The 50 Best Sneakers Ever Featured In Complex Magazine

Retail Price: $175
Issue: Feb/March 2011

Team Jordan was really struggling after Michael retired for a third time, even after Mike hand-selected D. Wade to be the face of his 2010 model. The 2011 Jordan signature shoe was the most aesthetic pleasing J since Jordan personally rocked them on the hardwood and with a two-in-one sneaker the performance piece had high schoolers and '80s babies hype to play in them whether their game was built for the perimeter or the paint. Air Jordans ain't been the same since-and that's a good thing.

Retail Price: $120
Issue: June/July 2012

The adidas Consortium series returned in 2012 and The Three Stripes switched things up a bit. The "Your Story" collection featured one of the best ZX 500 colorways ever seen and it was designed by artist Shaiqwa Jarvis of London.

Retail Price: $85
Issue: June/July 2011

Though we had seen Eric Koston's name attached to a few sneakers at Nike, it wasn't until 2011 that his official signature shoe became a reality. Not one to disappoint, Koston's first signature skate shoe with Nike pulled out all the stops with a Lunar insert, a reinforced upper, and a healthy dose of love for Los Angeles. Nike even put together a Friends and Family release of the shoe for charity that blended the Koston 1 with the Kobe 6.

Retail Price: N/A
Issue: October 2008

Dave Ortiz may have moved on from the shop that still carries his name but that doesn't mean we can't pay homage to his accomplishments with DQM. The perforated suede of the Dave's Quality Meat Dunk High from 2008 is one of the simplest, yet stunnng sneaker packs we've seen. Not to mention if you landed a pair than you know they feel just as good as they look.

Retail Price: $70
Issue: Apri/May 2003

Saiver was Nike's fail-safe foray into skateboarding before it officially launched Nike SB. The team would feature one of East Coast skateboarding's most unique personalities in Tim O'Connor, and his signature sneaker was a beefed-up version of of the Nike Air Trainer 1 minus the forefoot strap. True streetwear and sneakerheads have a pair of these on ice, but, for most of us, we can only hope the Swoosh plans to rehash Savier.

Retail Price: $110
Issue: Dec 2008/Jan 2009

If you just got into the Vans Half Cab during the sneaker's 20th anniversary year of 2012, man did you miss out. For example, this gumsole/denim collaboration with Hawaii's In4mation that dropped in 2009. The "Pro" designation meant it was 100 percent skatable, and the In4mation co-sign meant it was equally rockable off the board.

Retail Price: $110
Issue: Feb/March 2007

Right as the skinny jean era was booming, Supra took a chance with an all-gold high-top for its head-skater-in-charge Chad Muska. The result? A shitload of metallic sneakers populating the streets. The Skytop immediately became a favorite for rappers like Lil Wayne, and blew up even more when it was erronessly reported that Jay-Z wore them in Rihanna's "Umbrella" video. More than any celebrity co-sign, the sneaker represented Muska's knack for flossing with clothing items that stood out. The Skytop would go on to have a bunch of different successful colorways, but this was the exact model that set the whole craze off.

Retail Price: N/A (sample only)
Issue: August/Sept 2007

Sadly, this all-3M pair of New Balance 576s, that were made in collaboration with New York's ALIFE, never saw the light of release day. Still, the sneaker's all-silver upper and icy sole are enough to make it something of legend amongst New Balance fans. The 576 is a slightly beefed up, and always more exclusive, version of the 574; featuring an ENCAP for added support on the heel, and with ALIFE's recent return, we can only hope the retailer will dig in the crates and pull these out.

Retail Price: $150
Issue: June/July 2012

Before Kanye went minimalist with Yeezus the summer of 2012 belonged to Nike Sportswear thanks to the Flyknit Racer and Roshe Run. It's been almost a full year since its release, which is forever in today's "what have you don't for me lately" pace, and the same Flyknits are still dominating just about every other sneaker out.

