There was no shortage of sneakers worthy of a list like this one in 2023. As we take stock of the last 12 months, we see an industry that’s shaken some of its predictability, trading the status quo for a greater range of designs and collaborations. Complex connected with Klarna to compile a list of the 25 best sneakers released this year. Among them are reimagined classics, exclusives that until now had never seen a wider release, and a few surprises. You can pick up each pair on the list with Klarna, which lets you pay 25% upfront and 25% more every two weeks. Shop—and look—like a VIP with Klarna.
Jarritos x Nike SB Dunk
PRICE: $809
Or 4 interest-free payments of $202.25 with Klarna
The Dunk hype has subsided, but Nike and its skate division continue to deliver sought-after colorways. In Nike’s latest collaboration with a major food brand, the tan hemp and green textile materials that cover the Swooshes can be removed to display the orange beneath them.
Jae Tips x Saucony Grid Azura 2000
PRICE: $420
Or 4 interest-free payments of $105 with Klarna
On paper, a shoe with this many colors on it might not work. But in practice, at least in this instance, it does. Jae Tips’ Saucony collab may not be for everyone, but everyone will remember it.
Corteiz x Nike Air Max 95
PRICE: $685
Or 4 interest-free payments of $171.25 with Klarna
When it came time to drop its Air Max 95 collab, rather than sending fans to their phones, Corteiz commanded them to the streets of London, Paris, and New York, where they were instructed further before they could claim a pair of sneakers. Each colorway (grey and pink for NYC, olive green and black for London, grey and blue for Paris) features design flourishes, including a fence-like overlay on one panel of its upper, putting the enigmatic British streetwear brand’s stamp on a classic silhouette.
Air Jordan 3 ‘White Cement Reimagined’
PRICE: $409
Or 4 interest-free payments of $102.25 with Klarna
It’s hard to go wrong with a Jordan 3, which is partly why the model continues to return in classic colorways. This one is best remembered for Michael Jordan’s 1988 Slam Dunk Contest win; it also features the Nike Air logo on the heel, which no one will ever be mad at, and distressed elements that give it a vintage sheen (without making you question whether the shoes can survive regular wear).
Nike SB x Air Jordan 4
PRICE: $469
Or 4 interest-free payments of $117.25 with Klarna
Skateboarders have worn Air Jordans since the first ones were released, but this model, like the handful of SB x Jordan releases that preceded it, is better suited to griptape than hardwood. The SBs retain the hallmarks of the 4 but include features like a more flexible upper and adjusted toebox. It might hurt to imagine skaters gleefully sliding collectible sneakers up and down 32 inches of sandpaper, but that’s exactly what they were made for.
Undefeated x Nike Air Terra Humara
PRICE: $262.93
Or 4 interest-free payments of $65.73 with Klarna
You’d be forgiven for confusing the Air Terra Humara for an ACG. The trail runner, originally released in 1997, looks like that kind of silhouette. Undefeated, the legendary West Coast sneaker boutique, gave it speckled midsoles and prominent logo hits, refreshing the model without altering its DNA.
Nike Air Zoom Vomero 5 ‘Doernbecher’
PRICE: $630
Or 4 interest-free payments of $157.50 with Klarna
Something separates the Vomero 5 from the silhouettes that induce hype among collectors: Rather than the ’80s or ’90s, it was introduced in 2011. While it arrived in a range of colorways this year, the Doernbecher was the most notable—and certainly made for the biggest release.
Wales Bonner x Adidas Samba ‘Silver’
PRICE: $510
Or 4 interest-free payments of $127.50 with Klarna
The Adidas Samba is everywhere. And while its ubiquity might put some off, releases like this one from Wales Bonner prove that it has life in it yet. The chrome upper and stitched stripes are a good look for the classic silhouette.
Action Bronson x New Balance 990v6 ‘Baklava’
PRICE: $560
Or 4 interest-free payments of $140 with Klarna
Action Bronson’s New Balance debut was a long time coming. Complete with pink laces, the colorway pays homage to pistachios on baklava. The sneaker is polarizing, but Bronson likens it to a work of art. Whatever your feelings, Bronson is an NB diehard, and the shoe stands out.
A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 5 ‘Dusk’
PRICE: $440
Or 4 interest-free payments of $110 with Klarna
A Ma Maniére’s take on the Jordan 5 arrived last month in two colorways, “‘Dusk” and "Dawn.” Store founder James Whitaker says both owe to the Black experience in America. The “Dusk” features a custom, pre-aged mid-panel with A Ma Maniére’s “A” logo across it, along with a tinted, translucent outsole designed for the same effect.
Terror Squad x Nike Air Force 1 ‘Blackout’
PRICE: $209
Or 4 interest-free payments of $52.25 with Klarna
It’s been decades since Fat Joe and his circle first brought out the Terror Squad Air Force 1, a friends-and-family sneaker from Nike that was almost impossible for anyone else to get. This year, though, the shoes saw a proper release in two colorways (though a third stayed F&F), including this one—a classic black-and-white combination for a canonical silhouette.
Tiffany x Nike Air Force 1
PRICE: $2,340
Or 4 interest-free payments of $585 with Klarna
Colorways don’t come much simpler than a turquoise Swoosh over a black upper. This Air Force 1, which immediately calls to mind the 2005 Tiffany Dunk and its follow-ups, left some perplexed and others disappointed, but the minimalist, premium model was plastered across the timeline and still stands to break necks—even if some of those owe to headshakes.
