A.P.C. and Brain Dead are two of the most prolific labels in fashion. They come at collaborations from different ends of the stylistic spectrum but they do collaborate a lot. Sometimes even together!

For spring 2025, A.P.C. and Brain Dead are back together and better than ever, at least as far as denim is concerned.

The disparity between the two companies’ many team-ups is palpable.

Nowadays, having long since mastered collaborations, A.P.C. chefs up very proper partnerships with Katie Holmes, former fashion editor Anastasia Barbieri, and Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop while Brain Dead does the most with, well, basically everyone (adidas! Clarks! Oakley! Dickies! Magic: The Gathering!).

Not that there isn’t a little back and forth, a little give and take. For instance, the first round of A.P.C.’s Interaction series of collabs went to Kid Cudi. The third? Brain Dead, their first of several.

A.P.C. and Brain Dead are united by a shared sense of open-mindedness. Their respective founders, Jean Touitou and Kyle Ng, are perpetually curious close friends. They love stuff! Except Brain Dead has a bit of a youthful edge on its nearly 40-year-old partner. Not that Touitou minds.

“I’m jealous of the Brain Dead brand because they do exactly what they want,” Touitou tells Highsnobiety. “They do what I would’ve done if I was 30 years old now.”

Well, here, Touitou gets to do what he wants. A.P.C. and Brain Dead have devised a concise capsule of denim essentials lynchpinned not by one of A.P.C.’s classic cuts, of which there are several, but Brain Dead’s in-house staple: The Type 00 denim jean,

It’s a little 501, a little ’90s A.P.C., with a relaxed shape reigned in by a not-so-slouchy straight leg and gently quirked up by some wiggly arcuates (pocket stitches). Here, A.P.C. has rendered Brain Dead’s own jean in its…

Nike’s Air Force 1, being one of the Swoosh’s most popular sneakers to the day, has dropped in basically every make, model, material, and color imaginable. And, yet, denim AF1s are rather rare.

So it goes with even Nike’s Air Force 1 “Denim Turquoise,” which is yet another leather AF1 sneaker.

Except, this time, it wears a denim-ish hue that recalls a sort of faded indigo like that which you’d see on a pair of well-loved jeans.

Pretty classy stuff, especially when paired with a pale Swoosh and sole, making the classic low-top sneaker as versatile as any other AF1 on the market.

However, yes, denim AF1 shoes are rather rare. There’ve been denim Nike Dunks and even denim Air Jordans but save for a wild 2017 NikeID option and a 2019 collaboration with one-time NYC neighbor and denim label 3×1, all-denim Air Force 1 sneakers remain uncommon.

Not that there’s a lack of quality Nike Air Force 1s, mind you.

In recent weeks, especially, we’ve beheld a bevy of delicious options.

Nike’s AF1 has taken mushrooms, gone all-black for Paris, and even served a couple skater-style options that turn the ultra-versatile Nike sneaker into a veritable Nike SB thrasher.

Still, wouldn’t another proper denim AF1 be nice?

For now, you can shop all the latest and greatest AF1 models on Nike’s site, where the “Denim Turquoise” AF1 will soon release for $125.

Nike’s classic Air Superfly sneaker officially returned in January, twenty-five years after its debut. And already, the sleek running-inspired model is dressing the part of the next cool retro shoe.

Alongside a metallic silver colorway, the Nike Air Superfly will also arrive in a super bold “Mystic Red” scheme, which looks like the shoe took a dip in red paint or even Kool-Aid. (Can I get a “ohhhh yeahhh?”)

Underneath the vibrant paint job, the Air Superfly’s traditional details shine again. The breezy uppers and cushion soles filled with Nike Air and foam are in view, recalling its history on the racing tracks. It makes sense why Nike enlisted track star Sha’Carri Richardson to tease the shoes in November.

Honestly, Nike couldn’t have picked a better time to revive the Air Superfly. It’s slim, low-profile, and undeniably retro, all the ingredients to today’s hottest shoes. If the Superfly were flat, it’d be a winner-winner chicken dinner.

But thin soles or not, the Air Superfly’s got next.

Nike’s Air Max Muse, the brand’s new insanely chunky Air Max model, will also drop in a tonal red colorway. The red Air Max Muse and Air Superfly are both slated to release on February 8 on Nike’s SNKRS app.

Valentine’s Day mood? Or is Nike trying to tell us something? Something like…two of its latest women’s sneakers are coming in (red) hot for the sneaker crown.

_J.L-A.L_’s Fall/Winter 2025 menswear presentation was a bonanza of incredibly stylish and highly advanced technical menswear, to simply put it.

The leading inspiration for _J.L-A.L_ FW25 is La Planète Sauvage, a 1973 animated film that actually translates to Fantastic Planet. Nearly every aspect of the movie is incorporated into the label’s techy menswear, including the stop-motion-like production. _J.L-A.L_ created crystal hoodies intended to move in the same manner as the animation.

