2016 Highlight Reel: Reebok

There was a veritable deluge of InstaPump Fury releases this year. From goat-skin, to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles references and a re-up of the OG colourway – the futuristic runner was well and truly back in action. We’ve picked a selection of noteworthy colabs and colourways for your consideration.

The three-way BAPE x mita x Reebok InstaPump Fury colab showed up with no warning. It’s somewhat comforting to be reminded that in an age of leaks and viral content we can still be taken by surprise. The colab saw black and grey camo supports shrouding a white upper. Not to mention the fact that they glow in the dark.

Japan’s atmos continued their love affair with the InstaPump Fury with another take on the split soled silhouette. Their latest rendition takes us to the streets of Shinjuku with a pixelated zap of multicolour digi-print. Not one for the sartorially shy, the pattern shines like neon Tetris.

Disney collaborated with Reebok to produce a special take on the InstaPump. The pack saw two separate takes on the silhouette – the first in the guise of villain Shere Khan, the second in the guise of his slithering sidekick, Kaa.

The Answer’s signature sneaker, the Question Mid, saw a big resurgence this year with a multitude of colourways and colabs. Seemingly in celebration of the one-two-punch of Allen Iverson’s entry into the hallowed hardwood of the NBA Hall of Fame and the 20th anniversary of the silhouette, the snub-nosed ‘bok got some silver service. We’ve selected three stand-out versions to serve as a curated example of the breadth of variations.

It’d be bananas not to include a BAPE colab in any top three. The sneaker was taken siege by an invasion of signature BAPE camo across its sculpted upper. mita sneakers joined in on the drop adding a Hercules helicopter load of hype

BAIT paid tribute to one of basketball’s coolest characters, Allen Iverson, with a stone cold take. In homage to Al’s on-court unflappability, the sneaker got made up in an extremely ‘chill’ treatment with a metallic ice cube quarter. Taking the theme up a notch, the white midsole bears a reflective drip speckle that looks like condensation. Cool?

Allen Iverson was never the shy and retiring type and made a name for himself by taking the spotlight rather than putting his head in the sand. So it comes as somewhat of a surprise that his signature footwear took on the guise of the relatively demure ostrich. The luxury take sees the basketball silhouette decked in premium pimpled leather. Iverson never was a stickler for dress codes – so we think he’d approve.

Sneaker tech keeps evolving and Reebok haven’t been left behind. The Reebok Liquid factory was developed as a collaboration between the new Reebok Future team and BASF (who you may know as the scientists behind Boost tech). The process uses some sci-fi styled computers and robots, that pump liquid material to draw shoe components in 3D layers. This means that all they have to do is draw it up on the computer and hit print, no more moulding for a faster, cleaner production process. The first shoe to come out of the Liquid Factory is the Reebok Liquid Speed, highly limited to a run of 300 pairs, each one individually numbered, tagged and boxed.

The NPC was another classic sneaker that was blessed with an invigorating re-up over the last 12 months, as was the Classic. The NPC saw some pretty great colabs including a sleazy Sneaker Politics version and a strapped Livestock drop, but we feel Highs and Lows take was something special. The Perth locals gave the tennis silhouette the most premium rework we’ve ever seen. While keeping the traditional tennis white theme, HAL incorporates the blue from a local hardcourt used during the Hopman Cup for the heel and branding highlights, with woodgrain eyelets offering a nod to classic tennis racquet — but that’s not even the best part! What really hits an ace is the supple Gerecke European deer leather across the build. Perfect.