Hypebeast, a publication that focuses on streetwear and fashion, is under fire for a Sunday night tweet and article about the Air Jordan 4 Retro SE WMNS Starfish sneaker, which, it said, is “unfortunately” just for women.
Input Magazine’s senior editor Edgar Alvarez, who covers streetwear, questioned Monday, “How is this corny ass tweet still up?”
Director Lexi Alexander reacted Monday, too, noting, “This tweet has been up for 13 hours.”
ESPN’s Kelly Cohen was a little more succinct with her reaction to the tweet, writing, “LOL k.”
The copy of the article itself doesn’t say the women’s only sneaker is unfortunate, but the label appears in the piece’s subheading and its accompanying promotional tweet. Numerous followers of the brand pointed out that men can — and do — simply size up when ordering and mentioned their disdain for “gendering shoe sizes anymore anyways.”
“Their bio has the AUDACITY to say ‘Driving culture forward’ and then posts this?” wrote one observer who labeled the outlet’s assessment “sad.”
The tweet led to a discussion online of “toxic masculinity” within sneaker culture with the account for one basketball-focused podcast saying, “They put out ONE sneaker for women and this is how they act. Grow up, man babies.”
Representatives for Hypebeast and Nike did not immediately return a request for comment. For anyone interested in the shoe, Hypebeast says it’s reportedly set to be priced at $190 and released Feb. 21, 2021.