2016 Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2

by Riley Jones

“Eventually, everybody who wants to get Yeezys will get Yeezys.” When Kanye West proclaimed this in February 2015 during an interview with Ryan Seacrest, it seemed like nothing more than an empty promise. At the time, West had only released one design with Adidas—the OG “Light Brown” Yeezy Boost 750—to the tune of just nine thousand pairs exclusively in New York City. Prior releases with Nike (the Air Yeezy 1 and Air Yeezy 2, each of which arrived in three different colorways) were arguably just as hard to come by and were among the most coveted sneakers of the era.

The idea that West and Adidas would follow through with such a grand vision and be able to produce enough pairs for everyone to purchase felt far-fetched. After all, the supply-and-demand effect of limited availability is a hallmark of the footwear industry and was a huge factor in the interest around West’s aforementioned releases. If Yeezys really did become so available that anyone who desired them would be able to get their hands on a pair, would people actually still want them? We were about to find out.

By September 2016, the Kanye West–Adidas partnership had produced two sneaker models, the Yeezy Boost 750 and the Yeezy Boost 350, with a third arriving that month. Named Yeezy Boost for its use of Adidas’s proprietary Boost cushioning, the 750 was a boot-like high-top with premium suede uppers, zipper closures, and a wide midfoot strap. In contrast, the low-cut Yeezy Boost 350 was a radical departure, instead opting for a sock-esque knitted upper highlighted by intricate patterns. It was this low-top variation that would serve as the blueprint for the third model and the shoe that would ultimately make good on West’s promise, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2. As its name suggests, the model was an update to the original Yeezy Boost 350, which had been completely overhauled from the inside out. Aesthetically, the V2 saw the addition of new patterns that were even more striking than the first variation. It introduced a bold, contrasting stripe down the lateral section—a detail that would become tonal and even translucent in later versions—along with “SPLY-350” branding, a reference to West’s Yeezy Supply e-commerce site. The shape of the shoe was redesigned, as was its midsole, which featured more pronounced grooves. From within, the shoe was also tweaked for both durability and stability through the addition of a rigid material at the toe. It debuted on September 24, 2016, in a gray and orange “Beluga” colorway for a retail price of $220, which was $20 more expensive than the original Yeezy Boost 350 (but not as expensive as the $350 price tag of the 750).

Initial runs of the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 were relatively scarce. Aftermarket resale values weren’t quite as inflated as they had been for prior designs, either—early averages for the “Beluga” style settled at roughly $700, around what the sneakers cost today—but Yeezys still weren’t easily accessible by any stretch of the imagination. The limited nature of the releases meant many fans were still left empty-handed, leaving West’s promise unfulfilled more than a year after the fact.

With interest in the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 remaining steady among consumers, a handful of Holiday 2017 releases would follow before the model took a brief hiatus, resurfacing with the “Butter” colorway in June 2018. Then what was once unthinkable happened. In September 2018, Adidas rolled out what it described as “the most democratic drop in Yeezy history” with a relaunch of the “Cream White” (now known as “Triple White”) style. “For the first time, a Yeezy sneaker will be released in mass quantities, giving an unprecedented number of fans worldwide direct access to Yeezy at retail price,” read the brand’s official press release. Notorious internet leakers Yeezy Mafia (no official affiliation with Kanye West) tweeted that “millions” of pairs were up for grabs during the restock, and while Adidas will not confirm exact units, consumers saw considerably more success than they had on any Yeezy drop prior. Pairs lingered on Adidas’s official web store through the afternoon, offering plenty of opportunity for anyone who was interested in the sneakers to pick them up. And with that, West’s once improbable promise was solidified—everyone who wanted Yeezys could get them. But what did that mean for the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the big picture?

Following the widespread “Triple White” launch, the sneaker went back into hibernation for a bit, returning in November and later switching things up with its now-signature translucent side stripe. Eventually, Adidas pulled the reins back in, introducing region-exclusive Yeezy Boost 350 V2 drops that could only be purchased in certain countries, as well as hyper-limited reflective colorways. The strategy has more or less paid off, resulting in the return of sold-out releases and an upswing in aftermarket interest. More than three years after the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 first appeared on the scene, it’s alive and well.

From a cultural standpoint, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 reverberated in ways that few sneakers do. Its ever-increasing production numbers caused the shoe to become truly mainstream, appearing everywhere from the runways of West’s Yeezy Season fashion shows to college campuses. Its sporty, sock-like design was in line with athleisure trends and made it instantly wearable, and there’s hard data proving the shoe was right on time. In 2018, for the first time in the history of West’s sneaker designs, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 was among the best-selling athletic models, putting it into rare company with household names like the Air Jordan XI, Nike Air Force 1, and Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star (according to market research firm NPD Group).

The sneakers even found their way into one of the most high-profile rap beefs of this generation when Drake took aim at West on French Montana’s track “No Stylist,” rapping, “I told her, ‘Don’t wear no 350s ’round me.’” West would later express his frustrations over this line on social media, tweeting, “Still need that apology for mentioning the 350s and trying to take food out your idols[’] kids[’] mouths.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a hit sneaker without its share of imitators, and the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 had many. Brands like Skechers and Zara were quick to jump on the hype train and try their hand at similar designs, and even Adidas was guilty of regurgitating the Yeezy DNA across its main line. Counterfeits of the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 eventually became problematic, too, with replica makers dialing in their methods and using sites like Reddit to peddle their knockoffs. Yet, through it all, demand for the real thing has remained.

Honorable Mention
ADIDAS NMD Hu

by Mike DeStefano

By 2016, Adidas had all the momentum in the lifestyle market. The Ultra Boost and NMD were two of the most popular sneakers in the space at the time, and Kanye West’s Yeezy line was still causing a frenzy with each release. But West wasn’t the only superstar musician endorsing the Three Stripes. The brand was also home to Pharrell Williams.

Williams’s deal with Adidas was officially announced in December 2014. The line started off with a handful of Stan Smith collections that hit retailers that year, ranging from monochromatic options with matching tracksuits to bright felt pairs made to resemble tennis balls. More collections prominently featuring the iconic tennis sneaker would follow in 2015, along with colorful Superstars and even the artist’s first original silhouette, the Elastic, in both laceless and laced versions. But it wasn’t until July 2016 that Williams and Adidas released their biggest hit to date, the NMD Hu. The simple design was a take on the original NMD and came at a time when sock-like sneakers were arguably the biggest trend in footwear. The stretchy Primeknit upper featured a minimalist lacing system involving TPU cages on each side panel and a leather heel tab. The shoe sat atop a full-length Boost midsole with block inserts at the toe and heel similar to the original NMD design. Its signature details were the words “Human” embroidered in bold lettering on the right foot and “Race” on the left. As the line continued, the embroidery would change, with various logos, words, and symbols appearing on it.

The NMD Hu quickly became a hit for Adidas and Williams, and its original colorways from 2016 still hold value on the resale market. Williams’s line has continued to expand, with multiple silhouettes joining the fold, but the NMD Hu remains a constant from the partnership. It has been the vehicle for plenty of special collections and collaborations, too, among them powder-dyed pairs to celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi in 2018, various projects with Billionaire Boys Club, a rare N*E*R*D version that was raffled exclusively at ComplexCon in 2017, and an even rarer collab with Chanel (limited to 500 pairs) available via raffle at Colette before the iconic Paris boutique permanently closed its doors in December 2017. While the hype behind the NMD Hu has dwindled more recently, the model cemented itself as one of the best lifestyle releases at the time and remains the highlight of Williams’s work with Adidas.