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Related: The Best Sneakers of 2017
CustomLead
While customs have long been a part of sneaker culture — probably as long as there have been sneakers — in 2011 they truly took center stage. It seems like every week a new pair of Jordan VIs or LeBron 9's are hitting the sneaker blogs, so now seemed like a good time as any to recognize the best of all time. As someone who has tried my own hand at customizing, I understand the painstaking effort that's involved, and wanted to show some love to those that do incredible work. I reached out to some of the best sneaker customizers in the game including JGoods and Mache to find out some of their favorites, as well as pairs that influenced them and their art. Without further ado, here's The 50 Best Custom Sneakers of All Time. —ANDY OLIVER
AndreTJordan3
50. Air Jordan III "Touch The Sky"
Year: N/A
Customizer: Andre Trenier
Number of Pairs: 1
"This was the first pair where I saw them and told myself 'I want to do this' The detail was crazy, I may be wrong but I think he did these for Carmelo Anthony. There are far crazier and detailed pairs nowadays, but back then these were something I looked at as the mountain top, I always wanted to get to this guy's level when I was starting out." - Mache Customs
AndyOliver
49. Air Jordan VI "Blackout"
Year: 2011
Customizer: Andy Oliver
Number of Pairs: 1
When people think custom sneakers, they usually think outrageous colors. Andy Oliver took the opposite approach with his blacked-out Jordan VI customs. Clean and wearable… these look much better than the Oreo model that they were based on.
FlightClubDunks
48. Nike Dunk "Fight Club"
Year: 2011
Customizer: Yoacustom
Number of Pairs: 1
Would we wear a pair of Dunks with Brad Pitt's face on the side? Well… no, but they're still a great example of hand painting on a sneaker.
Jordan6CoolGrey
47. Air Jordan VI "Cool Grey" by Mizzee Customs
Year: 2011
Customizer: Mizzee Customs
Number of Pairs: 1
"I know all the cool grey stuff is pretty tired now, but I thought these were very well done. Love the grey with the ice blue soles. " - Jgoods
Lebron8UNDFTD
46. Nike LeBron 8 V1 "Undefeated"
Year: 2011
Customizer: Mizee Customs
Number of Pairs: 1
We would have loved to see this Mizzee Customs Lebron 8 colorway hit retail. The South Beaches were cool, but these would've got way more play on our feet.
JGoodsJ12
45. Air Jordan XII "Fadeaway"
Year: 2011
Customizer: JGoods
Number of Pairs: 1
These were JGoods' first pair of custom Jordans, and we're hoping they aren't his last. Comprised of 15 incremental shades of grey, this Fadeaway is second only to number 23's.
BriwnWilsonSpikes
44. Nike Air Show Elite "Brian Wilson"
Year: 2011
Customizer: Jacob Patterson
Number of Pairs: 1
"I'm personally jealous of this pair. A lot of people don't know that I was offered a pro contract as a pitcher in college, so these have some personal sentiment to me. I love Brian Wilson as it is, and I'm envious that Jacob got him as a client! But Jacob is an awesome graphic artist and made these cleats for BW for the 2011 All-Star game which is awesome all in itself, and the portrait work and small details just made these more special!" - Mache Customs
HareVI
43. Air Jordan VI "Hare"
Year: 2011
Customizer: Mizzee Custom
Number of Pairs: 1
"Not the first customizer to ever do a colorflip but Mizzee was the first to OWN that style and get legitimate shine for it. He was banging out Jordan IV colorflips and killing it. He did Bordeaux flips, Raptor flips, but my fav out of all of them were his "Hare" flips. The lines of the Jordan VI and VII were so close that any colorway would look dope, but the Hares just stood out to me. People who are getting shine for customs like this now better show their respect to the guy who made it cool to paint on J's... again. Hope he comes out of hiding soon, dumb rappers need teaching, haha." - Mache Customs
JorOneJordan2
42. Air Jordan II by Jor One
Year: 2004
Customizer: Jor One
Number of pairs: 6
Jor One brings a classic graffiti style to his customs, and these Jordan IIs are a great example. Immaculate airbrush work make these a true original.
Bron9FreeGumInsideOut
41. Nike LeBron 9 "Freegum Inside-Out"
Year: 2012
Customizer: Gourmet Kickz
Number of Pairs: 1
Customs don't have to even be painted. These inside-out Freegums are a great example of re-arranging a sneaker's existing parts to create something 100 times better than the original.
ChuckCustom
40. Converse Chuck Taylor "Fatcat"
Year: 2006
Customizer: Methamphibian
Number of Pairs: N/A
When other customizers focus on Nike and Jordan, one of the true OG's Methamphibian flipped the script with a Converse Chuck Taylor. We have a feeling this animal print would be a big seller in 2012. Expect to see plenty more from Meth on this list.
