ZX 8000s are that next level of shoe design, from the heel counter to the Torsion and Softcell technologies twinned. Rudies knew what time it was, Divine Styler and some key Rhyme Syndicate affiliates too. Hell, some people even ran in the damned things. They're a masterpiece that might have been too fussy for some stylish people who refused to get involved in the technical revolution when it came to their footwear, but they certainly broke the will of a fair few who'd pledged themselves to Nike. It's not a surprise that it was reworked by two men behind its inception for the 'ZX' entry in adidas's aZX, or that they couldn't move away from those colours entirely. Footpatrol paid homage (extra points to the talkback geniuses hinting that this was an FP bite) with their ZX 800 too.

It's one of the finest colourways of any shoe ever made, and beyond the cut-out supportive wizardry, it's the key to the shoe's longevity. This has been re-released in this form at least three times as far as we can recall, and each time we get a little nostalgic for the lightweight £85 masterpiece, synthetic suede and all. Consider the re-return and subsequent buzz for the Infrared Air Max 90. Interbrand comparisons are lazy, but we're feeling particularly lethargic today. Now you can't decorate a shoe without a design rationale, but in this model's case, it just looks right. Having dropped in limited numbers for Berlin's O-Store, this shoe's Spring 2010 slight return is always an excuse for celebrations, and to marvel over how things have regressed when it comes to the new breed of running designs.