheless it additionally occurs quite a bit. Brands and merchandise are knocked off on a regular basis throughout the trade — particularly within the footwear sector.
Yes, however: Is copying nonetheless a problem if a model is copying itself? That query has resurfaced over the past week.
What’s occurring: A takedown model of the Adidas Jellyfish surfaced at ComplexCon final weekend. Upscale Vandal, one of many hosts of the conference’s headlining Sneaker of the Year panel, debuted the Adidas Squid on stage on the occasion.
The backdrop: A takedown of a shoe is basically a recreation of that shoe with just a few tweaks right here and there that barely differentiate it from the unique mannequin. It’s sometimes extra out there and extra reasonably priced.
- In the case of the Squid, it seems just like the Jellyfish with out Pharrell’s branding on the tongue and among the elaborations on the higher.
- The shoe is reportedly set to retail at $150 and is scheduled to launch in early 2026.
Everyone appears to have an opinion on this shoe, whether or not they’re merely sneakerheads and followers of the unique silhouette or trade creatives and critics. Their opinions vary from being advantageous with this shoe present to resenting the truth that Adidas would create one thing like this within the first place.
- Folks who consider the previous suppose it’s good for folks to have entry to a mannequin corresponding to considered one of Adidas’ greatest in years.
- Those who consider the latter suppose that the Squid is stepping on all of the momentum the Jellyfish has constructed.
Why this issues: The Jellyfish has arguably been probably the most talked-about sneaker of 2025. It’s Adidas’ greatest hit post-Yeezy and has turn into one of many white whale sneakers that generate the excitement and hype each model is in search of. Another pair launched in a blue colorway final weekend at ComplexCon and it’s already reselling at triple its retail worth.
That’s what Adidas ought to need the dialog surrounding this shoe to be, however the introduction of the Squid utterly shifts it. Instead of speaking about how nice the shoe is, individuals are fixated on a lesser mannequin that isn’t even out but.
The query is whether or not they really must be. Is this actually an issue for Adidas? To me, the reply isn’t any. It’s the furthest factor from it.
Be good: Dupes and takedown fashions — particularly within the sneaker area — have been round for many years.
- The takedown tactic was a preferred one within the Nineties, significantly with Nike’s basketball fashions. Many designs had been reworked into extra reasonably priced items for beneath $100.
- I can assure you that each model that you simply love has completed some variation fo this, whether or not or not it’s Nike, Adidas, Puma, New Balance or another person. You wouldn’t even need to do a lot digging within the archive to search out an instance.
There’s no proof to recommend that this technique is dampening gross sales or momentum. I can really level to the alternative. Adidas copied Yeezy for a very long time when the model was beneath its umbrella and that didn’t cease the model from being profitable — West did that himself.
The different facet: Maybe there’s an argument to be made that Adidas is pulling out the Squid too quickly. The Jellyfish may have been out for lower than a yr earlier than the Squid will get launched, if the timeline of early 2026 holds up. Even then, it’s nonetheless not that a lot of an issue to me.
The backside line: No matter which model of the sneaker folks purchase, Adidas remains to be profitable in the long run. And if Pharrell, himself, isn’t making any noise concerning the takedown, then I don’t see any motive the remainder of us ought to.
The Tough Road Ahead for Puma
Every time you suppose the state of play can’t get any worse for Puma, issues simply appear to discover a solution to escalate.
What’s new: The firm held its third-quarter earnings name on Thursday morning and it was crammed with dangerous information.
- After largely flat numbers within the first half of 2025, the corporate’s gross sales decreased by 10.4 p.c to €1.96 billion ($2.23 billion) for the quarter.
- The firm’s gross sales decreased in each single considered one of its foremost areas.
- Puma plans to chop 900 jobs globally by the tip of 2026 on prime of the five hundred it’s already lower in 2025.
These aren’t good indicators, however firm CEO Arthur Hoeldt stated the dip right here may be defined.
What’s occurring: Hoeldt stated the corporate is seeing declines because of its plan to ascertain itself as a top-three sportswear model.
- The model is specializing in reducing down on what it calls “undesirable” wholesale mass retailers that promote excessive volumes of Puma merchandise at low costs.
- It’s specializing in rising enterprise in its direct-to-consumer choices on-line and in shops by reducing promotions and promoting gadgets at full worth.
- On that observe, it’s DTC enterprise elevated by 4.5 p.c.
My take: While I perceive that these numbers don’t look good, it’s essential to recollect the place Puma is coming from. The model has been stagnant for some time. We’re only some months faraway from the Pinault household considering promoting off its stake. That’s clearly not an ideal spot to be in.
