Nike Air Yeezy 2: US Release!

Excluding perhaps the Nike Air Mag, which did not even see a general release, the Nike Air Yeezy was the most-hyped shoe of all time.  Lines for the Kanye West-designed sneaker went thousands deep, campouts exceeded full weeks, violence ensued, and eBay prices soared to near $2000 for a deadstock pair.  The buzz popularized the term "sneakerhead", inspired the production of thousands of Taiwanese knockoffs (even these fakes fetch $400-500 per pair), and set fans nearly immediately towards anticipating a successor.  In March of last year the first on-foot images were seen; fourteen months later, we finally have a release date.

Via a Nike press release:

"Forging a new form of sport craftsmanship, the Nike Air Yeezy II blends classic Nike court breakthroughs with the performance and aesthetic demands of bringing hype to a crowd of thousands.

A primal, tactile approach to technology runs throughout every element of the Nike Air Yeezy II. Armored animalistic forms imbue the upper. Hand skived anaconda textured leather quarter panels are embellished with a debossed Vac-Tech Nike Swoosh. The molded rear is sculpted with a reptilian inspired spike, while an engineered strap with scaled down spikes was developed to offer a greater sense of symmetry and lock down.

Bringing the inspiration forward from the late 1980's basketball foundation of the original Nike Air Yeezy, the II is built on the Nike Air Tech Challenge II tennis shoe outsole and celebrates iconic Nike Cross Training silhouettes with the addition of the molded forefoot strap.

There's absolute function at the Air Yeezy II's core. Unnecessary padding was eliminated, and the foot-hugging tongue and plush collar are both comfortable and breathable. Fit was essential to the design with the goal to make the shoe slimmer than the original by tailoring it to Kanye West’s foot. The collar was also lowered to allow for greater movement.

An obsessive approach to materials results in a luxurious mix of leather, rugged ballistic nylon, and soft nubuck. Concealed but opulent details reference ancient civilizations, including a loop strap with hieroglyphics that spell out 'YZY.' Each screw on lace aglet is obelisk shaped, and the anaconda texture is echoed on the eyelets and leather lace toggle that carries the Roman numeral 'II.'

The Nike Air Yeezy II in the Platinum and the Black edition will release June 9th at select global retailers in limited numbers."

Perhaps, reader, we are not kindred spirits, you are not even a casual fan of sneakers.  You don't understand how anyone could stand out all night and in all weather for hundreds of ours for the opportunity to shell out $250 on some shoes that, realistically, should cost about half as much.  You wouldn't spend that much on a television, much less a pair of sneakers.  You don't even like Kanye West's music, much less his leather pants, whacked-out sense of style, or his flashy sneakers.

If this is the case, I understand entirely.  The Yeezy 2 is the peak of blatant materialism.  Few could tell you honestly that they want the sneaker just because they like how it looks.  It's an exercise in vanity.

Agree to disagree, I guess.  I shouldn't want these.  As a teenager with meager income who is two months from being a dead-broke college student, I shouldn't even consider buying them.  But I do want them, and I will do more than consider buying them:  I will go to whatever end I have to in order to have a chance to get my hands on these; if not to buy them, then just to look at them.

Maybe it's a sickness.