Nike’s Hottest Shoe Isn’t a Sneaker

Good morning, friends! Welcome back to The Kicks You Wear. Thanks so much for reading today. I appreciate you giving me a bit of your time.

Bought my first pair of shoes for 2026, folks. It was the Kith x Asics Gel-Kayano 12.1. I was trying to hold out for at least until February before making my first purchase, but can you blame me? That Quartz colourway is ridiculous. I’m sorry.

QUICK HITS:

Now, let’s dive in.

Nike’s Hottest Shoe Isn’t a Sneaker

Looks like we may have overlooked something in the sneaker of the year conversation — although, this technically isn’t a sneaker.

Nike remained the best-selling brand on StockX for the third year in a row, according to the company’s latest Big Facts report for 2026. But its hold on the platform was fueled by a model I’d never have expected.

What’s new: The Nike ReactX Rejuven8 won on StockX. The recovery clog — released by Nike in January 2025 — was one of the biggest movers on the platform.

• Nike’s non-sneaker footwear sales grew by 5,811 percent on the platform, according to the report.
• That’s the most growth out of any brand on the platform with at least 250 trades.
• In second place was Bravest Studios at 197 percent, driven by the hype of its Bearclaw mule.

Zoom out: When most people think of the biggest movers when it comes to Nike products on the secondary market, they’re usually thinking of a hyped pair of Jordans, or an exclusive pair of Air Maxes, or some other limited-edition sneaker that has captured the public’s attention.

It’s certainly not usually a clog. But that’s what we have here.

Why that matters: As Nike has walked down its road to recovery, the brand has needed to find wins on the margins. Hyped shoes will always get the public buzzing, but the bigger question for the company was whether it still had the ability to create a foundational piece that could be ubiquitous while also still being desirable and cool. It’s been years since the brand accomplished that. For the first time in a long time, it seems like that product may have finally arrived.

A caveat: As always, we must remember that the secondary market is not the end-all, be-all to conversations around whether certain products are working.

• This data from StockX is a small snapshot of what popped off on its marketplace.
• This doesn’t mean that Nike’s sales data will reflect a similar trend.

The big picture: But secondary market data does signal general interest from the public on certain silhouettes — particularly from enthusiasts. Those are the folks who usually set trends. Even if this boom doesn’t necessarily equal direct results for Nike, it does show a potential area of strength for the company to build on as it makes its comeback. Sneakers aren’t the only way to win.

Last week: We saw that play out with the release of the Nike Mind 001 and 002 last week.

• Those two products — a clog and a shoe that use technology to focus on the sensory area of your brain — sold out almost immediately upon release.

Time will tell us whether they’re ultimately as popular as the ReactX Rejuven8 has become. But, at the very least, that’s an extremely encouraging sign in a category that Nike hasn’t been as strong in in the past.

Skims’ Signature Nike Shoe Is Coming

There was never a doubt that there’d eventually be a sneaker launch coming from Nike’s new partnership with Skims. The question was always about what model it would be.

• Most thought it’d be some sort of Air Max sneaker, considering Kardashian’s love for some of the silhouettes.
• Kardashian shut that speculation down in October at ComplexCon, saying definitively that it wouldn’t be an Air Max sneaker.

What she said: While Kardashian didn’t completely tip her hand, she did give people a bit of a hint for what was coming. “We are getting a sneaker, and it is unique. It’s not just like a different colourway of something,” she said.

Now, we know. NikeSkims is launching a trio of new Air Rift models in the Skims brand’s signature earthy tones.

Details: For those of you who don’t know, the Air Rift is Nike’s sneaker-fied version of a Mary Jane. It comes with a buckle strap on the upper and generally has a thicker outsole. However, the Skims version of the shoe is slightly different, aiming for a flatter look.

• The shoe’s sole in the photos appears thinner than on a normal Air Rift, giving it a more barefoot feel.

The big picture: With a partnership as high-profile as NikeSkims, we’d expect the brand to drop a more mainstream silhouette than the Air Rift. You’d think there’d be a Jordan collaboration waiting in the wings or maybe, like most thought, something in the Air Max family.

But I think this is a very smart choice. Sneakers are expanding. Consumers are opting for different styles in footwear, and seeing a hyped Jordan model or a typical Nike lifestyle model would’ve been disappointing—especially given how much of a priority functionality seems to be for this collaboration. The Air Rift lends itself to that.

Plus, Mary Janes are in right now. They had a moment in sneakers last year, and I think there might be an even bigger one waiting in 2026. Good on Nike for identifying that trend and getting on top of it here.

Under Armour Splits With Bryce Harper

It’s hard to tell these days what’s going down in Baltimore at Under Armour’s headquarters.

What’s new: After splitting with NBA All-Star Stephen Curry and the Curry Brand in Nov. 2025, the brand has also parted ways with MLB superstar Bryce Harper.

Unlike when the brand parted ways with Curry, there was no ceremonious announcement explaining how splitting up was the best thing for both sides and how the brand wished Harper nothing but the best. Instead, the public learned only because Harper himself said so in his TikTok comments after fans saw him wearing Nike cleats.

The state of play: Curry and Harper were arguably the two most popular Under Armour athletes on the brand’s endorsement roster.

• Curry is a four-time NBA champion, a two-time league MVP and is one of the most popular athletes in the world.
• Harper is a two-time MVP, himself, and is one of the best baseball players of his generation. He’s been one of the faces of the MLB since being drafted in 2010.

Why this matters: Under Armour is losing its biggest names while its competitors in the sports world keep picking up new talent. Nike is dominating women’s sports as it rises with names like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, A’ja Wilson and more. New Balance is carefully crafting a youthful powerhouse around Coco Gauff, Cooper Flagg, Tyrese Maxey and others. Adidas has the playful charm of Anthony Edwards to lean on. Even Puma has fun names like Tyrese Haliburton and LaMelo Ball.

Who can step up to be the face of Under Armour? What names will people recognise from the brand as it moves forward without the mainstays it just let go? There’s no good answer to that question in 2026. That’s not a great spot to be in.

Adidas Wins the National Championship

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The 2026 College Football Playoff national championship game won’t be played until next Monday on Jan. 19, but the winner has already been crowned.

It’s Adidas.

Excuse me? You read that right. Adidas won college football over the weekend when Miami and Indiana advanced to the national championship game. For the first time in college football history, both schools playing in the big game will be sponsored by Adidas.

Why this matters: It’s not necessarily the biggest deal in the world from a fashion standpoint — college football tunnel walks aren’t really a thing quite yet (but maybe they will be soon!)

But from a brand visibility standpoint, you couldn’t ask for a better moment if you’re Adidas. Especially at a time when things are slowing down a bit for the brand. This isn’t a win anyone could necessarily chalk up when thinking about the biggest moments for 2026, but it’s certainly one the brand is taking in stride. This not-so-thinly veiled shot at Nike says all you need to know.

What’s Droppin’, Bruh?

This is a dedicated section detailing upcoming sneaker releases for the week, and sometimes other interesting drops I think you might care about.

Thanks for reading, gang!

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, reach out to me via email at michael.sykes@businessoffashion.com or shoot me a message @MikeDSykes via socials.

Peace and love. Be safe, be easy, be kind. We out.

-Sykes 💯

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