Adidas went to space with its initial release of the Harden Vol. 3, the signature shoe of Houston Rockets all-everything guard James Harden. One of the first colorways was a NASA-inspired grey that matched the space trend still making waves in the fashion world. But adidas was already hard at work on the Harden Vol. 4 when that shoe finally hit stores, and the fourth iteration of James Harden’s signature sneaker goes back to bold colorways in a unique way.
On Thursday, adidas announced details about the Harden Vol. 4, including an exclusive colorway that’s only available to Harden’s friends and family. Working with designer Daniel Patrick, an exclusive colorway of the Harden Vol. 4 will go to Harden and his closest friends, as adidas works on a larger collection of shoes and apparel slated for release in “early 2020.”
Adidas did give a first look at four colorways available to the public in 2019, including the “Barbershop” (Oct. 12), “Pink Lemonade,” (Oct. 26), “Candy Paint” (Oct. 31) and “Cookies & Cream” (Nov 15). All four will sell for $130 on adidas’ website.
The new shoe boasts an updated midsole cushioning called LIGHTSTRIKE, which adidas says ensures “full movement support and improved step-in comfort without any extra weight.” Adidas has long designed the shoe with Harden’s game in mind, and LIGHTSTRIKE continues to aid the quick-cutting, stop-and-start style of one of the game’s most lethal players.
Harden said the Vol. 4 is his most collaborative effort yet.
“The process to create the Vol. 4 was a true collaboration with the adidas design team that allowed me to voice my creativity and to blend different ideas into one shoe that would showcase both my style of play on the court and my sense of style walking out of the tunnel,” Harden said in an adidas release. “Daniel Patrick has been setting trends with his use of bold looks and bright colors, so partnering with Daniel was the perfect way to highlight the design of the Vol. 4 and bring sport, fashion and culture together. While my friends and family get the honor of enjoying this limited first drop, everyone can look forward to the next chapter of building my signature collection.”
Since its release the Harden signature shoe has been one that adapts well to a variety of colorways, and the Vol. 4 is no different. The black “barbershop” colorway in particular looks good from the front, with the adidas logo taking on a red, white and blue look. They’re all pretty solid overall, though we’ll have to wait until next year to get a look at the clothing line slated to come with Harden’s latest.
