2017's Top 20 Fashion Sneakers

These days, sneaker culture can feel like a sophisticated underground club. There’s so much involved in buying a pair of covetable kicks—you have to research them on the blogs, figure out the release date, know which stores are carrying them, and then try to reserve a killer pair in your size. A skilled sneaker head is prepared, tactile, and ultimately dressed to kill. Someone else who is always looking sharp taking down the competition? The infamous boogeyman himself, John Wick. Wick and his comrade's crew of off-the-books hitmen have their own secret society and are always dressed to the nines while putting out hits. Trying to fight someone for the latest pair of fresh kicks? Maybe don’t take on these guys…

In honor of the upcoming film hitting theaters February 10, we rounded up some of the most-anticipated designer kicks of the year, along with a few bangers you can get your hands on right now – guaranteed to match any artillery. With some of these upscale sneakers in your arsenal, you can go form to function, all while maintaining the killer style of John Wick himself. If Wick were rocking some of these functional beauties, imagine the damage he’d do…

Ever since he was appointed as creative director at Gucci, Alessandro Michele has brought a fresh, psychedelic approach to the Italian fashion house. In addition to making green topcoats Jared Leto drools over and some of the illest souvenir jackets money can buy, he’s upgraded the brand’s sneaker game considerably. Who needs a pair of classic bit loafers when you can flex on the ‘gram in these literally fire kicks? They’re so sought-after, they’ve even inspired several custom sneakers.

High-fashion’s love affair with reinterpreted sneakers continues with this upscale rendition of the Nike Free Flyknit 4.0 from Maison Margiela. Combining a knit upper with a white rubber sole, the sneaker’s then dipped into paint and allowed to dry (something of a Margiela motif), resulting in a pair of sneakers that will crack and chip over time, giving every pair a personalized touch. And unlike its inspiration, this luxurious pair is made in Italy.

Some of the most buzzed-about pieces from designer Gosha Rubchinkiy’s Spring/Summer 2017 collection are his collaborations with Italian sportswear company Fila. These simple kicks might seem a bit normcore at first sight, but closer inspection reveals the designer’s signature Cyrillic branding on the heel. It’s a subtly stylish touch that real heads will recognize instantly.

No round-up of designer sneakers is complete without nods to Common Projects, one of the early pioneers of high-end plimsolls. Their flagship Achilles low-top is a modern classic, and this eraser pink version easily stands in for the ubiquitous crispy white pairs often seen on fashion editors and industry cool guys. The timely shade is all the rage among streetwear brands and stylish dudes alike, and these are the perfect way to hop on the trend without looking like a fashion victim.

LA-based art collective Braindead is known for its cerebral clothes that reference everything from Twin Peaks to obscure Thai music B-sides. Designer Kyle Ng puts that unique perspective into a few pairs of rubber-and-canvas Sk8-His, flipping Vans’ trademark checkerboard motif into monotone kicks with exclusive branding on the sole.

You heard it here first: Drawing on your sneakers is a thing for 2017. But why do the work yourself when you’ve got guys like Vetements designer Demna Gvasalia making shoes like this? The Vetements x Reebok Instapump saw limited releases around the world, and the South Korea pop-up shop saw droves of fashion heads lining up for a chance to cop a pair. Set for a wider release soon, these will probably be gone shortly after they finally drop.

The adidas NMD was one of the most definitive sneakers of 2016, and it’s going to stick around in 2017. The three stripes teams up with Japanese fashion label White Mountaineering for an outdoors-inspired version that speaks to White Mountaineering’s penchant for super-stylish hiking gear. As a result, there’s also a protective fusing around the toebox to ensure these are more heavy-duty than the average NMD.

It’s no secret that designers like to be “inspired” by other classic sneakers. This Buscemi high-top takes after a certain “black-toed” basketball shoe and ups the ante with a full-grain Italian calf-leather upper and a Vachetta calf skin liner, which is pretty much like a first-class seat for your socks. The contrasting red heel and black heel handle (along with a matte black lock), further drive home the sporty, luxurious vibe.

