From The Stacks: The Collaborations That Never Were (Until They Were)
On convergent thinking, missed moments, and the groupthink problem in sneaker culture
In 2014, I pitched Reebok three colorways of the Question that never got made.
In 2019, and 2020, Reebok released colorways of the Question that looked nearly identical to what I’d designed.
The right people at Reebok never saw my concepts. I’m almost certain of that.
And that’s exactly the problem with sneaker culture right now.
The Pitch That Didn’t Happen:
I was at Finish Line in 2014, we had just signed a partnership with Reebok to exclusively sell some of their upcoming retro product, and were exploring exclusive colorways with brands. Not collabs in the modern sense... big box retail chains didn’t really do “collabs” back then. We did exclusive colorways. Special makeups. The kind of thing that made people actually go to Finish Line instead of just buying from any other store in the local mall.
The Reebok Question made perfect sense. Allen Iverson’s legacy was still strong. Georgetown nostalgia was real. And nobody was doing anything interesting with the silhouette at retail.
So I worked with my brother to mock up three concepts:
“Ruby” - Red patent leather with black accents, 3M red logos, red hexalite. Bold. Unapologetic. The kind of colorway AI would have actually worn. We designed this specifically for Iverson’s 40th birthday in June 2015.
“Fame” - Metallic gold upper (a nod to the Boston College PE from 2008), black lining, gold hexalite, gum outsole. Three laces: white, black, gold. Premium without being over-the-top.
“Homage” - Black toe with gold accents. A tribute to the Air Jordan 11 “Concord” he famously wore at Georgetown... the shoe that cemented his sneaker legend before he ever touched an NBA court.
The detail I’m most proud of? The liner of each pair featured kente cloth designs as an ode to Iverson’s Georgetown days. Cultural authenticity, not just aesthetic borrowing.
I presented these to Reebok as part of ongoing discussions about a potential consulting role. The role never materialized. I left Finish Line. The shoes never got made.
And then...
What Happened Next:
In 2016, major DC (a boutique in Washington, D.C.) released a Reebok Question with a 3M upper and kente cloth upper. Beautiful execution. It felt like validation for the kente cloth details I had been imagining.
In 2019, Reebok released the “Heart Over Hype” Question. Red upper. Black accents. Damn near identical to “Ruby.” Four years after Iverson’s 40th birthday passed without the release I’d envisioned.
In 2020, Reebok released the “Black Toe” Question with gold accents. Basically “Homage” without the Jordan 11 story attached.
The Part That Matters:
What I am almost certain of… nobody at Reebok who worked on those releases ever saw my concepts.
Not because they stole them. Not because they ignored me. But because we’re all thinking the same things at the same time.
Sneaker culture has a groupthink problem.
We all consume the same content. We follow the same accounts. We see the same anniversary posts. We reference the same heritage colorways. We’re all inspired by the same AI moments, the same Georgetown games, the same cultural touchpoints.
So when I pitched a red patent Question in 2014 for AI’s 40th birthday in 2015, and Reebok released something similar in 2019, it’s not conspiracy. It’s convergence.
When I designed a black-and-gold Question as a tribute to the Jordan 11s AI wore at Georgetown, and Reebok eventually released a black-and-gold Question... that’s not theft. That’s two people looking at the same cultural reference and arriving at the same conclusion.
We’re all swimming in the same pool of references, and we keep coming up with the same ideas because the algorithm keeps feeding us the same inputs.
The Missed Moment:
What gets me isn’t that someone else did it. It’s that the timing mattered, and we missed it.
AI’s 40th birthday in 2015 was the perfect cultural moment for “Ruby.” By 2019, it was just another colorway and it’s price on the aftermarket today is proof.
The “Homage” concept worked because it told a specific story about a specific moment... AI wearing Jordans at Georgetown, breaking NCAA rules, cementing his rebellious image. Without that narrative, it’s just a black-and-gold shoe. In fact, the colorway didn’t even have a name by the time it released.
What 2026 Is About:
For years, I didn’t talk about work like this. Concepts that never got made. Pitches that didn’t go anywhere. Ideas I had that someone else executed later, without the context that made them matter.
I told myself it didn’t matter because it never saw the light of day. If the public didn’t see it, did it even count?
But that’s exactly the kind of thinking I’m trying to break in 2026.
Most creative work goes unnoticed. Most pitches don’t happen. Most ideas stay in sketchbooks and email drafts and Dropbox folders nobody will ever open again.
And I’m tired of only celebrating the work that “made it.”
This newsletter is my way of breaking from the forced cycles. The anniversary stories we’re all obligated to write. The algorithm-driven groupthink that makes us all pitch the same ideas at the same time. The endless rehashing of the same cultural moments because that’s what performs.
New Year’s Day is just another day on the calendar. But for me, 2026 is a fresh start with my love of sneakers.
I just happened to get an early start.
Have you ever pitched something that never got made? Designed something that never saw production? Had an idea you were sure was unique... only to see someone else do it later?
I’d love to hear about it. Hit reply. Tell me the story.
Because people are more interesting than products. And the stories that don’t make it are often better than the ones that do.
I’m Nick Engvall, and I’ve been writing about sneakers and culture for two decades, from building Eastbay’s first blog to leading the very first Complex Sneakers team to being employee #9 at StockX. I run Sneaker History (website and podcast) and write The Sneaker Newsletter... sneaker lore, business breakdowns, and the stories that connect what we wear to who we are. I’m going full-time as a creator in 2026 and would love to have you along for the journey.