Converse Tie Things Up With SGA on the SHAI 001 Lace Up

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may be swapping out the Star Chevron for the Swoosh, but his Converse chapter still has a few pages left before reaching its conclusion. Having gone through various print and material changes, the SHAI 001 now alters its structure, ditching the zippered shroud for a traditional laced setup.

SGA was spotted rocking a couple of these Lace Up iterations off-court over the last few months, but we now have official images of the three colourways set to hit shelves. Colour-wise, the trio is a departure from the signature shoe’s typical monotone offerings, combining vibrant neon-green tones with a light grey on the ‘Lime’ pair, and varying shades of pink on the ‘Berry’ version. The ‘Cheetah’ edition splits the upper between a soft beige and a volt green, while sporting the tawny, spotted coat of the wild cat on the tongue.

The updated construction up top doesn’t affect any of the performance foundation underfoot – these are equipped with the same radial traction and Nike Zoom Air bag as before. Additionally, this will be the first time that the SHAI 001 arrives in kids’ sizing, giving young hoopers the chance to flex ’em on the hardwood.

As SGA gets ready to cook up in Beaverton, he shared a few parting words before this next phase: ‘I'm excited for what's ahead as I begin this new chapter with Nike,’ he said. ‘Before I turn the page, I still have a few things to finish with Converse. I’m proud of what we've built and look forward to seeing those pairs out in the world before embracing what's next.’

The Converse SHAI 001 Lace Up will launch in the ‘Lime’ and ‘Berry’ colourways on August 14, followed by the ‘Cheetah’ pair dropping on September 3, all via Converse’s website and select retailers.

If you’re interested in doing some more stargazing, take a look at Tyler, The Creator’s most recent release with Converse.