Earlier tonight, Nike brought us an official introduction to the Chinese Zodiac-inspired ‘Year of the Dragon’ Collection, featuring a number of special edition versions of some of Nike/Jordan Brand’s biggest names in signature kicks. Among the selected few is the Zoom Kobe VII, previewed several times in the past few weeks. Inspired by a combination of Kung-Fu and Kobe’s early childhood days in Italy, the shoe sports an eye catching red/green/yellow color scheme, complete with dragon graphics and the System Supreme insole options. As you can see, the retail version features a yellow dragon on the heel, as opposed to the tonal sample version seen last week, but most other aspects of the look seem to match up. You can check out some detailed shots of the shoe and inserts after the jump, and check back for a release date, as these are expected to be on the way to retail sooner rather than later.
Kobe Bryant appreciates Chinese culture, in particular Chinese Kung Fu. The quest for agility and speed has been integrated into his own athletic art. Drawing inspiration from Kobe’s Italian root and Kung Fu movies filmed in that country, the design team rendered NIKE KOBE VII SYSTEM SUPREME with the signature tri-color of Italy. NIKE KOBE VII SYSTEM SUPREME comes with a cushion printed with Kobe’s exclusive golden Logo, a statement of invincibility. The matrix design on the upper is a special code, spelling the message for Kobe. With his signature and an animated dragon pattern on the counter, this design is impeccable for the Chinese new year.