Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Israfil Guide
Known for the vast selection of sneakers still being released, Yeezy Boost never stops. The new Yeezy Israfil released August 22nd of 2020 features a unique colorway for seasoned collectors and sneaker newbies. This shoe, named after one of the Islamic archangels ‘Israfil’ (archangel of music) has the classic Yeezy Primeknit upper in grey and blue and a sandy themed multicolored lateral stripe along with a grey midsole. In this article, you’ll learn all about the history of the brand, shoe, where to buy a legitimate pair, other similar Yeezy’s, sizing, and care.
History of Yeezy
The Yeezy brand began not too long ago in 2009 by designer Kanye West and originally Nike (but today Adidas). While the brand didn’t exist until 2009, it’s competing with significant sneaker brands like Jordan that have been releasing sneakers since 1985. So, what made this brand climb up the ladder of fame so quickly, and where did it all start?
In 2009, rapper and former presidential candidate Kanye West partnered with Nike for a collaboration that ended up lasting less than four years. The two dropped Nike Air Yeezy 1, which had three colorways: tan, blink, and zen grey. The shoe became so popular that a prototype of the Nike Air Yeezy 1 sold for 1.8 billion dollars! It’s currently extremely difficult to find this original shoe, but you may find a resale available for sale online– for nothing less than five thousand dollars. All Yeezy’s in general still have very expensive resale prices and are little shoes. With Nike, Yeezy also released the Nike Air 2 and the Red Octobers (some of the rarest and most expensive Yeezy’s to date).
After this, West’s collaboration with Nike was put to an end. The company wasn’t paying fair royalties or allowing him flexibility in the designs he wanted to make. He ended the partnership, but that didn’t end Yeezy. Adidas saw his potential in a million dollar deal and immediately worked with him relatively to create Adidas Yeezy Boost in 2015.
The first Yeezy Boost was the Yeezy Boost 750, boots that were available in two colorways- light brown and black. Also in 2015 was the release of the Yeezy Boost 350. While multiple colorways dropped, the most famous was known as ‘Turtledove’.
The brand continue to take off. The next release included the famous Yeezy 350 V2’s, similar to the original 350’s but with more colorful options and the original ‘SPLY-350’ branding with a lateral stripe, which stands for ‘Saint Pablo Loves You’. One of the biggest hits and current fan favorites was released during this time, the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Beluga.
What is the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Israfil?
The Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Israfil is one of many 350 V2 colorways. This shoe was released on August 22nd on the Adidas website. The color scheme is known for being rather ‘muted’ with neutral sandy and grey tones known as Bluish Grey and Sandy Yellow. Like many others of the 350 V2’s, it features a lateral stripe. The midsole is made up of a ribbed rubber design.
The name Israfil is the name of the archangel of music in Islam. While Yeezy’s goal was to use diverse and inclusive names, some fans in the Muslim community were skeptical about the choice. However, the angel ‘Israfil’ is a positive one– but after this release, West tried to release another similar shoe named Yeezy ‘Asriel’ which received significant backlash. Asriel is the name of the angel of death in Islam, which was offensive to many Middle Eastern fans. The company quickly changed the name to Yeezy 350 V2 ‘Carbon’ to match the tones of the colorway before the release date.
Yeezy Israfil Features
It features the signature Yeezy Primeknit upper— this is when the upper of the shoe is made up of many materials that are all knitted together into one piece instead of multiple parts stitched or glued together. The Primeknit technology makes the shoes extra comfortable and gives them a ‘sock-like’ feeling. It’s a design that’s made Adidas shoes famous for their comfort.
According to Yeezy Mafia, the Yeezy Israfil’s Primeknit upper features a patchwork design— each 350 V2 has a unique design, like the zebra stripes on the 350 V2 Beluga. The patchwork on the Israfil is a grey-ish blue over a tan background that creates a clean and sharp contrast. It’s a design similar to the Yeezy Zyon, which features a muted color scheme and patchwork upper. The lateral stripe is tan, known as ‘Sandy Yellow’, and the midsole is grey to match the blue-grey. The heel of the midsole has a sandy yellow stripe. There’s no pull tab on the heel of the shoe. Laces are pale grey and so is the sockliner.