MacheZoomRookie
39. Nike Zoom Rookie "Galaxy"
Year: 2012
Customizer: Mache Customs
Number of Pairs: 1
Galaxy fever has been running wild for a few weeks, and not only did Mache Customs predict it, but he one-upped Nike on their retail verision of the Zoom Rookie. His airbrush work is top notch, and he shows it here.
Max90Lazy
38. Nike Air Max 90 "Carving His Own Death"
Year: 2009
Customizer: Lazy
Number of Pairs: 6
Lazy creates custom sneakers that could easily pass as production models. They're always clean and well finished, and unlike many shoes on this list, extremely wearable. These Air Max 90s are a great example.
LuckyAF1
37. Nike Air Force 1 "Lucky Strike"
Year: 2010
Customizer: SBTG
Number of Pairs: N/A
SBTG has been banging out some of the best customs for years, and one of his favorite models is clearly the Air Force 1. These lows feature "Desert Storm" camo and venting on the side panels. We'd wear these every day.
DunkHiLeaders
36. Nike Dunk Hi by C2 x Leaders1354
Year: 2009
Customizer: C2
Number of Pairs: 12
Taking design cues from the classic neon Air Max 95, C2 hooked up with Chicago's finest, LDRS1354 on a super-limited run of these sick Dunk His.
SharpDunk
35. Nike Dunk "NSB.org 5th Anniversary"
Year: 2010
Customizer: Sharp020
Number of Pairs: 1
"Being a paint and graphics guy I know I can't sew for crap, so I respect anyone trying to make a shoe from scratch. I always try to make customs look like they aren't custom, which is a tough task. Sharp020's reconstructions and deconstructions always look like they should have a Feng Tay tag attached to them. His collab with NSB.org to celebrate their fifth anniversary came out awesome — the embroidery, stitching and contrasting materials and overall colorway just worked on these. Epitome of clean work." - Mache Customs
BlazerWalkingonWater
34. Nike Blazer "Walking on Water"
Year: 2006
Customizer: Diversitile
Number of Pairs: Between 6 and 10
Diversitile's "Walking on Water" Blazers started with the Nintendo Wii pack, and ended with a great realization of the concept. Water isn't easy to paint (especially on leather with a texture like these), but Diversitile did an incredible job.
DunkStitchandDestroy
33. Nike Dunk High "Stitch & Destroy"
Year: 2010
Customizer: Lazy
Number of Pairs: 6
Lazy's "Stitch and Destroy" Dunk Hi goes a step further than simply painting the shoe. These have been completely re-wrapped in raw black denim, and then finished with tonal zig-zag stitches across the upper. That's serious.
Af1HundredDollar
32. Nike Air Force 1 "Hundred Dollar Bills"
Year: N/A
Customizer: Andre Trenier
Number of Pairs: 1
More than any pair on this list, these showcase the level of detail that can be hand painted on a sneaker. Andre Trenier is a beast.
Jordan14JorOne
31. Air Jordan XIV x Jor One
Year: 2006
Customizer: Jor One
Number of Pairs: 6
Another Jor One stunner, these Jordan XIVs feature the airbrush master's signature paint splatter. Only six pairs were produced, and we're guessing you want one.
AF1Mache
30. Nike Air Force 1 "Crocodile Fade"
Year: 2009
Customizer: Mache Customs
Number of Pairs: 1
Another great example of Mache's talent with the airbrush. The gradient on these Air Force 1s is downright incredible, and the croc texture beneath brings them to life.
NTContest
29. Nike Air Force 1 High "Diptych"
Year: 2003
Customizer: SBTG
Number of Pairs: 1
"SBTG's first shoe that really set up his framework for all his later designs. This was entered into the NikeTalk sneaker customization contest in 2003. You can see similarities in his own Dunk SB (which released much later). These customs were called the "Diptych," or the Safari AF1 highs. The NT contest was where a lot of the first group of online customizers got their start, including me." - JGoods
AirUptempoMache
28. Nike Air More Uptempo "Gradient"
Year: 2009
Customizer: Mache Customs
Number of Pairs: 1
These Air Uptempos by Mache Customs stand out for a few reasons: 1) The airbrush work is flawless. 2) You don't normally see custom Uptempos. We definitely approve!
