February’s best sneaker drops: Your guide to this month’s must-have releases

Our monthly series looks at the top releases from the best brands in athletic footwear. Whether you’re an avid sneakerhead or just looking for the perfect pair to complement your style, navigating the vast world of sneakers can be overwhelming. From understanding where to buy to decoding the latest trends, consider this your road map to finding the perfect pair.

When most people hear the word February, they automatically think of Valentine’s Day, chocolate, and flowers. However, in the land of sneakers, February means Valentine’s Day-themed footwear, plenty of kicks for NBA All-Star Weekend, and Jordan Brand delivering something to honor his Airness’ birthday. All of those appear this year, plus a few surprises from New Balance and Adidas round out things.

The Sabrina 2 prepares for spring

The Nike Sabrina 2 has been one of the most popular silhouettes from Nike Basketball in a while. With Ionescu playing in Unrivaled, the new women’s 3×3 basketball league, it’s a safe bet that the shoe will see an uptick in popularity. Taking on a monochromatic approach, multiple shades of pink cover the upper and soles of the Sabrina 2. The use of black on the swoosh and Ionescu’s “S” logo on the tongue helps break things up. These could be taken for a Valentine’s Day pair or the perfect springtime pair as flowers start to bloom.

Release date: Feb. 1

Retail: $130

Adidas keeps things clean for Messi

Adidas and soccer great Lionel Messi are no strangers to each other. The pair have released numerous collabs over the years and are back to continue the momentum with another fresh and clean take on the classic Samba. Whereas previous takes have opted for Messi’s club colors, this version trades the bright, bold colors of Inter Miami for a clean and neutral approach. Adidas’ iconic three stripes are dressed in greyish brown and with a cream-white upper on the shoe’s side and a toe guard. Completing the package is Messi’s logo embossed on the heel of the lateral side, and his name in gold right above the three stripes makes this the perfect pair to kick off the spring season early.

Release date: Feb. 1

Retail: $100

JJJJound embraces German craftsmanship

By now, we’ve made it clear that we are huge fans of Montreal-based creative studio JJJJound and their minimalist approach to footwear. The brand is back with a new take on the Adidas Superstar that stays true to who they are. As usual, quality craftsmanship shines throughout the shoe, crafted in Germany using premium leather and materials, as indicated by the hang tag included with each pair. White leather on the heels and stripes helps create a nice pop and contrast to the black upper. The tan lining on the inside of the shoe adds another level of simplicity and contrast. JJJJound makes a statement of simplicity by removing the Adidas trefoil logo on the shoe’s tongue and heel, leaving only the JJJJound on the side of the three stripes as the only visible branding on the shoe.

Release Date: Feb. 1

Retail: $250

New Balance turns up the saturation

Whether through various collaborations or general releases, New Balance has continued to shed the stigma of being “boring dad shoes.” The latest in that string is a double offering of the 2002R model.

The first one, dubbed “Dried Apricot,” comes in the form of a light clay upper with hits of orange that sits on top of an olive mesh that gives off an aged vintage vibe that a faded off-white midsole completes to perfection. The second offering, “Dream State,” employs a faded vintage midsole as the base for a faded purple suede upper with a blue mesh underlay featuring hints of periwinkle. Both shoes feature New Balance’s ABZORB cushioning setup, meaning they’re more than ready for all-day wear.

Release date: Feb. 1

Retail: $145 each

Salehe Bembury goes the subdued route

Usually, when designer Salehe Bembury releases a new shoe, we are treated to a unique combination of colors, a completely unexpected twist on a classic silhouette or both. However, with his latest New Balance drop, Bembury decides to keep a bit more traditional and that, amazingly, is entirely on brand for Bembury.

At first glance, the shoe may give off the vibes of trees during the fall, which makes perfect sense since Bembury has dubbed this release “Growth Be The Tree.” The 1500 arrives dressed in a light olive suede upper that sits on a cream and pecan accented midsole. Grey mesh underlay on the upper pairs with a grey heel collar. All those elements, plus a multicolored sole, tie together the theme of growth and its stages that Bembury was going for. 

Release date: Thursday

Retail: $275

Jordan Brand reimagines a classic

Every Jordan that Michel Jordan wore during his NBA career has one or two classic must-have colorways. The Air Jordan 5 ‘s “Black Metallic” colorway is returning for the first time since 2016, with this version joining Jordan’s “Reimagined” line. Everything from the original 1990 release is here, including the highly desired “Nike Air” branding on the back. The reimagined take comes in the form of the 3M accent on the tongue being carried over to the cut lines across the shoe’s upper, as well as the “Nike Air” on the back. Tying things together and giving a nod back to the 1990 NBA Playoffs are the use of white laces just like what Mike wore.