What we’re seeing right here is the corporate taking a step again in 2025 to construct a brand new basis for 2026 that may finally result in profitability in 2027. Whether that really occurs stays to be seen, however nobody may’ve anticipated the model to totally flip its woes round this rapidly.
The silver lining: Within the decision, the model pulled out just a few wins. The Speedcat mannequin carried out properly within the third quarter — significantly within the Asia-Pacific area. The Hali 1 and Velocity Nitro 4 runner carried out properly, too.
Those types didn’t totally offset any declines for the model. But, on the very least, Puma is left with one thing to construct on. The model ought to take that and run with it.
Veneda Carter’s New Nikes
Designer and stylist Veneda Carter posted photographs mirror selfies of her carrying Nike’s upcoming GT Future sneakers on Instagram.
The backdrop: The GT Future has been one of the vital extremely anticipated Nike releases since photographs of the shoe first surfaced final yr.
- We first noticed hip-hop artist Wale in pairs of the Future across the NBA All-Star sport in February.
- Nike did a reveal on the SNKRS app for the footwear in Julymeting out extra element concerning the model’s latest mannequin.
Why this issues: These photographs caught me abruptly. It isn’t unusual to see Carter in Nike — she was one of many first to do a collaboration with the model on the Air Max Muse earlier in 2025. But the Muse is extra of a life-style shoe. It’s one thing that feels prefer it’s extra up her alley.
While the GT Future may look superior, it’s a efficiency basketball shoe. That’s definitely not one thing I anticipated to see on Carter.
Yes, however: I feel that’s additionally what makes this so good.
- It’s very clear that, whereas this can be a efficiency shoe, Nike desires to current it as one thing viable each on and off the courtroom.
- Wale rocked them earlier this yr with extra of a streetwear look. Here’s Carter, doing the identical right here along with her extra stylish look.
These photographs are a showcase in versatility. For my cash, it’s a fairly good one.
The WNBA Takes Over Glamour Mag
I by no means thought I’d be studying Glamour journal to listen to about labor negotiations. Yet, right here we’re.
What’s new: Five WNBA superstars appeared in Glamour Magazine this week in a canopy story written by Emily Tannenbaum. The checklist included:
- The Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier
- The New York Liberty’s Jonquel Jones and Nyara Sabally
- The Indiana Fever’s Lexie Hull
- The Phoenix Mercury’s Satou Sabally
The foremost speaking level: The league’s collective bargaining settlement. The stars saved harping on it. The piece was a deep dive into the enterprise dealings of those ladies and why they should be paid by their league just like the elite athletes they’re. The piece is completely value your time.
My takeaway: As I saved studying, although, I couldn’t cease enthusiastic about the league’s relationship to trend and sweetness and the way this area has became a official platform for the league’s greatest stars.
- I couldn’t see an article like this being written 10 years in the past about Diana Taurasi and even 5 years in the past about Maya Moore.
The different facet: That’s turned out to be a little bit of a double-edged sword. While gamers are (rightfully) asking for a greater income share share, the WNBA itself is pointing to the brand new alternatives and highlight the gamers have and utilizing it as a solution to justify the present state of the enterprise.
On one hand, it’s superb to see how far issues have come for the WNBA and ladies’s sports activities basically. On the opposite, it’s additionally a bit disappointing to see how a lot additional we’ve got left to go, contemplating the state of the negotiations.
As a fan of the sport, I hope it may well continue to grow so we will proceed to see these superb athletes maintain onto this highlight.
#TheKicksWeWear
This is the neighborhood part of the publication the place you (Yes, you!!!!) ship me your most closely fits and kicks from the week. Feel free to ship submissions to michael.sykes@businessoffashion.com or shoot me a message by way of social channels @MikeDSykes.
LET’S DO IT.
First, the homie Jaden acquired us began with these traditional Cement 3s. What a shot.
Next, the homie Rick Dubb adopted up with the Pegasus Premium. I can vouch for these. They’re actually good.
Then we acquired into our Halloween bag. The homie Patrick introduced again the Candy Corn Dunks. What a pair.
The homie Freezelle determined to get spooky with it and introduced out the Frankenstein Dunks. Fantastic pair.
Then the homie Lean Joe Green took us residence with these Halloween Vans. WHAT A PAIR. The supplies are so good. Vans has an ideal bag, people.
That’s a wrap. Great work, folks.
Thanks for studying, gang! Hope you loved the publication.
If you may have any questions, feedback or issues, attain out to me by way of electronic mail at michael.sykes@businessoffashion.com or shoot me a message @MikeDSykes by way of socials.
Peace and love. Be secure, be straightforward, be sort. We out.
-Sykes 💯