Retail Price: $88
Issue: June/July 2006

Not much represents Vans more than the checkerboard pattern that was made famous by Jeff Spicoli, the character played by Sean Penn in Fast Times At Ridgemont High. Supreme took the pattren and applied it perfectly to the legendary Half Cab sneaker. Well done.

Retail Price: N/A
Issue: June/July 2006

See-through sneakers got a bad rap because of all the fake renditions that permeated the market, but the CLOT Air Max 1 was one release that sneakerheads gladly fogged up--if they could get their hands on them, that is. The sneakers were ultra-limited, and featured a foot outline in the sneaker's icy sole. Still, it was the orange midsole that set off these Air Max 1s.

Retail Price: $190
Issue: Spring Wishbook 2005

Even those who couldn't get with BAPE's, er, "homage" sneakers were psyched on their collab with Converse, featuring the instantly iconic BAPE camo. Not that they were any easier to get. Pair these with an all-over print full-zip hoodie and nobody could tell you NOTHIN'.

Retail Price: $188
Issue: Feb/March 2005

The New Balance MT580 has gained notoriety in recent years, but getting your hands on a pair in '05 meant you had an overseas connect. The Stussy x Mad Hectic collaboration proved that subdued color schemes can still make for a hyped released, especially if you have over-eager U.S. customers jockeying to get their hands on a pair.

Retail Price: $249
Issue: May 2002

Italian-made Air Force 1s were literally the best of both worlds - classic Nike style by the best shoemakers on the planet. The leather was so buttery you could spread it on toast, and the original high cut meant that there was an awful lot of it. If only Rasheed had played in these.

Retail Price: $100
Issue: June/July 2003

Who cares if it was a blatant bite on the Gucci tennis shoe? Few people were hotter than Shawn Carter in 2003 and just about everyone was biting his style on and off the mic. Not to mention the mixtape that dropped alongside the collection is better than most rappers greatest album. 10 years later, few people are still better than Jay-Z. Maybe it's time for these to come back?

Retail Price: $210
Issue: August/Sept 2005

KAWS and BAPE in 2005? That's like Jordan and Pippen in '96, or Magic and Kareem in '87. Legendary.

Retail Price: N/A
Issue: August/Sept 2005

Look, any shoe that got Mario Batali to abandon his beloved orange Crocs deserves a spot on this list, just for the public service alone. And hey, how many chefs have ever gotten a PE?

Retail Price: $90
Issue: June/July 2005

The blue on the T-19 Dunk High is one of the best colorways on any Swoosh sneaker and off-set by the white midsole, laces, and tongue only helps build its prestige. The kicks were only released in Tokyo for the T19 skate team, so hit eBay for your pair at an actually reasonable price-these trump those retro Jordans that you and all your "sneakerhead" friends have.

Retail Price: $110
Issue: Aug/Sept 2008

This is how an imaginary futuristic sneaker from the past actually influenced sneakers in the real future. There is no doubt that Tinker Hatfield's "2015" Air MAG, designed for 1989's Back To The Future 2, served as an inspiration for the design of 2008's Hyperdunk. And as if to make that abundantly clear, Nike turned out a "McFly" edition of the hoops shoe, done up in MAG colors.

Retail Price: N/A
Issue: April/May 2007

Releasing in 2007, Patta's Gel Lyte III predates the sneaker's hype, much like everything the Amsterdam-based shop does. Featuring a red/black/green colorway, this Gel Lyte III collaboration separates itself from models through a speckled midsole and a patterned liner. Like everything Patta, these sneakers are only had by dudes who have a secret sneaker basement somehwere in continental Europe.

Retail Price: $130
Issue: Dec 2005/Jan 2006

SSUR is the brainchild of an artist hailing from Russia by the name of Ruslan Karablin. The brand has a number of dope collabs under their belt over the years but their series with DC Shoes is one of their best. This Jordan-esque colorway was one of the best to come from the SSUR and DC Shoes partnership.

