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As one of the masterminds behind ALIFE, Jesse Villanueva's downtown NYC — and sneaker — credentials cannot be put into question. Check out Jesse Villanueva's Top 10 Sneakers of 2012 for his retro-rich take on the past year.
10. Vans Sk8-Hi 35th Anniversary "Jazz Stripe"
Jesse says: "A bully at my middle school used to always do these. With some upgrades, this is basically a better shoe for better bullying. White foxing stripe on white foxing. Devil is in the details, or lack thereof."
9. New Balance 998 "Made in USA" Grey/Blue/Red
Jesse says: "You don't need a mustache to look American any longer. Nobody's paying attention to the regular guy. You can get away with shit in these."
8. Vans Syndicate Authentic Dill
Jesse says: "Good to have Dill back and good to have Ave and Dill together again. No more blood on the bathroom wall. You see that chest high 50-50?"
7. Nike AF1 Jewel Midnight Navy/Team Orange NYC Mids
Jesse says: "I'd pick every jewel release from this year, but i'm partial to the NYC. Jewels were my '90s shit. If you didn't wear 'em, you weren't and you aren't that dude, fucko. Really. No, Really."
6. Vans Era Kenzo Red
Jesse says: "Sometimes a shoe may actually be appreciated by a gul, not just 14 to 24-year-old dudes. Ladies luh fishnet. Yeah, I fucks with these."
5. Air Jordan IV Cavs
Jesse says: "The Shot, Craig Ehlo, the jump, the exclamation point; real nostalgia. The colors look a little early-2000 bootleggy, but I kind of like that about them. I would have picked the Breds, but they just came out. Oh and yeah, in a roundabout way, go Knicks."
4. Supreme x Nike Air Force 1 Low
Jesse says: "Olive and gum, ok, thanks, bye. Just a clean release and hopefully has ignited a fire in consumers. I'm literally throwing these down because I love the idea of people cueing up for an Uptown and old dialogs resurfacing."
3. Air Jordan IV "White/Cement"
Jesse says: "I don't really need to say much. I really wish these retro releases would have seen the light of day more sparingly, but what do I know. Big Box Boys getting love and i sound like a broken record. Wear them three years from now."
2. Supreme x Vans Half Cab 20th Anniversary
Jesse says: "If you actually grew up skating in the early 90's, this is an amazing call out to those days. Prototypes and Full Cabs, cut down, and duct tape to seam the collar. Homemade innovation bred from necessity. This shoe signifies a real shift in skateboarding and a push towards the street."
1. Air Jordan I "KO"
Jesse says: "Yeah, it's clean this time. Any problems this go-round?"
