Even though James Harden’s next signature sneaker with adidas, the adidas Harden Vol. 9, has already appeared via official imagery months away from its release, there are still more Vol. 8 colorways on the horizon. On top of the upcoming Feather Grey Ivory and J-Harden Wines renditions, the Harden Vol. 8 has now emerged in a makeup celebrating the Chinese New Year.
Previously paying homage to China through the Dragon Boat Festival iteration and a Silver Metallic pair Harden wore during his China tour, this new Harden Vol. 8 sees multiple Chinese motifs applied across the design. The oval-shaped foam overlay on the midfoot comes in a split color design, taking on a green finish on the lateral side and blue on the medial. Both feature a xiangyun pattern, roughly translating to auspicious or lucky clouds, which is a traditional decorative pattern that dates back thousands of years and is meant to portray good luck and fortune. On the midfoot base, we see a Koi fish scale pattern applied while hits of hold make their mark on the heel counter.
Faux fur in black lines the heel, resting below the James Harden-branded pull tab. However, the pull tab on the front of the bootie comes with golden Chinese characters, which continue onto the insole. Here, we see a custom graphic with adidas branding, Harden’s signature, and Chinese characters that include the idiom “招财进宝,” which roughly translates to “ushering in wealth and prosperity,” a common saying during the Chinese New Year. Underfoot, the sneaker comes has a black, red, and white outsole encapsulating a Boost and LIGHTSTRIKE cushioning set-up.
The adidas Harden Vol. 8 Chinese New Year will release in Spring 2025 through adidas and select retailers online and in-store. As of now, it’s not confirmed whether or not this pair will be exclusive to the Chinese market or will see a wider global release. However, previous Chinese-themed adidas Basketball sneakers have exclusively dropped overseas, so expect the same here. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app for updates on this adidas Harden Vol. 8 and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
adidas Harden Vol. 8 Chinese New Year
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
