What was once thought to be this year’s ZKVI ‘Chaos’ actually happens to be the ZKVI ‘China’.

Taking inspiration from the traditional design found on Chinese porcelain making the color blocking on the sneaker make much more sense. There is no word on these being a U.S. release, for now all that is know is these will drop in China February 2nd.

At this point we have had glimpses of various parts from the Nike Zoom Kobe VI. While all of these teaser images are great, we would like to see more of the shoe. Today we bring you a special look at a sample pair of ZKVI in the ‘Inline’ colorway. This is not the final product; it is an early production sample of the shoe.

The Nike Kobe line has garnered a lot of respect & attention since the introduction of the ZKIV, and rightfully so. This is both good and bad. While it’s great to see a great performance ready shoe, it also attracts other manufacturers to produce fakes of the popular product. As mentioned before, we have only had glimpses of the highly anticipated ZKVI… yet manufacturers of counterfeit products have already started to produce the unseen product. This is something that hasn’t been done since the Air Jordan line.

After the jump you will see the authentic sample pair as well as a counterfeit pair in an away colorway. Don’t be fooled if you see the counterfeit product available online, while they are close to what is to come they are still cheap knock offs of the original. We are bringing this information to your attention with the intention of keeping you up to date with product knowledge on authentic kicks.

As always, stay tuned to Sneakerfiles for all the latest news from the sneaker industry & remember where you heard it first.

Authentic Zoom Kobe VI Sample

FAKE Zoom Kobe VI

On top of the “Chaos” Nike Zoom Kobe V we saw earlier today, images of two new upcoming colorways of Bryant’s latest signature sneaker have hit the web. In White/Black/Purple and Black/Varsity Maize, both color schemes have been featured on a majority of Kobe’s previous models –  and with good reason, the simple pallets often proving to create some of the most popular colorways. Expected to release either later this year or in early 2010, stay tuned for more detailed information to come.

On June 11, 1996, Kobe Bryant was drafted 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets, then shipped out West to the Los Angeles Lakers. (The rest is history.) Nike is celebrating KB’s short-lived pit stop in Charlotte with a unique white/teal/blue color scheme of the Nike Zoom Kobe IV (4). The model features the draft date “6-11-96″ is inscribed along the heel and inside the shoe on the insole. The Zoom Kobe 4 features Nike Basketball’s Lunar Foam cushioning interface up front, and Flywire containment strands cover the sleek model’s middle panel. (Interestingly enough, the purple ‘Wire matches up nicely with the Hornets’ pinstriped jerseys!) Look forward to seeing the Nike Zoom Kobe IV (4) at House of Hoops later this Summer.

Now available at Marquee Sole.

A couple of weeks ago, we previewed the Nike Zoom Kobe IV (4) Chaos, Kobe Bryant’s fourth signature installment and latest high-performance entrant to hit the market from the oft-inventive Nike Basketball camp. The “Joker” IV (4) commemorates Heath Ledger’s legendary performance in the latest Batman movie. The model is augmented by the Swoosh’s innovative Flywire containment technology along the upper, dependable Zoom Air cushioning in the heel, and rather unproductive Lunar Foam (Hey, let’s be honest here; the moon platform bottoms out after just a few wears.) up front. Apparently, these are limited to 240 pairs worldwide, so act fast to ensure you get your pair! Via Kix-Files.

Nike Zoom Kobe 4 (IV) Chaos “Joker”
Style: 344335-051
Colorway: Metallic Silver/Abyss-NGHTSHD-SPRT

This morning, Nike unveiled their newest and lightest basketball sneaker up to date, the Zoom Kobe IV. Weighing in at only 11.6 ounces, the Zoom Kobe 4 will be even lighter than the Nike Hyperdunk—a feat thought to be impossible when the Nike Hyperdunk was released months ago. Featuring a red base with white accents, this colorway of the Zoom Kobe 4 is meant to go along with the jerseys of the west coast NBA All-Stars playing in February of 2009. Small gold accents can also be seen on this sneaker in the form of Kobe’s signature on the heel and his patented logo on the tongue. Another key aspect of the Zoom Kobe 4 (IV) is the fact that it will come equipped with Nike’s flywire technology which gives players the support and flexibility needed to play at the best of their abilities. There is no word yet on a release date or if these will even be made available to the public, but remember to stay tuned for updates. Via Marqueesole.