One special extra that comes with the Yeezy Israfil’s is the extra pair of laces known as bungee laces or ‘infinity laces’ in addition to the original set. These connect the two sides of the shoe without tying for a sleek and kempt look. It uses a screw mechanism to hold the laces together. If you prefer the classic look of tie laces, you can keep the original laces on.
Other Similar Colorways
The Israfil is known for its unique neutral hues and patchwork primeknit upper. If you want to browse similar styles, you’re in luck. There is an endless amount of colorways released by Yeezy Boost and many are identical to the Israfil model even though none are truly identical.
One of the closest matches is the Yeezy 350 V2 Zyon, which has the same 350 V2 structure as the Israfil but with earthy light and medium brown colors. The lateral stripe is a translucent black. The Yeezy Israfil also resembles the contrast of the 350 V2 Beluga, one of the most popular and first 350 V2 releases. The Beluga is a muted grey with an orange/’Scarlet Red’ lateral stripe plus SPLY 350 branding. Fans loved it so much that there’s now a re-release known as the 350 V2 Beluga Reflective, which is the original Beluga but better– with reflective silver threads woven into the upper.
The Yeezy 350 V2 Beige Black is another similar colorway but with a darker accent. It hasn’t been released yet, but is expected to in fall of 2022. The lateral stripe, with SPLY-350 branding, is black, while the upper, midsole, and laces of the shoe are all a neutral beige; this shoe is newer and will be released hopefully on October 1st, so keep an eye out! There are plenty of colorways available, but none are quite like the Israfil, so it is known for being a unique Yeezy sneaker.
Yeezy Israfil Pricing and Where to Buy
On the Adidas website, the Yeezy Israfil was initially released August 22, 2020 at a retail price of 220 USD. These sold out quickly, and now you’ll need to purchase them from a third party seller. The price for these shoes depends on many factors: size, condition, the seller’s preference, and the third party platform used. You can also bid for sneakers and set your price on some platforms.
On StockX, a ‘stockmarket for things’, the price of the sneakers has steadily remained at around 290-300 dollars after the initial jump in prices since the release. This is for a brand new shoe that is authenticated. StockX has multiple centers worldwide that verify every pair of sneakers with a green tag showing they are certified before they are shipped to the buyer. You can bid, buy, and sell on the platform– as long as the shoes are 100 percent in new condition. StockX is rated one of the highest sneaker marketplaces and many sneakerheads will suggest it as their top choice for making reliable purchases.
StockX’s only rival that is truly competing head to head is GOAT. GOAT is similar to StockX in that the shoes are authenticated before they ship to you, and prices between the two are generally very similar if not the same, but GOAT does have more room for buyers and sellers alike. You can sell and buy used shoes on GOAT and ‘instant’ new shoes that have been pre-approved and are mailed to you brand new immediately upon purchase, so you don’t need to wait, but at a higher price. You can also purchase cheaper shoes marked ‘New with Defects’. On GOAT, costs for the Israfil average out in the early $300 range brand new. Used shoes are significantly cheaper in the 100 dollar range.
On Amazon, you can purchase all kinds of Yeezy shoes– but at a great risk. There is no way to verify the authenticity of the shoes and the pictures aren’t always what you might get. It’s easy to get a fake and pay much more for it. The Israfil on Amazon range from around 400 to 500 dollars, which is much more than StockX, GOAT, Flight Club, or Far Fetch! If you decide to purchase on Amazon, check the reviews carefully and know how to watch out for a fake pair.
Flight Club is another verified retailer with a decent selection of brand new Yeezy’s but not the best selection of used ones. All sales with the company are final, but the shoes are checked for originality. Flight Club is typically more expensive than GOAT or StockX and for the Israfil’s you will find prices averaging out in the mid-$300 range. Used sizes are often out of stock, but if you can snag a pair, they will sell for a much lower price.
