Nike's Kobe sneakers have shown strong market performance after their relaunch and are gradually regaining their status as the brand's flagship product.
In recent years, the sneaker market has been cold, and the Kobe series has maintained high demand and high price points in the secondary market while the original flagship Air Jordan series has been in a downturn, so it is also beginning to be interesting to see if the latter can replicate the glory of the former.
Get back on the Nike ace
Looking back at the timeline, since Kobe's unexpected death in 2020, Kobe's widow Vanessa does not plan to renew Kobe's five-year contract with Nike when it expires in 2021.
At the time of the news, all the Kobe sneakers on the market basically ushered in a significant price increase, and it was also from this time that the popularity of the series grew, and every time it was released, it basically caused a rush.
In the same year, Vanessa also accused Nike of unknowingly releasing the Zoom Kobe 6 "Mambacita", which also used elements of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, which directly pushed the relationship between the two parties to a freezing point, so the Kobe series was also considered a swan song at the time, and the market price continued to rise.
With the suspension of Nike's release, the number of Kobe series shoes on the market has decreased dramatically, and thousands of dollars a pair of practical sneakers is undoubtedly too expensive for fans; For NBA players, many have expressed concern about not being able to buy Kobe sneakers.
It is not difficult to find that at that time, whether it was daily life or playing, more people wore Kobe series sneakers, and everyone's desire for the series seemed to be so strong, perhaps out of memory of Kobe, or perhaps out of sincere love.
It wasn't until May 2022 that Nike offered to donate 100% of the proceeds of the Gianna product line to the Mamba Sports Foundation, and at the same time would establish a youth basketball center in Southern California to pass on the Mamba spirit, and the two sides were able to reach a new agreement, which also means that the Kobe series is officially back, and many fans are looking forward to it.
Kobe Collection Lots of Colors
After the two sides re-reached an agreement, Nike also released several Kobe sneakers one after another, and the market response was quite enthusiastic.
其中,Nikke Kobe 8「Halo」的市场价格稳定在 2000 元附近;Nikke Zoom Kobe 4「Mambasita」的市场价格则在 3000 元附近;Nikke Zoom Kobe 6 Letter「Green Apple」的价格更是疯涨至 6000 元附近।।।।।।
Although the sneaker market is sluggish, and many sneakers are showing a trend of falling below the original price, only the Kobe series can increase in price every time it is released, which seems to have become a shot in the arm for Nike.
Nike Kobe 4「Philly」
Nike Kabe 6 Article「Italian Kamo」
Nike Kobe 8 Protro「Venice Beach」
Perhaps because of Vanessa's vision that all Kobe fans can wear Kobe sneakers, starting this year's Mamba Day on April 13, Nike will officially release a number of classic sneaker colorways.
当中包括 Nikke Kobe 4 letters「Fili」、Nikke when6 letters「Italian Kamo」、Nikke Kobe 8 articles「Venice Beach」等等,目前这些鞋款均有不同程度的溢价情况.
Vanessa 曝光 Nike Zoom Kobe 4 Protro 特殊配色
In addition, Vanessa herself also revealed the new Nike Zoom Kobe 4 Protro, which pays tribute to Kobe Bryant, with a suede upper with delicate embroidered details, which also aroused the desire of many fans, although it is not yet known whether the shoe will be released.
As time goes on, the follow-up shoes in the Kobe series revival plan have also been revealed, and a huge number of colors are coming, among which there are countless shoes worth noting.
譬如曾作为「大师之路」套装终点的 Nikke Kobe 9 Elite「Masterpiece」、奥运战靴 Nikke Kabe 4「Gold Medal」、元年经典圣诞配色 Niké 9 Elite 「Christmas」等等.
Is there a pros or cons to a large number of goods?
For the large number of Kobe series sneakers, it has also frequently aroused heated discussions among fans and friends, and the voices of the outside world are also positive and negative.
When Nike 系列球鞋
First of all, the large number of Kobe collections is bound to be a good thing for fans, which gives true shoe fans more opportunities to revisit classic colorways.
In addition, the increase in the volume of goods also means that the market price has fallen, after all, the Kobe series sneakers belong to the actual combat shoe category, and for this kind of consumable sneakers, the price of several thousand is obviously not so reasonable.
Kobe Bryant
For the brand, the Kobe sneakers are undoubtedly one of the most popular series among the brands at present, so increasing the volume of goods can indeed help the sluggish Nike achieve some growth in sales figures, and at the same time, the high popularity of the Kobe series can also bring more exposure to the brand, which is undoubtedly a win-win situation in the short term.
However, the current positioning of the Kobe series of sneakers is very awkward, from the perspective of technology, although the current replica of the sneakers will replace the Lunarlon insoles of the year with the latest React technology, but the overall maintenance of the old configuration 10 years ago, for fans with court needs, there are actually a lot of more cost-effective options, and it is obviously not so reasonable to choose more expensive Kobe sneakers for a long time because of feelings.
YE / Virgil Abloh
Rihanna / Hailey Bieber
In terms of styling, the strong sense of sports technology and aesthetics of the Kobe series sneakers is also inconsistent with the current trend aesthetic, so it is difficult to integrate into more dressing styles.
While the Kobe collection has also been co-branded with streetwear brands like UNDEFEATED, there is still a big gap between the two sides in terms of influence in street culture compared to the Air Jordan collection.
Air Jordan 1
In this case, a large number of goods will inevitably bring obvious drawbacks, taking the smash hit Air Jordan 1 as an example, the scene that was once hard to find shoes has come to naught under the large number of Jordan Brand stores, and seeing too much will naturally produce aesthetic fatigue, so Air Jordan 1 has also been named "bad street", and many fans are worried that Nike will once again "ruin the classics" and make the Kobe series sneakers fall off the altar.
Although the Kobe series has a high market value and fan base, it will take more time to accumulate and be recognized by the market to reach the brilliance of the Air Jordan series.
The success of the Air Jordan collection is the result of brand strategy, cultural influence, marketing and continuous innovation. The Kobe series has the potential to be even more successful in the future, but it remains to be seen if it can replicate the Air Jordan's glory.