COMME des GARÇONS designer Rei Kawakubo is known for envelope-pushing products. Nike built its rep off the seamless fusion of form and function. This hotly-anticipated sneaker is truly the best of both worlds. Combining a subtly-branded slip-on Flyknit upper with an all-over Air sole unit, the CDG x NikeLab VaporMax is a testament to tasteful design and innovative footwear technology. In other words: They’ll feel as good as they look.

Generally, Rick Owens’ exaggerated sneakers aren’t for the faint of heart. But his new collaboration with adidas sees the debut of a mid-top that the average sneakerhead could probably work into his existing wardrobe. The Walrus combines a brutalist orange leather upper with a hot pink contrast on a mostly white sole, giving it a futuristic appeal with enough pop to break necks on the sidewalk.

Balenciaga was making heat long before Vetements’ designer Demna Gvasalia replaced Alexander Wang as the label’s head designer. This sock-like trainer channels the no-nonsense approach of similar sneakers from adidas and Nike, but ups the ante with a subtly branded upper and textured sole. The strong tech-ninja vibes are a plus.

Valentino’s studded running sneakers have become something of a street style staple. The camo star rendition is a particular standout, combining a wild pop of pattern with bright red contrasts on the heel counter and hits of shiny laminated leather. It’s certainly a step-up from other run-of-the-mill runners.

Though lauded designer Hedi Slimane left the label last year, plenty of his design sensibilities live on at Saint Laurent Paris, now under the helm of Anthony Vaccarello. These simple canvas-and-leather kicks channel the “written-on” shoe trend of 2017, but the execution is ingenious, making the “Saint Laurent” branding appear scrawled on. The large brand name is an instant flex over the crush of plain white kicks on the sidewalk.

Part of the groundbreaking collaboration revealed at Paris Fashion Week, Supreme and Louis Vuitton's capsule collection includes several pair of sneakers, with the chunky-soled white versions getting a lot of attention. Combining Louis Vuitton designer Kim Jones' penchant for boundary-pushing-yet-minimal design (you can't say they don't look a bit orthopedic—in a good way), with Supreme's bold red LV monogram hits on the upper, we can expect these to fly off the shelves faster than say, the nearly $60,000 Supreme x LV trunk.

Fear of God designer Jerry Lorenzo’s first sneaker design was already hard to get when it first debuted in 2016, but a slew of new colorways for 2017 keep the high-end kicks in the conversation. The Italian-made trainers represent a fusion of Lorenzo’s biggest inspirations, covetable sportswear, exaggerated military gear (check the ripple sole), and artfully-considered proportions. The ratio of high-top upper to chunky substantial sole is a deliberate way of channeling the oversized appeal of his clothes.

Fashion legend Raf Simons continues his collaboration with adidas, soon to come is this pair of Ozweego 2s, a silhouette he often revisits. This beefy pair is the type of sneaker DJ Khaled would dub “war-ready.”

A more daring stand-in for your basic black minimal kicks, Lanvin menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver interprets the pre-customized sneaker trend with a pair of pared-back calfskin derby sneakers with an all-over graffiti print on the sole. The juxtaposition adds a high-low appeal to the luxurious leather shoes.

Jun Takahashi of UNDERCOVER teams up with Vans to quietly reinterpret the Era silhouette, adding in lyrics of British rock band Temples’ “Shelter Song” on three solid colorways. In addition, Takahashi reworks the classic Old Skool with an all-over print floral motif, offering something for the minimalist and maximalist alike.

Teddy Santis’ Aime Leon Dore label is only a few years old, but it’s evolved quickly into a full-on lifestyle collection, including a few pairs of clean, accessibly-priced designer kicks. The Q44 takes cues from some of Santis’ favorite trainers, fusing the spirit of the Air Force 1 and Air Jordan 1 into a minimal, unbranded suede upper on a cemented rubber sole. The cow lining on the inside keeps the luxurious vibe of the shoes intact.

Most of the knowledge about this shoe exists as Instagram speculation, but we’re waiting with bated breath for more information on this super-hyped shoe. Mixing in Off-White designer Virgil Abloh’s cheeky sensibility with a low-top black AF1, the shoes feature typeface graphics nothing the shoe’s copyright date and “LEFT” and “RIGHT” notations under the Nike logo on the tongues.

Now that you've seen the styles, learn how to walk the walk by checking out this trailer for John Wick: Chapter 2 below.