{"id":893925,"date":"2019-02-18T11:29:17","date_gmt":"2019-02-18T16:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/?p=893925"},"modified":"2019-02-18T14:04:42","modified_gmt":"2019-02-18T19:04:42","slug":"li-ning-wow-7-designer-hopes-zaire-wade-takes-over-signature-series-after-dwyane-wade-retires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snkrsday.com\/li-ning-wow-7-designer-hopes-zaire-wade-takes-over-signature-series-after-dwyane-wade-retires\/","title":{"rendered":"Zaire Wade Could Take Over Father’s Li-Ning Way of Wade Line"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last Thursday, in New York City, Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning<\/strong> celebrated its Way of Wade 7 “Chinese New Year” release at two budding retail destinations. Launching both exclusively and simultaneously at Atmos NYC in Harlem and the soon-to-be-opened Soulstage in Manhattan, Dwyane Wade<\/strong>‘s seventh signature shoe in accordance with the “Year of the Pig” brought out feverish crowds at each location.<\/p>\n

As one of the only Chinese New Year sneakers actually produced by a Chinese brand, Li-Ning’s iteration ranks high above many others in its intimacy and authenticity. There is a direct correlation to modern Chinese culture and a closeness to Wade and his newly expanded family.<\/p>\n

\"Li-Ning
Li-Ning WOW 7 “Chinese New Year”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Peppa the pig is really popular in China and that’s connected to the fact that Dwyane has a new daughter,” said Zhou Shijie, Li-Ning Way of Wade 7 designer, when speaking of the shoe’s inspiration during the WOW 7<\/strong> “CNY” launch at Atmos NYC. “She’s born in the Year of the Pig which ties back to the cartoon which Dwyane really liked.”<\/p>\n

The shoe takes on the color story of the pig with a sharpness that completely mimics the whimsical character. It’s that youthfulness that has always given the WOW series separation. Moreover, it’s also one of the reasons that Shijie hopes Zaire Wade<\/strong>, Dwyane’s son and one of the most highly recruited young players in the country, will take over the series following his father’s retirement after this season.<\/p>\n

“We’re always looking for new blood to join the brand and, you know, maybe Zaire is going to want to take over the WOW line.”<\/p>\n

Dwyane, of course, has a lifetime deal with Li-Ning, representing masterful business savvy that athletes including LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have shown with their respective brands alongside Wade.<\/p>\n