A 2025 Sneaker Release Worth Looking Forward To
Not something I expected.
I typically don’t get into release news here but there have been a few newsworthy rumors that have me excited about upcoming 2025 sneakers. The one that stands out from the others to me is a shoe that I regretfully did not pick up when it first came out.
The news of Nike bringing back the Kobe 9 Elite Low "Beethoven" in 2025 hits different than your typical retro announcement. Let me start by saying, I remember when these first dropped in 2014, and the landscape of sneaker culture was wildly different then. Before the days of endless Panda Dunks and algorithm-driven hype, the "Beethoven" was a testament to what made Kobe's signature line special— to me it felt like it wasn't just about selling shoes, it was about telling stories.
The $210 price tag on the upcoming release tells us a lot about where we are in 2025. While Nike will undoubtedly justify this as "Protro" technology costs (their term for performance retro), it feels like another example of the brand testing the ceiling of what dedicated fans will pay. The original retailed for $200 in 2014, which honestly felt steep even then. But here's the thing, at least with Kobe's line, you were always getting innovation for your money.
Think about it like this: In 2014, when Kobe was learning Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata by ear just to make things right with Vanessa, he approached his signature line with that same level of dedication. The Kobe 9 Elite Low wasn't just another black and white sneaker. The Flyknit construction, the piano key inspiration, the connection to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony…these weren't marketing gimmicks dreamed up in a conference room. They were extensions of who Kobe was as a person.
I've worked with enough brands to know that storytelling like this doesn't happen by accident. Somewhere behind the scenes, there were probably creative teams fighting to maintain these personal touches, to keep the soul in the sneaker, if you will. It's the kind of detail that modern sneaker releases often lack, where collaborations seem to be driven by algorithmic certainties rather than authentic creative processes.
The timing of this release is interesting too. April 2025 will mark 11 years since the original release, which isn't exactly a milestone anniversary. But maybe that's not the point. Maybe, in an era where every other week brings another Panda Dunk or Travis Scott collaboration, Nike recognizes the need to bring back products that actually meant something.
For those who weren't around for the original release, it might be hard to understand why these matter so much. But watching Kobe rock these during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil wasn't just a marketing moment— it was a glimpse into his genuine love for soccer, his appreciation for global sports culture, and yes, his connection to classical music. Try finding that kind of authentic storytelling in today's endless parade of collaborations and colorways.
Will I be trying to grab a pair? $210 is pricey, so I guess time will tell. But I respect what these represent— a time when signature sneakers were still personal, when storytelling went deeper than social media metrics, and when Kobe was showing us that greatness isn't just about what you do on the court, but how you approach everything in life. Even learning to play Beethoven by ear.
Let's hope Nike gives these the respect they deserve with the release. The sneaker community might be different now, but some stories are worth retelling the right way.