Yeezy is Potentially Dropping a New Shoe, the AQ-01
PublishedQuick Facts
- Yeezy has teased a new product from the brand dubbed the AQ-01
- Though not confirmed as of this writing, it's potentially a new foam shoe that was once called the Aqua50
- The email/text teaser mentions the date April 24, so expect a drop or full reveal on that day
This content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a commission.
It’s been a while since we covered Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, and his footwear releases, hasn’t it? The controversial artist is coming off of two sold-out nights at SoFi Stadium, where he generated nearly $33 million in ticket sales and had merch lines that had fans waiting up to two hours. Safe to say that there’s a chunk of the population that looks past his past harmful comments and behaviors for his latest music and apparel offerings. While he’s riding on this high and trying to navigate a handful of countries banning his performances, his independent Yeezy brand is potentially teasing a new shoe, the AQ-01.
Over the weekend, those who were on the YZY mailing list received a cryptic message via text and email: “AQ-01 04.24.26.” When you click the link in the message, it takes you to an updates page where you fill in your phone number and email, and that’s it as of now. What could the AQ-01 actually be? Well… It’s probably a previously revealed footwear sample.
In 2023, Ye was in the midst of preparing his independent Yeezy line, which now offers a variety of apparel items, Yeezy slides, the BL-01 sneaker, and more. The now-inactive Instagram page 0.0archive posted Yeezy leaks and unreleased samples, in which the mysterious account debuted a model dubbed the Aqua50. The one-piece foam model looks awfully similar to the Foam RNNR Ye made with adidas, but without the array of perforations and cut-outs on the upper. During Ye’s final months with The Three Stripes, the Yeezy brand was exploring a ton of different variants to the Foam RNNR and other foam models, so it’s nice to see that this also extended past the brand’s time with adidas.
A piece of paper with some notes on the sample is also pictured, reading that Ye was in love with the shape and color, but a few changes were suggested. This included adding holes to the medial side, simplifying the tread texture, and adjusting the pull tab on the heel. Obviously, since this picture dates back to 2023 at the earliest, expect the model (if it is a derivative of this Aqua50 sample) to be quite different.
Nothing is confirmed as of this writing for what exactly the AQ-01 is, but once we get confirmation about the release, which is likely on April 24, we’ll update you accordingly. Check below for a picture of the sample Aqua50 shoe, and download the Sole Retriever mobile app for updates on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy watching films and discovering music. Follow me on Letterboxd @nickvlah For tips, reviews, or any shoes in a size 13, email nick@soleretriever.com
