2026 Sneakers Wishlist

I promised shorter, more frequent posts

So, as I said on the previous blog post, I am trying to write every week, which turns out to be harder than I anticipated, having ideas every week to write something, even if it is short, is quite a challenge, it turns out. But as I infodumped about sneakers to a friend, I decided to just write my wishlist for this year in regards to sneakers. Keep in mind that there are a lot of qualifiers here. First, these need to actually be released, while some are pretty much confirmed, others aren't, and things may change. Second, these need to be released in my region, which isn't always a given. And third, I need to actually get them, something you can never be sure of with sneakers, even if I do not live somewhere with a strong sneaker culture.

Treat these as, indeed, a wishlist. Things I want, not necessarily things I'll get. Maybe next January I can make another post talking about what I really got. I tried to write stuff chronologically, but the chronology is based on the expected release in North America, keep that in mind.

March 28th: Virgil Abloh Archive x Air Jordan 1 High OG "Alaska"

This is one I only accidentally saw when checking a post on Sneaker Freaker. Absolutely crazy that we are getting sneakers carrying the legendary Virgil Abloh name. Nike occasionally does collaborations with Off-White, the brand Virgil founded, which are already highly coveted, but with his name? A special occurrence. These are the ones I am most skeptical that will arrive on my region, but a girl can dream! If you are not familiar with Virgil and Off-White, I recommend this article about "The Ten" collection, maybe some of the most legendary collections ever released.

June 6th: Air Jordan 15 23RE "Black Muslin"

Ah the AJ15, perhaps the most hated Jordan, but one of my favorites. Since last year there have been rumours of a "Reworked" version, as the AJ15 is both visually divisive and uncomfortable. This 23RE version is expected to be more breathable, comfortable, and perhaps find a way to not make the tongue, which is iconic, but troublesome, finally fit with most pants. While some websites list a hard date, this one is still a rumour as far as I know, so much that I'm putting up a mock-up image someone made, no images of the AJ15 23RE have surfaced yet, if it even exists. My hope is that Nike also considers releasing an OG next year, I'd love one, and it's been 5 years already since the last release.

August 8th: Air Jordan 9 "Space Jam"

Space Jam, iconic, campy, and oh-so-fun of a movie that turned us all into furries with Lola Bunny. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the movie, which means that the two highly iconic sneakers seen in it are expected to return. While the AJ11 is maybe the most coveted Jordan beyond specific models, I am absolutely in love with the AJ9 in this colorway, absolutely gorgeous. This is the pair Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck go to Jordan's house to get, and is used on the training sequence. Mind you, this colorway was not made for the movie, the AJ9 was already a bit old at that point, and this "True Red" colorway was one of the original colors. After the movie got so influential, it had a name, "Space Jam", a name Nike loves to use on a few other Jordans, though those are usually based on the 11's version.

December 12th: Air Jordan 11 "Space Jam"

Now these are the Space Jam sneakers everyone wants, the Air Jordan 11. It is hard to write about the sheer power of this colorway, it looks pedestrian, but the AJ11 already enjoys a spot as Jordan royalty that few other models share, and this might as well be the most coveted of its colorways. Nike releases a AJ11 for the holidays every year, and they are always hot drops, as seen with the "Blue Gamma" (or just "Gamma") in 2025. This one is one I am very sure will drop here, but that I am very aware I may not be able to get, you win some, you lose some. I will try anyway.

Final thoughts

While it is just four sneakers, please take into consideration that the AJ1 are expected to retail for US$230, the 11 for US$235, the 9 for US$215, and who knows how much the 15s will cost. I am not made of money after all. Maybe I can squeeze in some simpler GRs (General Releases) here and there, but this is my wishlist for the year, let's hope I have good luck!