HUMAN MADE Finally Makes Its Own Trainer: Meet the Duck Kick

For years, HUMAN MADE has let other people make its shoes. Now the Tokyo label is doing it alone. Say hello to the Duck Kick, the brand's first sneaker built entirely under its own name, landing in Japan on Saturday 26th September.

It's a proper milestone for Nigo's label, which has spent nearly two decades putting its stamp on other people's silhouettes rather than starting from scratch itself.

A Closer Look at the Duck Kick by Human Made

The Duck Kick arrives in three colourways: white, black and brown, carrying the style codes HM31GD130, HM31GD137 and HM31GD138.

Construction-wise, it's suede and mesh on the upper, finished off with the kind of bold, visible stitching HUMAN MADE fans will recognise instantly. There's also a hidden pocket tucked into the build, a properly playful touch from a brand that's built its name on exactly that sort of detail.

White and black feel like the everyday options here, easy to throw on with pretty much anything, while the brown colourway takes things in a more understated direction. All three share the same shape, so it really comes down to material and finish when picking a favourite.

From Collaborator to Creator

HUMAN MADE was founded by Nigo as a sister label to BAPE, and it's carved out its own identity through vintage Americana styling and that unmistakable duck logo, which turns up on more or less everything the brand touches. The Duck Kick's name is almost certainly a nod to it.

Nigo himself has only grown in stature since then, adding a stint as creative director at Kenzo to his CV alongside running HUMAN MADE. On footwear specifically, though, the label has always worked through someone else, teaming up with adidas, Clarks Originals and Vans on previous releases rather than going it alone. The Duck Kick changes that.

When and Where to Buy

The Duck Kick releases on Saturday 26th September at 9am Japan time through the HUMAN MADE webshop. Prefer to shop in person? The brand's Harajuku flagship in Tokyo opens its doors at 11am the same day.

Getting into that in-store drop wasn't a case of just turning up, mind. Entry required registering through the official app in advance, with a lottery running from 17th to 22nd September deciding who got a shot, a system Japanese drops lean on heavily to keep things fair.

Once an online order is confirmed, it can't be cancelled or returned, so it's worth triple-checking sizing before you commit.

There's no European release lined up just yet, and pricing hasn't been confirmed outside Japan either, so UK buyers will be watching this one from a distance for now.

Keep an eye on our release calendar in case that changes.

IMAGE CREDITS: HUMAN MADE