First look at the Yeezy 350 v2 Zebra
The Yeezy Boost 350 Zebra arrived as quite possibly the most heavily anticipated to come out of the V2 range to date on February 25th 2017. Retailing at £170.00 exclusively at Adidas.com, Yeezy Supply, and select Adidas flagship stores. Due to a super limited stock level of just 7,000 pairs and the crazy high demand the model sold out immediately.
The appropriately named ‘Zebra’ is without a doubt one of the finest pieces in the ever-growing Yeezy 350 catalogue. A black and white Zebra striped Primeknit upper and cream midsole, infused with Boost technology shape this now iconic silhouette. As the word “Zebra”, has since the shoes initial 2017 release, become just as synonymous with these kicks as the animal you’d find on safari. It is without a doubt one of the most ongoingly popular that Kanye West has produced. Other classical Yeezy Boost 350 touches remain. With the signature V2 stripe stamped across the sidewall. Interrupting the swirling black and white pattern present on the rest of the shoes upper. While playing perfect host to the contrasting vibrant red ‘SPLY-350’ lettering.
Yeezy Zebra restock
The Yeezy Zebras widespread appeal and sellout success came as no surprise to those in the know. The ultra-limited approach to availability undeniably and perhaps even purposely stoked the fire surrounding the pair. Resale prices were at a staggering high in the weeks following the initial release. Notching upwards of £1000 making the Zebra one of the most coveted model’s money could buy.
The decision to restock the Yeezy Zebra came in June 2017. Shortly after stocks were replenished across the UK and US. Unfortunately, although there was more product to go around some unlucky customers were still left wanting. Thus lead to a further restock over a year later in November 2018. What began as one of the most exclusive and fabled Yeezy Boost 350s around has, due in equal part to consistent demand and Kanye West’s newfound mantra to make Yeezy’s more accessible to anyone that wanted them, become a stalwart in the £350-£500 range on resale platforms size dependent.
5 Facts about the Zebra Yeezy
1. The ‘SPLY’ on the side of the Zebra Yeezy is an abbreviation of Supply, with the same lettering featuring across a large portion of the Yeezy Boost 350 range, and also where the name for the Yeezy Supply store comes from.
2. When the Zebra Yeezy was initially released, Adidas actually had to cancel some orders as they had oversold their new product, leaving some unfortunate fans hella disappointed after thinking they had copped a pair.
3. When placed under UV light the Zebra actually glows, making this design part of a very exclusive club of Yeezy models that feature reflective or glow in the dark properties.
4. The Yeezy 350 Zebra to this day stands as one of the only Yeezy products ever to be released twice.
5. The Yeezy 350 Zebra has a very close relative in its psychedelic younger sibling the Yeezy 350 Frozen Yellow that features the same stripes swirling pattern as the Zebra but replaces the shoes white upper with a vibrant volt yellow.
Yeezy Boost 350 Zebra v2 on foot
As to be expected, in line with the rest of Kanye West’s Yeezy portfolio. The Zebra fits small. I would recommend for the best fit going half a size up what you would typically wear. So if you are an 8 ½ wear a 9 for example. Thanks to the shoes Primeknit upper the Zebra is lightweight, breathable and excellently cushioned underneath by the Boost midsole. Be careful not to go to small with these kicks as your toe will make a visible divot in the toe box due to the flexible material applied.
How to legit check a Yeezy 350 v2 Zebra
The first thing you have to look out for is the price. Not a full proof method but something to consider. If you are buying any shoe online at resale, make sure you are aware of the market value. If a shoe is way under priced, it is likely to be a counterfeit. Which is usually bought by unsuspecting people thinking they’ve found a great deal. This isn’t always the case of course. As some people list things at lower prices through a combination of naivety and a need for cash. So just be extra careful when approaching “steals” when you are buying from places like eBay which doesn’t regulate the product before it is sold.
Obviously, not all fakes are made in the same place. The strength of the cheats vary from “you aren’t fooling anyone” to a near replica. Some general differences are easily recognizable once they’ve been pointed out to you. These won’t all be noticeable on all fakes, but you definitely will be able to identify one of these in every imitation.
tONGUE & sply-350
| Real | Fake | |
| Tongue | The tongue on all the Yeezy Boost 350 V2s share the same qualities, they are quite long and pointy, holding their shape well remaining firm. | On a fake, the tongue is a lot more flimsy and is noticeably shorter. The tongues shape flexes and folds more easily and doesn’t remain as shaped. |
| SPLY-350 | On every Yeezy 350 V2 that has the signature ‘SPLY-350’ letting on the side of the shoes Primeknit upper, the lettering appears straight-lined and also be sure to make special note of the shade of red. | On a fake, the characteristically ‘SPLY-350’ lettering may appear anything other than horizontal, exhibiting some form of curvature, anything other than horizontal and consider it not authentic, also be wary of the shade of red used in the font. |
hEEL
| Real | Fake | |
| Heel | The heel on an authentic pair of Zebra is slightly rounded and the end. Please take note of the gap size between the white side-stripe and lining, and the gap between the heel strap and ‘SPLY-350’ lettering. | On fake pairs, the gaps size between the white side-stripe and lining, and the gap between the heel strap and ‘SLP-350’ lettering is much larger. Also, note the heel strap of the V2 is not correctly appliquéd on fake pairs which you can notice from the stitching. |
tOE bOX
| Real | Fake | |
| Toe Box | When looking at the Zebra’s toe box pay special attention to the tip, on an authentic pair the tip is perfectly rounded. Also, the gap between the white stripe and the tip of the shoe is something to look at in comparison with a fake. | On a counterfeit pair of Zebra, you don’t get the same rounded tip, the tip is more boxed off with a squarer finish. The gap between the white stripe and the shoe tip of the shoe is also a lot smaller than on an authentic pair, only a few millimeters on a fake. |
tIP
| Real | Fake | |
| Tip | When you check the tip of a real Zebra, make sure the outsole should be straight-lined. You will also clearly be able to identify a better workmanship on authentic pairs compared with most fakes. | Fake Zebras may have abnormalities in the shape of the outsole which makes it appear crooked at the tip. With the width and thickness of the tip being smaller on fake pairs. |
So there it is, five easy to identify features you should look out for when checking your Yeezy 350 V2 Zebra. If you are still nervous about purchasing on the resale market. Make sure you head over to Laced where you can browse and purchase safe in the knowledge that our expert professional team of authenticators make sure that you never spend money on a fake ever again.