10 Collaborations That Changed the Sneaker Game

Some collaborations simply make people purchase sneakers, but others redefine what a sneaker collaboration means. Here are 10 of them.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Sneaker collaborations are everywhere now. It's hard to imagine sneaker blogs existing without the hype and attention that's given to the products that streetwear brands, artists, and rappers design for sneaker brands. But obviously there was a time when there were no collaborations at all. And over the years, some collabs have been more significant than others.

There are so many collabs nowadays that some are often instantly washed from our memories after they release, if not earlier. But then there are ones that do more than move units at sneaker stores—they change the way the entire sneaker culture operates. Here are 10 Collaborations That Changed the Sneaker Game

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Junya Watanabe x Nike Zoom Haven

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Stüssy x Nike Huarache

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Stüssy x Mad Hectic x New Balance MT580

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Year Of Release: 2003

New Balance would still be producing quality sneakers if it didn't do collabs, but the brand's usual palette of grey, blue, and black can get bland. Although New Balance is known as an American brand that also makes high-quality sneakers in England, a lot of New Balance's limited buzz started in Asia—Japan to be specific. Thanks to a licensing deal in Asia, New Balance tried new and challenging designs for that market.

The New Balance MT580 hadn't caught on in the U.S., but Stüssy and Mad Hectic collaborated to give the sneaker a streetwear edge. The Asia-only, Mita-influenced MT580 silhouette helped break New Balance away from its decree of old-man running sneakers. The collaboration's colors, brown and green, weren't much different than usual New Balance colors, but the sneakers were made hip-hop through putting "Mad Stüssy" on the heel. New Balance had been worn by hip-hop heads before, but this connected the heritage brand to the budding wave of sneaker culture.

Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Low

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Year Of Release: 2003

The elements that make Air Jordans great are closely guarded by sneakerheads, but Supreme was able to pay tribute to the Air Jordan III in 2003 and make the sneaker world love it. The Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Lows were important for several reasons. The shoes borrowed elephant print from the Air Jordan III, but they also introduced a legion of sneakerheads to Supreme. It also helped establish Nike SB, which was still in its early stages, as brand that had credibility amongst a fickle skate crowd.

The Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Lows would become some of the most sought-after Nike SBs ever to release, and would set the stage for the Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Hi pack (and every other Supreme x Nike release that would follow). But it showed that brands could pay homage to classic sneakers and not make them corny or in poor taste. Instead, the Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Lows made the Air Jordan III accessible to a skate crowd that might have skated the Air Jordan 1, but didn't want to ruin their coveted Jordans that served as "chillin' shoes."

ESPO x Nike Air Force II

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Diamond Supply Co. x Nike SB Dunk Low

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Undefeated x Air Jordan IV

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Jeremy Scott x adidas Originals

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David Z. x Sneaker Blogs x ASICS Gel Lyte IIIs

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Year Of Release: 2009

ASICS GEL Lyte IIIs weren't first released in 2009, but it was the first time a new generation of sneakerheads started to pay attention to the split-tongue silhouette. Ronnie Fieg, who was still working at David Z. at the time, pulled off a three-part collaboration with ASICS and blogs Nice Kicks, Highsnobiety, and Culture Shoq, that helped launched Ronnie into the spotlight. It was such a pivotal move for all parties involved. Nice Kicks, Highsnobiety, and Culture Shoq were able to attach themselves to an up-and-coming retro sneaker silhouette, and Fieg was able to integrate himself into a mainstay of blog culture. From that point on, the Gel Lyte III became more than just a sneaker on Foot Locker's 2 for $89 wall, and everyone waited for what Ronnie Fieg would do next. This collaboration would serve as the springboard for Fieg to drop the Coves in 2010, and have his sneaker collaborations lusted over by 'heads.

Kanye West x Louis Vuitton

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Year Of Release: 2009

It's almost impossible to escape a discussion of the current sneaker industry without a mention of Kanye West. Before he bolted Nike to design for adidas, he already had worked with another label: Louis Vuitton. If people think Kanye West x Nike was an insane idea, the thought of him designing multiple sneakers with Louis Vuitton was fucking crazy.

Thanks to a friendship with Marc Jacobs, Kanye was able to design three different silhouettes—the Dons, Jaspers, and the Mr. Hudson—that were all named after his close circle of friends. This collection didn't just give well-heeled Kanye fans footwear to rock, it integrated the concept of a rapper being able to design a high-fashion sneaker. Hip-hop had long adored expensive sneakers, but Kanye put forth a handful of sneakers that could be worn by streetwear kids that retailed at true hype prices. Kanye was able to produce a purchasable product with the high-fashion world that had been totally skeptical and dismissive of hip-hop.