Retail Price: $80
Issue: Dec 2005/Jan 2006

Vans were already the on-the-low sneaker choice to pair with high fashion, but a Marc Jacobs collab made the pairing official. The American designer didn't do anything crazy, but his material and color choices were on-point, and the resulting models are still sought after years later.

Retail Price: $140
Issue: 2004 Holiday Wishbook

Underappreciated when they first dropped and still underappreciated now, the Supreme take on the Delta Force Mid was an exercise in moderation - especially after the previous year's Dunk High (which we'll get to). Done up in three tonal colors with a single red eyelet up top and 3M reflective tongues, these are timeless.

Retail Price: $140
Issue: June/July 2004

Not every sneaker Jeff Staple designs has 15-year-old Hypebeasts getting chased by straight thugs with baseball bats. His 2004 "Navigation" pack is normally known for its Air Max 90, but it also featured an Air Max Burst, that still included a hefty, oversized air bubble. The pack highlighted London, New York, And Tokyo and the maps that helped people get around the city. Staple cited that this was similar to the paths and extremes sneakerheads go through to obtain their grails.

Retail Price: $275
Issue: Nov/Dec 2002

A Methamphibian custom for NYC's Prohibit, the "P-002" Air Force 1 Low is so rare that this might very well be the only image of it. As for Methamphibian, he's just your favorite customizer's favorite customizer. If you don't know, now you know.

Retail Price: $100
Issue: October/Nov 2005

The Gold Rush is one of the most important parts of San Francisco history (and we're not talking just the name 49ers). Back when designer Benny Gold was working for HUF, he designed the "Gold Digger" version of the Nike SB Trainer 1. The Gold Digger Trainer uses a creative layering system to portray the way gold would shine from underneath the sand while panning. Benny used mesh laid over a shiny gold patent that reflects from underneath as the light hits. The Trainer 1 was then given HUF branding complete with pick and shovel on the heel to further rep The City and its heritage.

Retail Price: $100
Issue: August/Sept 2007

Whether it's sponsoring events or bringing artists on board to collaborate on sneaker designs, Vans puts on for artists. In 2007 they did an entire "The Simpsons" series with creatives. Not only did they have 14 of the the best artists from around the world making unique Vans designs, they also did it right and worked with The Simpsons. If you have any of these, you get a thumbs up from us.

Retail Price: $100
Issue: April/May 2004

The Viotech name may be remembered today more for the Dunk Low that recently retroed, and its original version that dropped in 2001, but the Air Trainer III is no slouch. The colorway is unmistakable with its obnoxiously bright yellow and purple hues but it came at a time in which the Nike Air Trainer III was also sn underrated silhouette. Call us crazy but this might be the most underrated sneaker to ever appear in the pages of Complex. And those Air Force 1s aren't bad, either.

Retail Price: $150
Issue: August/Sept 2003

ALIFE is not new to this. They were doing collabs before other brands, even before other brands existed. Back in 2003 they teamed up with adidas to flip the Grand Slam tennis shoe and the Attitude basketball shoe. Both featured a mix of suede and leather and mesh, but it was the Attitude with its graffed-up upper tht best represented the time and their vision.

Retail Price: $75
Issue: October/Nov 2004

Few things represent San Francisco better than the color orange, skateboarding and pot-smoking hippies. Back when HUF was still in San Francisco, you could add them to that shortlist and their tie-dye version of the Nike SB Dunk High was a perfect mix of all things SF.

Retail Price: $90
Issue: October/Nov 2005

The Air Stab may be one of the most underrated silhouettes in the Nike Stable when it comes to sneakerheads here in the states but across the pond, it gets much more attention. Foot Patrol of London got their chance to create a special version and they didn't disappoint. The purple, grey and black suede and mesh makeup is arguably the best color combo to ever land on the Nike Air Stab.