Those sea urchin bags? They’re inspired by those “little weird objects” in the movie. “Almost no one wanted to make it for us. And we almost had to go to a toy factory to get it made. But we managed to find someone in Italy willing to do it on a larger scale,” Jean-Luc A. Lavelle told Highsnobiety.

But the weirdly cool handbags weren’t the only great thing about _J.L-A.L_ FW25. The rest of the collection was a feast of unexpected fabric manipulations and patterns, like triple-layered suiting and footwear crafted with contoured calf hair.

_J.L-A.L_ also created bespoke gradient wool with the Italian mill Manteca. At the same time, the label enlisted designer Victoria Ohanyan to create beaded belts, bag straps, and waist embellishments.

Jean-Luc’s intrigue with menswear stems from his disdain for it, believe it or not. “Each season, we try to incorporate more elements of things that we previously didn’t like. And then we try to put them through our lens to see if we actually want to wear them now.”

He previously loathed shearling, which got a clever fabric flip by the brand this season. “The entire thing’s been laser perforated, raw edge cut instead of folded, so you get these nice inflections of the hair coming out all of the cuffs and hands,” Jean-Luc says.

“Then, the laser perforation gives it this really interesting, almost fleece-like look on the inside, but it’s all 100% shearling.”

For FW25,…

adidas is putting its video game face on and teaming up with the top-selling Minecraft game for an official sneaker collaboration. And yes, it’s an IRL sneaker…with the perfect amount of glitches.

For the pairing’s debut collab, Minecraft and adidas have cooked up an incredibly cool Handball Spezial sneaker flawlessly balancing Three Stripes traditions and details plucked from the famous voxel game universe.

For starters, what looks like smooth black suede takes over the collaborative Handball Spezial alongside accenting purple shades, referencing the appearance of Enderman, those neutral black figures who only attack when bothered or if you stare into its pixelated purple eyes.

By the way, proceed with caution. ‘Cause the Enderman eyes also appear on the heels and laces of this Minecraft collaboration.

Of course, there’s more for Minecraft diehards to fan out over. Most notably, pixelated versions of adidas’ Three Stripes lands on the sidewalls next to the Minecraft branding, resulting in a genuinely neat sign-off that says “Minecraft was here.”

The Spezial’s shoelace system also appears to be removable with a Velcro detail, allowing fans and wearers alike to go lace-free with their Minecraft steppers.

It’s pretty refreshing to see Minecraft go with the Handball Spezial for its debut adidas collab. You’d also expect the extremely popular video game to go with an equally sought-after model like the Samba or even Gazelle.

However, the Handball Spezial is undoubtedly Samba-like with a similar flat-soled look and retro sporty flavor. The Spezial has even made some quiet power moves in both classics constructions and stylishly rugged takes. The impressive Minecraft x adidas Handball Spezial advances the model’s secretly killer streak.

Virgil Abloh’s Louis Vuitton x NIGO collaborations were of such import to the late designer that their second outing was one of Abloh’s final major initiatives for the fashion house. So, it follows that Pharrell Williams would reunite NIGO with LV, not just because they’re pals but because they’d be building atop an existing luxury legacy.

Well, not so fast.

Rumors that began circulating on social media in early 2025 posited that Pharrell and NIGO would be partnering on a Louis Vuitton collaboration later that very year.

Tantalizing stuff, one that seems like a slam dunk, at least on paper.

Here you have two famously close fellas who’re often at work on collaborative endeavors as disparate as music, three-way adidas sneakers, and NIGO’s HUMAN MADE brand, where Pharrell joined the payroll of its parent company as an “advisor.”

Of course Pharrell would be the man to kick off another NIGO x Louis Vuitton collaboration! With both men so deeply entrenched in the LVMH machine (NIGO is the artistic director of KENZO), how could he not?

There is, however, no reason to get excited. Yet.

A Louis Vuitton representative said, when asked by Highsnobiety to confirm or deny NIGO’s rumored Louis Vuitton collection, that they currently had “no information” on the news.

That’s not a no, but it’s also not a definitive yes.

The precedent nevertheless remains.

Virgil Abloh masterminded two LV² collections with NIGO in 2020 and 2022, each of which were remarkably expansive and quite popular.

The first collaboration was important for myriad reasons — a high-profile acknowledgment of streetwear heritage, NIGO’s first proper luxury team-up, Abloh’s first standalone…

Winter is coming, and Nike has a weatherproof hiking boot for the Swoosh gorp boys. Enter the Nike Cygnal boot.

Nike’s Cygnal stomps into the footwear scene as an outdoor boot crafted with velvet-like real leather that’s also Mother Nature-proof (notice how the water beads roll off the upper…10 points for Nike!).

The Nike Cygnal follows a traditional outdoor boot setup, designed with sturdy woven eyelets and equally tough laces ready for adventure. Thanks to its generous padding around the ankles, it also promises a pretty cushy ride.