Jordan1WhatThe
27. Air Jordan I "What The One" by Revive Customs
Year: 2009
Customizer: Evan MacPherson
Number of Pairs: 1
"My boy Evan MacPherson made this Jordan mashup work! He took parts of several notable Jordans and fused them seamlessly on an Air Jordan 1 base shoe — one custom I'd love to have made for myself!" - Mache Customs
MalevolenceDunkLow
26. Nike Dunk Low "Malevolence"
Year: 2006
Customizer: Methamphibian
Number of Pairs: N/A
Methamphibian's "Malevolence" Dunk Low is one of the greatest Dunks of all time… custom or not. The grey smoke effect on the toe and electric green graphic on the heel are something to behold.
SlyBonesDunk
25. Nike Dunk High "Sly Bones"
Year: 2009
Customizer: SBTG
Number of Pairs: 12
These (along with the accompanying "Red Fury" makeup) are a bit of a departure from a lot of SBTG's work, but still feature some signature elements. We dig the muted safari-ish print and the bone details.
AF1MethSTBG
24. Nike Air Force 1 x Methamphibian x SBTG
Year: 2007
Customizer: Methamphibian and SBTG
Number of Pairs: 12
What happens when two of the best sneaker customizers of all time combine their efforts on a pair of Air Force 1's? Well…you get one of the best custom Air Force 1's ever. Duh.
Lebron9Nerf
23. Nike LeBron 9 "Nerf"
Year: 2012
Customizer: Mache Customs
Number of Pairs: 12
Nike's KDIV "Nerfs" quickly became one of the most sought-after basketball shoes this year. A "Nerf" themed Lebron 9 sounds like a recipe for disaster, but these are far from it. Mache pulls off the impossible with a flawless interpretation.
TrustNobody
22. Nike Dunk Low "Skull Squadron"
Year: 2006
Customizer: Methamphibian
Number of Pairs: 1
Another entry from Methamphibian, this "Skull Squadron" collaboration with Trust Nobody transforms a simple Dunk into something downright scary.
AirMaxPigeons
21. Nike Air Max 90 "Pigeon"
Year: 2010
Customizer: oROSOo
Number of Pairs: 1
The pigeon theme has been applied to just about every sneaker under the sun, but other than the infamous Dunk itself, none look better than oROSOo's custom "Pigeon" Air Max 90s.
JGoodAF1
20. Nike Air Force 1 "Victorian King" by JGoods
Year: 2011
Customizer: JGoods
Number of Pairs: 1
JGoods handpainted this antique floral print on the "Victorian King" Air Force 1 for a client's wedding day. No stencil was used, and the result is impeccable. Needless to say, these made a special day even more special.
PsychDunkHigh
19. Nike Dunk High "Psychoholic Slag"
Year: 2007
Customizer: Methamphibian & SBTG
Number of Pairs: 12
"Psychoholic Slag" is a song by White Zombie, and it's also a custom sneaker by SBTG and Methamphibian for their "Skulls of Saigon" project. A successful collaboration should capture both artists's visions, and these Dunk His do just that.
NeptuneDunk
18. Nike Dunk Low "Neptune Dunk"
Year: 2008
Customizer: Sekure D
Number of Pairs: 1
Sekure D makes a second appearance on the top 50 list, this time on a Dunk Low. His work is always a breath of fresh air in a custom culture awash with replicators.
MethDunkLow
17. Nike Dunk Low Pack for In4mation
Year: 2008
Customizer: Methamphibian
Number of Pairs: N/A
Methamphibian's work for In4mation might be the best example of his work on the list. Black, skulls, animal print and bright colors ensure that all five pairs in this pack will turn heads.
HexachromeAF1
16. Nike Air Force 1 "Hexachrome" by JGoods
Year: 2009
Customizer: JGoods
Number of Pairs: 1
"I mixed all 26 colors and painted all of those fucking boxes by hand." - JGoods (It was worth it, dude.)
HendrixDunk
15. Nike Dunk High "Hendrix Experience"
Year: 2008
Customizer: Dezism
Number of Pairs: 1
The "Hendrix Experience" by Dezism is most definitely a change of pace sneaker, but truly impressive nonetheless. Purple might have been the obvious choice on these, but the red and yellow definitely works.
GalaxyDunkHi
14. Nike Dunk High "Galaxy"
Year: 2008
Customizer: Sekure D
Number of Pairs: 5
"These were way before this new Galaxy shoe hype. Sekure D has the most interesting style of any customizer. Very talented. I believe he won a $50,000 Footlocker Australia art contest." - JGoods
MethEssenceDunk
13. Nike Dunk Low for Essence Japan
Year: 2004
Customizer: Methamphibian
Number of Pairs: N/A
"Just an awesome Dunk. Love the green, the paint splatter, and his logo. Methamphibian is the father of online sneaker customization." - JGoods
NB576
12. New Balance 576 "Heaven & Hell" for Leftfoot
Year: 2008
Customizer: Methamphibian & SBTG
Number of Pairs: 444
SBTG and Methamphibian don’t often stray from the swoosh, but when they do, they go big. This NB 576 "Hell" (which they renamed the 666) is quite simply the best custom New Balance of all time.