One more popular sneaker marketplace is Far Fetch. It’s a British company that started in London, so sizes are noted in UK sizes. If you’re from the USA, prices are in US dollars, and you’ll notice that this is a more expensive place to shop. The price for the Israfil averages out to around $400 on Far Fetch. Unlike other retailers mainly for sneakers, Far Fetch has a vast selection of clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, and more, so you can still stop by the site and you might end up finding something else that you like. The company only sells original items and they have a good return policy.
Sizing and Care
If you own a rare pair of Yeezy 350 V1’s, you’ll notice that they fit you true to size. However, this isn’t the case for 350 V2’s including the Israfil. They run about a half size small, so order a half size up from your standard size (If you’re a 10, order a 10.5). They also have rather narrow toe boxes so if you usually wear shoes with a wide fit you might feel that the toe of the shoe is slightly tight.
While you may have thrown your old non-brand pairs of sneakers into the washing machine every time you stepped in mud as a kid, you definitely shouldn’t do the same for your Yeezy’s. To clean them by hand, you should invest in a sneaker cleaning kit like Sneaker Aid but if you can’t, use a gentle cleaner. Get a towel and two brushes: one soft bristled and one hard bristled. Remove the laces and fill a bowl with lukewarm water, and some gentle cleaner. Use the soft bristled brush on the upper and more delicate parts of the shoe and scrub the soapy solution off to remove stains. On the midsole, scrub with the stiff bristled brush.
If you need to clean very dirty shoes, you can use a washing machine, but stop before you throw them right in– it’s possible to damage them if you don’t do it right. Remove the insoles and laces first permanently. Place the laces inside a wash bag or pillow case tied so that the laces don’t escape. Remove mud from the shoes with a washcloth as much as possible, then you can place them separately in their laundry mesh bag or pillow case. Use only a very small amount of gentle laundry detergent. Set the machine to cold (hot water can melt your shoes!) You can now wash the shoes in the laundry machine, but always air dry them after.
Fake Adidas Yeezy Shoes
No matter where you make your purchase from, there’s always a slight risk that you’re getting a fake pair that’s been made to look real carefully. Yeezy Boost 350’s especially are very popular and can be difficult to find anywhere other than online. Here’s a few things you should do upon receiving your pair. First, check the tag of the shoes and the box they arrived in. Most retailers should mail them to you in the original package if they are new and not used. Check that the sizing and information is the same on both. Look at the pattern on the Primeknit upper– it should have a slightly ‘irregular’ pattern. Make sure the stitching on the middle goes all the way to the outsole.
Does your Yeezy Israfil have a heel tab? You didn’t get a special pair or make a mistake… you likely received a fake. Not every Yeezy 350 V2 has a heel tab, and the Israfil doesn’t. Look at the insoles, which have an Adidas logo. The color of the logo should be a greyish white not a pure bright white, which is a standard indicator of a fake pair. Lastly, flip over your shoes and take a look at the outsoles. There should be a ‘flower like pattern’ exposed in between the rubber ribbed pattern of the bottom of the shoe. You’ll notice it if it’s there, but if you can’t find it, you may want to look at the original pictures of the sneaker.
Summary
Whether you’re an Air Jordan, Nike, or New Balance fan, you can probably agree that Yeezy Boost is one of the most rightfully appreciated and fan favorite classic shoe brands that have continued to change the sneaker game since the first Yeezy Turtledove. The brand, designed by Kanye West and a partnership with Adidas (formerly Nike), is primarily known for the popular Yeezy 350 V2’s. New colorways are still being released, and one of the newer ones include the Yeezy 350 V2 Israfil. This model features light blue grey and sandy yellow tones with a patchwork Primeknit upper. The unique muted but colorful scheme is unlike any other Yeezy 350 released. If you’re looking to cop a pair, check out verified retailers like StockX, Flight Club, and GOAT and remember that it runs a half size small. Purchasing from a third party seller does have it’s risks, so make sure you know what to look for when you first receive your shoes so you don’t end up with a fake pair.