Retail Price: $240
Issue: Oct/Nov 2003

Gator print, gold stars, gold dubrays and not one, not two, but three sets of laces. For their follow-up Dunk release, Supreme went all the way in. Three colorways instead of two, highs instead of lows, bright colors and super-clear branding. And as good as they looked, we made them look even better.

Retail Price: N/A (promo)
Issue: August/Sept 2005

King James' sneakers weren't always the hit that they are today but we know a dope sneaker design when we see it. Back in 2005 we ran with 'Bron and his second signature sneaker, the Nike Zoom LeBron II. But rather than go the easy route and pick the Cavs home or away colorways, we opted to run his high school colorways in our August/September issue.

Retail Price: $220
Issue: Feb/March 2009

No wings, no teddy bears, no "shackles" - Jeremy Scott's take on the adidas Artillery just relied on a midfoot strap and an insane snakeskin-camo blend to stand out from the rest. Yeah, we were on him before you were. Don't act all surprised.

Retail Price: $120
Issue: April/May 2003

Nike artist's series produced more than its share of instant classics, but perhaps none has stood the test of time better than the Futura Blazers. Only a thousand pairs of the green-on-green crackle-finish sneakers were made, which means copping a pair back then wasn't much easier than it is now.

Retail Price: $65
Issue: Dec 2011/Jan 2012

It's not often that you get the opportunity to acquire a legendary shoe that has been personally customized by the very person who made it famous. But that's exactly what happened when Supreme partnered with Vans and Steve Caballero for a 20-pair run of "original" Half Cabs to celebrate the shoe's 20th anniversary. Cab himself cut the Caballero high down and duct-taped the collar, just as he did before the Half Cab was produced. History in the making.

Retail Price: $150
Issue: Oct/Nov 2012

A triple collab with red, white and blue stripes, BAPE camo and gold leaf printing that was actually well done? Well, when you start off with a classic silhouette like the adidas ZX5000 and finish it all off with a gum sole, it's easier than you might think. The BAPE x UNDFTD pack also included a pair of Campus '80s, but the ZX5000 was the real winner.

Retail Price: $870
Issue: June/July 2009

Shortly after the Nike Air Yeezy 1, Kanye West took his talents to high-fashion design house Louis Vuitton, and cranked out three silhouettes that had sneakerheads going nuts on release day. Naming them after his crew, Kanye designed the "Don's," "Mr.Hudson's" and the "Jasper's" with each sneaker taking on a different style. The Don, a low-top sneaker that continues to be in Kanye's rotation to this day, Hudson's boat-shoe, and the high-top Jaspers were all wallet-busters, but still managed to sell out. Sure athletes and musician's have their own signatures, but this collaboration just furthered the fact that Mr.West has the clout to not only get in the ears of one of the most respected fashion institutions, but also the power to sell these products out.

Retail Price: N/A
Issue: August/Sept 2005

The perfect match between fashion and function, the Union x Nike Air Force 180 "Clerks Pack" was an instant classic when it dropped. Designed by streetwear/sneaker O.G. Chris Gibbs, the sneaker boasts a mix of neon, camo print and pastels placed meticulously throughout the sneaker. Already a staple silhouette in sneakers, a lot of heads would argue that Charles Barkley's signature sneaker shouldn't receive a total facelift, but Gibbs' design scheme resulted in even more popularity for the sneaker, and it remains a grail shoe even to this day. Want to execute a collab the right way? Use this as a blueprint.

Retail Price: N/A
Issue: April/May 2006

Super-luxe was kind of a crazy swerve for what was ostensibly a skate shoe, especially in 2006, but Supreme's high-end take on the Blazer absolutely killed it. Quilted leather uppers, gold D-ring pulls on checkered nylon straps and snakeskin Swooshes made for something that would have looked equally at home on Fairfax or Rodeo.