Of course, the rugged boot’s nice, chunky sole seals the deal, promising sublime traction on just about any outdoor terrain.

Although new, Nike’s Cygnal boot echoes outdoor boots from Nike’s past. It resembles models like the winterized Jordan 6 boot and Nike ACG’s Regrind trail boots from the 90s.

I even got some sacai x Nike Magmascape vibes at one point.

After leaking earlier this year, Nike’s Cygnal boot is finally here — well, at a few overseas retailers for now. But we’ll probably see the trail-worthy boot become more widely available throughout the fall season.

For its debut, Nike will launch the hiking shoe in two appropriately earthy colorways: a beige “Desert Ore” and a beige “Baroque Brown.” Delish.

At least the Nike Cygnal won’t be alone. Nike’s quietly building a stylish outdoor boot army that already includes models like the City Classic and ACG Torre Mid (the latter has gotten incredibly stylish, BTW).

Those roam-ready Blazers, too.

Vans’ most popular skate shoes have been getting the royal treatment lately.

BAPE’s camoflauge print just covered the Vans Old Skool sneaker, while Tokyo Design Collective put a Harajuku punk spin on the classic Vans Slip-on. By enlisting these fashion collaborators, Vans’ beloved models have been feeling fresh and extra fashionable lately.

Vans’ skate shows are now glowing (again), thanks to BAL.

The skate brand joined forces with Tokyo-based label BAL for some bright updates on Vans’ most classic skate shoes, like the Authentic and Old Skool models.

Bal’s Vans skate shoes features UV graphics that react to sunlight, plus glow-in-the-dark graphics that, well, glow in dark settings. Basically, the Vans sneakers will appear as white or light pink during the day, topped with artsy graphics which add a cool touch to the shoes.

But when the sun goes down, BAL’s spin transforms into a spooky bright green design, which looks fit for the approaching Halloween festivities. They even drop on September 29, just before October kicks off.

Vans introduced another glowing skate shoe with Better Gift Shop and AOI Industry in September, which saw a classic Slip-on stamped with starry, glow-in-the-dark embellishments.

With all of the new glow-in-the-dark Vans, day and nighttime skate sessions just got easier (extra steezy, too).

Just when you thought the adidas Gazelle couldn’t get better, adidas introduces a modern twist — wrapping the trendy sneaker in everyone’s favorite practical material, GORE-TEX.

If we’ve learned anything from DESCENDANT’s GORE-TEX Gazelle collab, it’s that the adidas model wears the outdoor-ready material pretty well. And adidas’ newest in-line iteration doesn’t disappoint.

adidas’ GORE-TEX Gazelle sneakers are some of the cleanest versions of the model, constructed with the breezy, weatherproof technology frequently seen in outdoor shoes.

Everyday sneakers regularly enjoy the GORE-TEX treatment now (as you can probably tell by this adidas update).

adidas finishes the Gazelles off with creamy leather Stripes and incredibly nice colorways, including icy blue and navy, which bring some stylish appeal to the shoe.

The adidas Gazelle continues to be a crowd favorite with its flat-soled aura, classic suede build, and endless solid colorways. The collaborations involving the adidas model have also been quite on point, from Bad Bunny’s perfectly imperfect remake to CLOT’s espadrille-ification of the shoe.

GORE-TEX? Gazelles? What’s not to like? For those who are ready to slam their card down to check out, adidas’ GORE-TEX Gazelle sneakers are expected to drop on September 30.

Nike’s spidey senses are tingling — and taking over the brand’s trendy dad shoe, the Zoom Vomero 5. Nike’s Zoom Vomero 5 has undergone a few interesting makeovers this year, but the latest “Spider” version is undeniably the creepiest yet.

The Nike Vomero’s upper features a classic medley of neutral colors, such as black, white, and grey, joined by freaky spider details.

I’d like to bring your attention to the bottom of the lace system and toe box, where glossy iridescent “eyes” and fang details await, ready to cause potential jump scares.

Let’s hope that no one steps on your shoes thinking the bug is real. Then, we’ll have way bigger problems than faux spiders.

With additional glow-in-the-dark details, Nike’s Zoom Vomero 5 sneaker has a design very similar to the brand’s Jordan 1 Low “Halloween,” which also oozed Eight-Legged Freaks energy.

The Nike shoes may be part of a Halloween pack. Spooky season is just around the corner, and clever spider sneakers are the perfect steppers for October 31.

Nike’s Zoom Vomero 5 “Spider,” in particular, brings Vomero’s breezy personality and effortless comfort. In other words, the shoe would be suitable for trick-or-treating with the little ones or even standing and chit-chatting at a Halloween soiree.

Regardless, Nike’s no-fail dad shoe continues to thrive. Nike keeps the model fresh and on-trend with quietly utilitarian versions and full-on “outdoor bro” upgrades.

But enough of the gorpcore era (for now). The model is ready to enjoy a spooky season like the rest of us.