Which are the models that shaped the sneaker scene as we know it? Complex captures that timeline from 1985 to present day in Sneaker of the Year: The Best Since ’85, a new book releasing in October 2020 that examines the single best shoe from every year for the past 35 years.
The book, created in partnership with Abrams Image, features interviews with designers of these iconic silhouettes, insights from the people who helped make them famous, and photography straight from the in-house archives at brands like Nike and Reebok.
It explains, from the Air Jordan 1 to the Reebok Instapump Fury and beyond, the path sneakers take to become cultural icons. What is the impact of Allen Iverson's Reebok signature series? The NBA legend himself traces that in these pages. How did Kobe Bryant’s models change the game? Nike design veteran Eric Avar has the answers. What makes Virgil Abloh’s Air Jordans so good? Chicago creative maven Don C will tell you here.
Sneaker of the Year is available for pre-order now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indie Bound.
