Shai Hits Top Speed with the Converse SHAI 001 Lace Up “Cheetah”

The Converse SHAI 001 Lace Up “Cheetah” understands that animal print works best with a little restraint. Instead of covering the entire shoe in spots, the design concentrates its wildest detail on the tongue, allowing it to emerge from beneath sandy laces and a sculpted lime-green exterior. The result is part performance sneaker, part wearable sculpture, and completely in step with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s unconventional approach to style.

This latest SHAI 001 trades the original model’s zippered entry for a traditional lacing system. It is a familiar adjustment, but one that changes the visual rhythm of the shoe. Tonal laces stretch across the spotted tongue while sweeping outer panels partially frame the opening, keeping the silhouette sleek and futuristic. The construction offers a more recognizable fit experience without flattening the expressive shape that made the SHAI 001 stand apart from the beginning.

Color gives the Converse SHAI 001 Lace Up “Cheetah” its personality. Soft tan shades ground the toe, midsole, heel, and outsole, creating a neutral foundation for the pale green upper. Bright aqua trim appears around the tongue and inner collar, adding a cool flash of contrast. Meanwhile, glossy pieces at the heel introduce another layer of texture without distracting from the print above.

Beneath the fashion-forward exterior, the “Cheetah” remains built for movement. Visible Air Zoom branding at the forefoot points to responsive cushioning underfoot, while the low-profile platform keeps the shoe close to the court. A densely patterned rubber outsole is designed to support quick changes of direction, and the structured heel helps provide stability when the pace accelerates. Those elements reflect Shai’s game: controlled, deceptive, and capable of shifting gears before a defender can react.

Will you be looking to cop? The Converse SHAI 001 Lace Up “Cheetah” will be available on Thursday, September 3rd, in-store and online at DTLR.com in men’s and grade-school sizing.