The Shop x Nike LeBron 21 has been officially released. The sneaker, created in conjunction with The Shop — a community-connecting brand and conversation series — was introduced on Tuesday and is now available for purchase at The Shop’s online store.
The special-edition The Shop x Nike LeBron 21 sneaker adds a new dimension to the King’s distinctive shoe collection with its vivid style and technical attributes. Designed to give you that fresh-out-of-the-shop feeling after a clean cut, the upper is made of metallic gold and features a subtle ripple design that, according to the company, is a visual tribute to a velour durag. This model of the Nike LeBron XXI shoe is also boosted by a sneaker insole with a special abstract texture resembling airwaves, as well as an outsole and sock liner with hair wave graphic texture.
This shoe has a two-tone colorway inspired by the checkerboard floor of the barbershop, as well as cords wrapped around the upper, heel, and side that resemble braids, an aqua blue heel that represents the blue Barbicide glass container found in barbershops, and Zoom Air units embedded in a low-to-the-ground design.
The Shop’s emblem adorns the heel and bespoke insoles as a special tribute to LeBron James’ community-first objectives, with the game of basketball serving as a final touch. Paul Rivera, General Manager and co-creator of The Shop Brand, said this about the launch:
“At the heart of The Shop is a desire to stay connected to our community and culture. Our latest product exemplifies this in every design aspect. It’s incredibly exciting to watch the soul of The Shop brand go beyond content. It’s thrilling to bring LeBron’s love of community and his trademark sneaker line to life through this one-of-a-kind collaboration between The Shop and the LeBron Nike brand, which honors people who are a cut above.”
Cody Moore, Senior Designer at The Shop, expressed similar feelings, saying, “For this sneaker, we drew inspiration from a few classic accessories like the velour durag and created something that speaks directly to the essence of the brand.” We’ve all experienced the boost of confidence that comes from leaving the barbershop with a new edge. That’s the feeling we want you to have when you put these on. If you can maintain that level of confidence day after day, the world is yours. That’s what it’s all about: having pride in yourself and preparing yourself for success every day.”