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Every pair of sneakers is a statement of identity, so a sneakerhead's footwear choice says, "This is who I am." And sometimes that person just wants to floss. Wear a pair of Yeezys or limited-edition LeBrons scream MONEY! They don't scream money as directly as some pairs. Some pairs take their design inspiration directly from the idea of money: currency, exchange, and market value. If you want to wear your money on your feet, sometimes the best thing to do is wear something that looks like money.
We put together a list of some of the most brash, bold, and classic executions of sneakers directly inspired by cold hard cash. Some may be more sophisticated than others, but they've all got money on the mind. Check out Dollar, Dollar Bill Y'all: The 10 Best Money-Inspired Sneakers.
Jeremy Scott Wings 2.0 “Money”
Released: 2013
Jeremy Scott’s sneakers are polarizing and have been adopted only by those who want to make a bold statement. And the JS Wings 2.0 “Money” did just that. Using an upper comprised entirely of a dollar bill print (replacing Washington’s bust with a drawing of Jeremy Scott), the shoes look like they’re made exclusively out of currency paper mache. A beige sole gives some visual relief. These popped onto the market and were quickly scooped up by those with the balls to rock them, and the rest used those wings to fly off on their own. Too swaggy for this world.
Nike KD7 "Easy Money"
Released: 2014 (September)
One of Kevin Durant’s nicknames is “Easy Money,” and Nike finally found is appropriate to design a sneaker after this nickname—reserving it for the seventh iteration of KD’s signature shoe. Taking visual cues from Benjamin Fraklin’s $100 bill (this is a popular theme), the shoe features a green and beige upper. Most surprisingly, the complex line graphics, signature to American currency, are drawn onto the firm plastic heel portion of the shoe, making for an intricate and elegant look. These aren't set to release until September 10, though. So, put the Benjis back in your wallet.
Nike Air Trainer 1 PRM QS “Paid In Full”
Released: 2014
Most of the money inspired shoes on this list came from special or limited projects with brands that have made subtle design references to money. But the Paid In Full Air Trainer 1s from this year were anything but subtle. Utilizing a mostly black leather upper, the toe wrap, heel wrap, and strap on the Paid In Full AT1s had a straight up dollar print pasted right on them. To push it home, “ONE” was printed in gold on the strap in the same typeface as the single dollar bill. To say these shoes are “money inspired” would be like saying Kanye wanted “a hit of red” on the Red Octobers.
Nike Dunk SB "Money Cat"
Released: 2007
The "Money Cat Dunk" pack is named after Maneki-neko, or “beckoning cat,” a popular figurine in Japanese stores, and increasingly in Chinese stores. The Money Cat has its hand up in a gesture meant to encourage customers into a store to spend money, and on some versions the cat even waives the customer in. They’re believed to bring good luck, increased business, and more money to any establishment that houses them. Nike’s SB program made three different pairs of SB Dunks inspired by money cats: a low in gold and red, a mid in black gold and red, and a high in white gold and red with hits of green. All those colors are traditional of the Maneki-neko, but the gold is supposed to attract the most fortune. So, if you wanna get that money up, get your luck up and grab some gold.
Jeremy Scott x adidas Forum Mid “Money”
Released: 2002
Jeremy Scott thought that dollar print with his face on it was so nice he used it twice. Over a decade ago, JS put together a version of the Forum Mid using that dollar print. Adidas only made 100 pairs of the shoe which was fitting, considering that the Forum Mid was the first basketball sneaker to break the $100 barrier. 100 pairs, $100, and an upper filled with images of cash. A very meta collection of references for a very crazy shoe.
WishATL x adidas SL Loop Runner “Independent Currency”
Released: 2014
It's not every day a money inspired shoe gets deeper than the cash, but when WishATL was putting together their SL Loop Runner with adidas, they wanted to tell more of a story. The upper is comprised almost exclusively of a $2 bill print, with some off-white and green suede. But, they chose the $2 bill because the reverse side of the bill portrays the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The $2 is kind of hard to come by, but the image is an inspiring one—something that might have been better suited for a more popularly used bill. It was the perfect way to celebrate the sneaker's release on July 4.
CNCPTS x New Balance 998 "Mint"
Released: 2013
Quickly after the wide release of the Concepts x New Balance 998 C-Notes came a pair called the 998 “Mint.” They were light green, with hits of copper and an insole with graphic elements seen on American paper currency. Most people called these “Mints” thinking it was a reference to their color, but it was actually a reference to the U.S. Mint where money is printed. Between dollars and cents, two of the most recognizable colors in the money we use are that green paper and the copper off pennies. Since this pair looked like a dollar bill, the color inspiration was much clearer to most people, but Concepts released far fewer pairs. Just like getting that paper, you had to either work hard, have that connect, or just get really lucky.
Nike Air Foamposite One "Copper"
Released: 2010
The Nike Air Foamposite One "Copper" are easily one of the most recognizable Foams to ever be released. Since they hit the market, they have been a marker for sneakerheads who take their Foamposite game very, very seriously. The "Coppers" appreciated in value to a significant enough degree that to wear these kicks means you have serious cash (or very good friends). The Foamposite was released as Penny Hardaway's signature sneaker, so it was fitting for Nike to outfit a pair in copper, the same material minted into pennies.
Concepts x New Balance 998 "C-Note"
Released: 2013
The U.S. Treasury is constantly reinventing our currency to stay ahead of forgeries, and they just released a redesigned the c-note, the $100, last summer. To celebrate the occasion, Concepts paired up with New Balance to design a 998 inspired by the new $100 bill, calling them the “C-Note." The paper white base included hits of brown, blue, and peach, just like the newest hundo. Although the color inspiration is there, you might have to squint to see the direct correlation between a crisp bill and a crispy kick, but even if you can't: The C-Notes were very, very clean.
Futura x Nike Dunk SB "FLOM"
Back in 2005, Futura paired up with Nike SB to release only 24 pairs of the “FLOM” Dunks, or “For Love Or Money.” The phrase “For Love Or Money” has been tossed around since the 1963 movie starring Kirk Douglas, but the question is one that has confounded thinkers from Williams Shakespeare to Kanye West. The hyper-limited release was a flash in pan since almost everyone missed it, but for those two dozen who got lucky got to floss in their FLOMs with a deep brown leather and currency-printed upper. That print featured paper money form all around the world, highlighting the universality of that timeless question.