AF1C2
11. Nike Air Force 1 "Air Tech Challenge"
Year: 2005
Customizer: C2
Number of Pairs: 1
"You can tell where he got his inspiration. C2 always has good stuff and I think Union NYC might have borrowed from him with their Dunks…" - JGoods
J3DaveWhite
10. Air Jordan III "Dave White"
Year: 2012
Customizer: Mache Customs
Number of Pairs: 12
"Had to get one of mine on here! They may not be the most original of customs but these were originally meant to be a personal custom for myself. I have been a fan of Dave White and his work for a long time, I used to rock his t-shirts, had his paintings as my screensaver, I just loved his work... I was pissed when I couldn't get any of his pack of Air Maxes way back when. Then I saw his Air Jordan 1. First the gold toe pair which was bananas, then the second pair in the black/red/white colorway, wowwww. I figured I had no shot in hell in getting those either. So I took it into my own hands, the black/cement III was a perfect base in theory, black, red, elephant print?! Let's do it. The end product surpassed what I had imagined. Even DW himself hit me up to say good job — when the originator gives me props I knew I did something right. " - Mache Customs
LazyGoldrush
9. Nike Air Force 1 "Gold Rush"
Year: 2010
Customizer: Lazy
Number of Pairs: 12
One of the best Air Force 1's from 2011 were the Denims, and they don't even come close to touching Lazy's distressed denim "Gold Rush" customs. Incredible.
CanalStAF1
8. Nike Air Force 1 High "Canal Street"
Year: 2009
Customizer: Revive Customs
Number of Pairs: 1
"I was trying to spread the love out but I couldn't leave these off my list. This was one of Revive's first customs I ever saw, and he set the bar real high for himself early. A cool take on the bootleg industry, and I'm not the biggest label whore but I'd rock the ISH out of these, the fake Rolex band for the ankle strap?! Dope." - Mache Customs
LazySBTGDunk
7. Nike Dunk High x SBTG x Lazy
Year: 2009
Customizer: SBTG & Lazy
Number of Pairs: N/A
Earlier we saw a collaboration between SBTG and Methamphibian, and now another dream pairing. SBTG and Lazy combined forces on these Dunks and the result speaks for itself.
FreddyDunk
6. Nike Dunk High "Freddy Krueger" by Diversitile
Year: 2011
Customizer: Diversitile
Number of Pairs: 12
Remember the SB "Freddy Krueger" Dunks that never officially released? These customs by Diversitile are 10 times better.
DunkLowMethSBTG
5. Nike Dunk Low x Methamphibian x SBTG
Year: 2006
Customizer: Methamphibian & SBTG
Number of Pairs: N/A
These bear some resemblance to the SBTG SB's that Nike actually released, and that's not a bad thing. Long before every brand was doing tiger camo, these customizing heavyweights were painting it by hand.
DunkLowCasket
4. Nike Dunk Low "Casket" by Lazy
Year: 2007
Customizer: Lazy
Number of Pairs: 12
It took Lazy two weeks to hand carve the woodgrain pattern into each pair of these "Casket" Dunks. Clearly, his name is meant to be ironic.
denimsnake
3. Nike Dunk Low "Denim Snake"
Year: 2007
Customizer: Methamphibian & SBTG
Number of Pairs: N/A
This pair is actually a stand-in for a different pair — way back before Nike ever thought of combining the Dunk and the Air Trainer 1, Methamphibian did up a hybrid of his own with a Dunk Low, an Air Trainer 1 strap, and the "carbon fiber" from the "Halloween" Dunk Lows. King status.
jorOneBapes
2. Bape BapeSTA
Year: 2008
Customizer: Jor One
Number of Pairs: 1
Jor One has a style all his own. While others aim to create shoes that look like they could be regular production releases, Jor One does the exact opposite. These are quite simply a work of art with leather as the canvas.
DunkPrison
1. Nike Dunk High "Prison Blues"
Year: 2009
Customizer: SBTG
Number of Pairs: 12
Some sneaker customizers paint. The odd one sews. SBTG does it all, and the "Prison Blue" Dunk His showcase his incredible skills. Taking the prison theme to the absolute limit, the details on these are second to none. SBTG has created so many classics, but the "Prison Blues" Dunks stand atop the heap of the greatest custom sneakers of all time.