Release date: Saturday

Retail: $210

The original “Black Toe” Jordan 1

The Air Jordan 1 is a shoe full of history and moments—many of which we all know and love. Some of them are less known, which is the story behind this pair. The now iconic “Black Toe” returns with the same color blocking we’re used to: red around the heel and the toe box surrounded by black. 

The most noticeable change is that instead of the “wings” logo on the shoe’s collar, “Air Jordan” is stamped in its place. While it may seem weird, Jordan actually wore a pair in a game during the 1985 season that had similar branding. One last special touch – a handwritten message that reads “My very best – Michael Jordan” but is only visible under UV light – makes these an instant collectible.

Release date: Feb. 15

Retail: $180

The real MVP gets her moment

When Kevin Durant accepted his MVP award in 2014, he gave a passionate speech that was highlighted by his telling his mother, Wanda, that she was “the real MVP.” Eleven years later, Nike uses the retro of KD 4 to celebrate that moment and the bond that Durant and his mother share.

Dressed in a white upper on top of a blue midsole, the shoe makes excellent use of space to highlight the moment shared between mother and son. The quote “We weren’t supposed to be here ” is on the inside of the shoe’s forefoot strap. You made us believe. You sacrificed for us.” The inside of each shoe’s tongue bears Durant’s mother’s name with a rose as an additional nod to her. The quote “You the real MVP” is written on the left insole, whereas the right shoe’s insole is home to KD’s silhouette, which has turned into an MVPesque trophy. There are plenty of other Easter eggs for Durant fans that make these a collector’s item.

Release date: Feb. 18

Retail: $150

The “Galaxy” Foamposite returns to earth

One of the best things from the sneaker world in the 2010s was the idea of packs built around special occasions. For nearly a decade, brands like Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour released a collection of themed shoes to celebrate a moment or an event. Most notably, during that time frame, we would get Black History Month-themed packs, Christmas ones, and packs built around the NBA’s All-Star Weekend. Nike looks to cash in on that nostalgia by releasing arguably their best All-Star-themed shoe.

Initially released in 2012 as part of the “Galaxy Pack,” the Nike Foamposite One was an immediate head-turner. Inspired by Houston’s (the host city of NBA All-Star Weekend that year) aerospace history, the shoe delivers a perfect execution of keeping things simple. The shoe’s upper shell is covered with a visual representation of the cosmos as shades of purple, blue, and black create a background that hints of white, used to mimic stars and planets, immediately to grab your attention to the details. A translucent glow-in-the-dark midsole completes the otherwordly package.

Release date: Feb. 21

Retail: $230

It’s still Prime Time

2024 was the year that Nike and Deion Sanders put the footwear world back on notice. Multiple versions of Sanders’ iconic Diamond Turf Max 96 were released in both cleated and non-cleated versions. So, what does one do to follow up on that success? Repeat the formula with a different model.

2025 looks to be the year of the original Nike Diamond Turf. One of what will likely be many Diamond Turf releases arrives as a nod to Sanders’ time with the Atlanta Falcons. Black and white are stars of the show, especially regarding the shoe’s upper. A true testament to ’90s footwear appears as the giant midfoot strap home to an equally in-your-face red Nike swoosh. Anyone who might have thought these shoes represented Sanders’ tenure with the San Francisco 49ers will notice that the numbers 24 and 21 decorate the tongue as a nod to Sanders’ time with the Falcons and Atlanta Braves.

Release date: January 24

Retail: $150

Nike revives a tennis classic

Last year’s return of the “Hot Lava” colorway of the Air Tech Challenge II, the signature sneaker associated with tennis great Andre Agassi, wasn’t just a one-off. The “Fluorescent Pink,” now dubbed “Racer Pink” colorway, is finally returning after being in the vault for years. Initially a women’s exclusive colorway, the 2025 version arrives for all genders. A primarily white upper with gray accents across both the lateral and medial side of the shoe is paired with a racer pink swoosh and accents on the tongue. Tying everything together and adding a vintage touch is a yellowed midsole and eye laces inspired by the current state of an original pair.

Release date: January 31

Retail: $130