Last Christmas, adidas gave you the Grinch

And his too-tight two shoes, that started to pinch

Why that rascally fellow, he stole the show

So, he’s back with a new pair, the Grinch Forum Low

The classic sneaker, now sneakier than ever

In a white creamy leather for the snowiest of weather

Still dripping with details for the Dr Seuss scholar

The vamp! The lining! The tongue! And that collar!

Made from a suede both fuzzy and greeny

Just like that unreasonable seasonal meanie

But wait, the red stripes – how about that?

Now, is that a nod to the Cat in the Hat?

If the early Air Max 1 was noted for its eye-catching University Red, this reissue quietly tiptoes around that issue. Sure, that trademark Big Bubble will help on that count, but this particular edition instead delves into the more hushed end of Nike’s colour library. Those softer tones mean a shoe offering more versatility. The throwback branding on the heel and tongue is in keeping with recent LX models. It just feels a lot calmer here.

With the fourth run of his Made in USA line, Mr Teddy Santis clearly has his feet under the desk. This reworking of New Balance’s signature runner showcases the sorts of colours that Aimé Leon Dore have typically put to good use. First sketched by Mr Steven Smith and launched in 1993, the 998 is as timeless as a sneaker can get, with Made in USA premium fabrication offering added durability. This bold clash of tones proves you can teach an old shoe new tricks.

Mr Virgil Abloh’s collabs with Nike were typically Off-White-flavoured remixes of shoes hauled from the sportswear giant’s formidable vaults. But while this effort borrows the design language of the 1990s ACG line, with a nod to the Air Jordan 6, it is all Abloh’s own handiwork, built from the ground up. The result is closer to something Griff Tannen might sport in Back To The Future: Part II. In fact, Abloh’s brief was to create a shoe to wear to Japan’s Fuji Rock festival. And, despite the triple-stacked, marbled midsole, bulbous Air unit and spikes, plus oversized zip-up tongue, the soles themselves remind the wearer to “tread lightly”, with care and consideration. Which is just what the maker has poured into this.

This fun take on the original Air Max calls to mind another Nike icon. The bold black and pink and denim upper perhaps riff on the Black Lava colourway and hardwearing shorts that the brand sent tennis rock star Mr Andre Agassi out in a few years later, though the shades are a bit softer here. The impact of unexpected premium materials, however, adds interest, with tumbled leather, suede and canvas also in the mix, like Agassi’s spandex undershorts peeking through. Whether the inspiration was intentional or not, this shoe still holds court.