BAPE and adidas are adding another project to their twenty-plus year history of collaborations, this time featuring two colorways of the retro NRTN skate shoe.
adidas invested heavily in the world of skateboarding in the ’90s and ’00s. The German sportswear brand crafted a wide range of sneaker silhouettes made for skaters, though most of them have disappeared from memory in the years since. Luckily, the adidas archives remember almost every product they’ve ever released, and have been a reliable source for the Three Stripes’ retro release in recent years. For 2024, the adidas Skate team is getting ready to reissue the late-’90s Norton (NRTN), a chunky silhouette akin to the adiMatic that returned back in 2022.To help relaunch the shoe, adi has enlisted the helpf of longtime collaborator BAPE to craft two exclusive colorways of the NRTN. Coming in “Shadow Green” or “Sand” colorways, both styles sport a brown mudguard, white webbing stripes, and dark green accents for the tongues and lacing overlays.
Some have speculated that this project is a way of BAPE taking a shot at Nike. The NRTN also goes by another name – the Lawsuit. Currently, BAPE and Nike are embroiled in a long lawsuit regarding the Japanese brand’s blatant reinterpretations of iconic Swoosh sneakers over the past few decades. However, the truth behind this will likely never be revealed.
BAPE X ADIDAS NRTN PACK RELEASE INFORMATION
The next release from Japan’s BAPE and adidas has not been officially announced yet, but are currently slated to arrive this month on April 20th, 2024. Featuring two colorways in “Shadow Green” and “Sand”, pairs will likely be available through official BAPE channels and the Confirmed app, with no retail price currently available. Check out the early images below for a better look at each style, and stay tuned to JustFreshKicks for more sneaker release news.
BAPE x adidas NRTN
Color: Shadow Green/Cloud White/Core Black
Style Code: IE6117
Release Date: April 20th, 2024
Price: TBD
BAPE x adidas NRTN
Color: Sand/Cloud White/Core White
Style Code: IE6118
Release Date: April 20th, 2024
Price: TBD