Asics Gel-1130 ‘Kale Green’
PRICE: $180
Or 4 interest-free payments of $45 with Klarna
Mesh runners were inescapable this year, a trend propelled in part by Asics and its expansive list of colorways and collaborations. While hardly the most hyped sneakers the brand released, these Gel-1130s checked a lot of boxes and months after their release remain simple and wearable.
JJJJound x New Balance 2002R ‘Storm Blue’
PRICE: $315
Or 4 interest-free payments of $78.75 with Klarna
Justin Saunders and his Montreal design studio, JJJJound, are renowned for adding subtle, functional flourishes to wardrobe essentials. In their latest collaboration with New Balance, they dressed the 2002R in premium grey suede with navy panels. It’s no doubt a JJJJound design—the tongue bears the studio’s typeface—but it’s no less a New Balance for it.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low 'Olive'
PRICE: $603
Or 4 interest-free payments of $150.75 with Klarna
This Air Jordan 1 collaboration is also the only women’s-exclusive model Travis Scott and the brand dropped. The colorway is in line with the rest of his catalog—neutral olive accented by a reverse Swoosh. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a Travis collab, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 860V2
PRICE: $285
Or 4 interest-free payments of $71.25 with Klarna
Teddy Santis’ ALD label and New Balance connected for three 860V2s colorways this year, all of them understated and eminently wearable. The red, blue, and green makeups feature the ALD logo on the footbed. With three more colorways arriving in early 2024, it’s safe to assume that the mesh runner trend still has some miles left in it.
Nike Kobe 6 ‘Reverse Grinch’
PRICE: $735
Or 4 interest-free payments of $183.75 with Klarna
The “Reverse Grinch,” a Kobe 6 colorway that Anthony Davis first showed on a livestream a couple of years ago, gets its name from the original “Grinch” model, which had green as its dominant color. This month, though, it went from a player exclusive to a wider release, allowing Kobe fans to wear another makeup of a shoe that remains an on-court favorite.
‘C-Note’ Concepts x New Balance 998
PRICE: $239
Or 4 interest-free payments of $59.75 with Klarna
2013 was a year of milestones. It marked two decades since the release of the New Balance 998, and it saw an updated $100 bill go into circulation. With both moments in mind, Boston sneaker boutique Concepts and New Balance released a 998 inspired by the color of the then-new piece of American currency. Ten years on, the sneaker came back via a re-release faithful to the original.
Aminé x New Balance 610T ‘The Mooz’
PRICE: $419
Or 4 interest-free payments of $104.75 with Klarna
Portland rapper Aminé delivered two collaborations with New Balance this year. The first of them was a yellow-heavy take on the 610T—a colorway owing to his love of bananas. The sneakers also came in a crate-inspired box, carrying the theme to its logical conclusion and cementing a memorable release for the one-time Complex intern.
Gallery Dept. x Asics GT-2160
PRICE: $672.30
Or 4 interest-free payments of $168.07 with Klarna
Gallery Dept. has put its stamp on Asics models before, including the Gel-1130 and Gel-Lyte V. But the GT-2160 collab, a ComplexCon exclusive, upped the ante by dressing the hyped mesh runner in blue and silver and dotting it with multicolored faux paint drops. The frenzied reaction on the showroom floor told the tale.
Air Jordan 1 ‘Black/White’
PRICE: $314
Or 4 interest-free payments of $78.50 with Klarna
The Air Jordan 1 has appeared in every conceivable colorway, some of them regrettable. But this black-and-white makeup is an easy wear and should stay that way for a minute (even if, yeah, it feels “Panda”-adjacent).
Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike Air Flea 2
PRICE: $460
Or 4 interest-free payments of $115 with Klarna
With its chunky, wrapped midsole and exaggerated Swoosh, Cactus Plant Flea Market’s latest Nike collab isn’t for everyone. But judging by the response it received when it first leaked, plenty of people are on board. And based on the prices it’s commanding at resale, that seems unlikely to change.
Patta x FC Barcelona x Nike Air Max Plus
PRICE: $420
Or 4 interest-free payments of $105 with Klarna
Air Max Plus collaborations are rare, so any special edition that does surface instantly grabs the attention of the shoe’s cult fanbase. This year, Patta, the Dutch sneaker store, linked with FC Barcelona to debut a model of its own. The result—a version wearing the fuchsia and blue colors of the football club’s jersey—was met with immediate acclaim.
Born x Raised x Nike SB Dunk Low
PRICE: $725
Or 4 interest-free payments of $181.25 with Klarna
Chris “Spanto” Printup started Born x Raised to pay tribute to his hometown, Los Angeles. Following Spanto’s death in late June, the brand’s Dunk collaboration took on added resonance, with its blue-and-white color-blocking and text on its toes, the Born x Raised motto, seemingly paying tribute to him: “One block at a time.”
Air Jordan 11 ‘Gratitude’
PRICE: $350
Or 4 interest-free payments of $87.50 with Klarna
In 2006, Jordan released a “Defining Moments Pack” that featured what was essentially a “Concord” 11 with a gold accent. Pandemonium ensued. That shoe isn’t likely to come back, but this version of the 11 is a reasonable copy of it and recalls the type of sneaker moment we might never experience again.
