NIKEiD customization isn't exactly a job in design, but it's probably the next best thing. At a time when the market is being flooded with hundreds of thousands of the same pair of sneakers, the platform enables users to express their personal taste with a one-of-one colorway.
There's a lot of fun to be had with iD, but putting together the right schemes and blocking is an actual skill. A regular feature here at Sole Collector is our NIKEiD Spotlights, in which we highlight the best designs being shared on Instagram. While putting those together, we've taken notice of a few designers who are particularly good at coloring up kicks, and the ten best are listed below.
custom_carl
How good are Carl's designs? Sneakerheads and athletes actually reach out to him to have pairs made. Sometimes he even adds custom details on his own, hence the nickname. In between orders, he posts a ton of mockups if you're ever looking for inspiration.
frankicks
The Frankicks feed is essentially a dedicated, daily look at his sneaker rotation. That rotation often includes NIKEiD designs, beautifully shot from all angles. Also factoring in variety, following this page is an absolute no-brainer.
gb_the-time-traveler
It's not that GB only makes Air Force 1 Highs, but he absolutely kills it anytime he does. There's the occasional Air Max and Huarache in the mix, but his consistency on the AF1 is second-to-none.
heskicks
When he's not manning the turntables, DJ Hes is spinning some of the most impressive NIKEiD designs online. Hes tends to focus on themes that represent his own interests, especially his love for the Oregon State Beavers. One thing that separates him from everyone else is that he holds NIKEiD design contests for his followers, rewarding them with their very own pairs.
Hypebeast_pat
Pat calls himself Hypebeast, but he's all about buying what he likes. What he likes is being able to make his own shoes on NIKEiD — there may not be anyone who enjoys the process more. In fact, he'll be getting married in a pair of Air Force 1s that he co-designed with his fiance next month.
maallymall
If you're a fan of the on-foot look, Maally's page is the one you should be following. Not only is he going to give you consistent designs, but he's going got the matching socks, high-quality photos and shots from every angle.
p_pumper
Panama dabbles in a little bit of everything, but his specialty is the Nike LeBron line. What makes his collection really unique is that he applies his concepts to each model that releases, creating mini series within the bunch. Beyond the concepts, his strength is the execution—he's a master in blocking.
purz75
You probably recognize the leg tats from Purz's multitude of features on Instagram shoutout pages. He has fun with every design, seemingly favoring vibrant, outrageous colorways. Then, he makes them look like a million bucks with outstanding on-foot photos.
Regularolty
Older heads remember RegularOlTy as one of the first sneakerheads to post high-quality #WDYWT photos on forums. He also happens to be a great NIKEiD designer, typically applying his concepts to the Air Force 1. His feed is full of colorways that sneakerheads probably wish would release.
zadehkicks
Anytime a model hits NIKEiD, Zadeh will be the first or among the first to receive a finished pair. He uses his Instagram page to help run his sneaker business, while also showing off a steady run of top-notch iD designs.