Retail Price: N/A
Issue: June/July 2005

What better way to introduce the iconic Nike Air 180 runner to NIKEiD than through a collab with one of NYC's illest downtown shops? The Nom de Guerre Air 180 was produced in super-limited numbers, and the brown upper with pale pink and silver accents still pops today.

Retail Price: N/A
Issue: Feb/March 2005

Remember Head Automatica? The mid-2000s emo-pop-rock band may have not had a long career, but it still is immortalized in a pair of friends and family-only Nike Air Force 1 His. What more could you ask for? When you're comprised of Glassjaw's Daryl Palumbo and Dan the Automator, it's easy to get freebies. The sneaker's brown, pink, and green color scheme was searched out by heads who weren't even down with the the band's shrill vocals, but only 48 pairs were produced; leaving many unsatisfied. We had them first.

Retail Price: $375
Issue: June/July 2005

Seven years later, The Visvim FBT is the new go-to for fashion-forward celebs like Kanye West and A$AP Rocky, but Complex was up on the moc-like sneakers back in 2005. First?! When these dropped only real heads knew, and now that they're becoming a bit more popular good luck scoring a pair of these for under $1000. The rarity of Visvim is always attractive, and lets be honest, they don't look like any sneaker on the market, back then, today and tomorrow. Want a pair of sneakers not many peopel are going to have? Cop these and stunt. Salute, Hiruki Nakamura.

Retail Price: $275
Issue: August/Sept 2003

At this point Stash may be best known for his shades of blue drops across various brands, but his most sought-after model may very well still be the fat cap "camo" Air Force 1 High from 2003. Versions made for NYC, Tokyo and London came in color-cued hardcases, and a re-release dropped in super-limited numbers in 2007 following its selection as the best AF1 of all-time at the 25th anniversary AF1 party in NYC. You probably saw it here first.

Retail Price: $150
Issue: Feb/March 2006

Tennis ball material on a tennis sneaker. Seems logical enough. But somebody still had to do it first, and that someone was ALIFE. Their neon green flip of the Reebok Court Victory Pump was followed by white and orange versions, but as is typically the case, the first effort was the best. Ballin'.

Retail Price: $215
Issue: April/May 2009

The man who turned thousands of people into hypebeasts overnight did it with this shoe and helped create the current phenomenon in the sneaker game. It's been just over four years since the Air Yeezys released and the shoe is already on so many respectable sneakerheads "classic" list. The design was wildly over the top, which fit the artist perfectly, but the Jordan III sole kept it clean and made the boot-cut sneaker work. From the first moment we saw him rock samples of the shoe to Kanye's Grammy performance, you knew Mr. West had only just begun.

Retail Price: N/A
Issue: April/May 2005

Long before high fashion and sportswear became inexorably linked (again), these Chanel x Reebok InstaPump Furies were the talk of every block from Madison Avenue to Lafayette Street. They were never available at retail, but the stark take on the futuristic runner complete with the iconic double-C logo on the heels were highly sought after nonetheless. Yeah, we had them.

Retail Price: $300
Issue: Feb/March 2007

Amsterdam's Patta really knows what to do when it comes to collabs. Their Air Max 90 is still a classic of the genre, readily recognizable without being overdone. The green and orange joints were featured in the mag months after their official release, but it's never too late to recognize greatness.

Retail Price: $245
Issue: April/May 2012

Three years in the making, the sequel to Kanye West's Nike Air Yeezy was as highly anticipated as any album of his ever was. A space-age evolution of the first model, the Yeezy 2 was also built off a classic Nike midsole/outsole (the Tech Challenge II) and utilized a midfoot strap. But with a more modern cut and a wild mix of materials, it was also Yeezy at his most decadent.

Retail Price: N/A (raffle/auction only)
Issue: April/May 2005

To this day, there is no Jordan more sought-after than the UNDFTD Air Jordan IV. A take inspired by the MA-1 flight jacket, from the colors to the Velcro Flight patch on the tongue, just 79 pairs were produced. Grail status.