Image via Complex Original
11.
Sneaker collaborations have been a fixture of the scene for years now, but in 2019 they feel more important than ever. These days, brands are using using Fashion Week events to roll out their latest collabs, while designers of all levels are getting shots at high-profile projects—and the shoes are still among the most coveted on the resale market. Whether it’s the latest Off-White drop from Virgil Abloh or Cactus Plant Flea Market’s whimsical take on the Air VaporMax, the first half of the year has already brought us a number of releases worth discussing. Here are the best sneaker collabs of 2019 (so far). —Riley Jones
10.Nike Air Fear of God 1 ‘Sail’
Jerry Lorenzo’s Nike Air Fear of God collection is different than most collaborative efforts, as the Chicago native had the opportunity to design his own original silhouettes rather than just new colorways of existing models. Late last year, Lorenzo debuted his Nike Air Fear of God 1 in a simple color scheme that highlighted the shape and premium tooling of the new design. And in 2019, we have seen the designer unveil a trio of FOG 1 colorways, including the “Sail” variety featured here. The all-green and all-orange variations may demand the most attention, but this nod to the ever-popular white-on-white summer color scheme is the most wearable of the bunch. —Ben Felderstein
9.Bodega x New Balance 997S ‘No Days Off’
Boston boutique Bodega and New Balance have a strong resume together and a knack for producing some of the more consistent collaborations in the space. This year’s “No Days Off” 997S was no exception, and may be one of the best executions of the modernized model yet. Designed to be used and abused rather than sit pretty in their box, the sneakers feature premium mismatched panels and are packed with details, including three sets of laces. —Riley Jones
8.Clot x Nike Air Max 97/Haven
I’ve had this weird fasincation with Edison Chen being a streetwear superstar since the 2000s. I’ve never seen any of his movies, listened to his music, or any of that, but I knew he was a big deal in Asia, even if he’s from Canada. He’s also probably the only streetwear collaboration guru ever to have a public sex tape. Shout out, come on the show. His brand, Clot, has also made some great shoes over the years, like the see-through Air Max 1s. This year, they got to work on three colorways of a new hybrid shoe, which meshed the upper from the Nike Zoom Haven—a really ugly crosstrainer—and the Air Max 97. Neymar Jr. even debuted them. I don’t own any yet, but Joe La Puma got them and told me they’re gonna look great beat up. I’ll take his word on that. —Matt Welty
7.Gyakusou x Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35 Turbo
Known more for its performance running shoes than the fan-favorite lifestyle creations from parent brand Undercover, Jun Takahashi’s Gyakusou line has a dedicated cult following, and for good reason. This sneaker, a reimagination of the standard Zoom Pegasus 35 Turbo, features a unique design with new materials and a toggle lacing system that separate it from the general releases. There’s also the colorways, both of which blend shades of black, burgundy, green, and yellow in two very different ways. With pairs still available at select spots and a sub-retail resale value as of the time of writing, this is a contender for the best sleeper collab of the year. —Riley Jones
6.Off-White x Nike Zoom Terra Kiger 5
Fans of Virgil Abloh’s ongoing Nike collaborations have been clamoring for something new, and they finally got it in the form of a rugged and remixed trail runner that was inspired by track and field athletes. Despite not making total sense, all that really matters is that it’s a new collaborative Off-White design outside of the original “The Ten” silhouettes. Traits of the earlier shoes are still here, such as the inside-out detailing, text-covered medial panels, and signature zip-ties, but the model itself was an unexpected twist. It’s another in a growing list of women’s releases that have men sizing up to get in on the action. —Zac Dubasik
5.Overkill x Adidas ZX 10000 'I Can If I Want'
I wore this sneaker collaboration two times on Full Size Run last season—not because I was trying to repeat sneakers, but there’s more than one way to wear the “I Can If I Want” Overkill x Adidas ZX 10000. The project was sold with three shoes in a box: two green colorwayed shoes and one blue and yellow shoe. You could wear them mismatched, with just the green, or even wear just one shoe and walk around halfway barefoot. Or you could go on a quest and find the other blue sneaker and wear the rarest of rare pairs. That’s how I did it. (Shoutout to the plug.) The ZX 10000 model was based off the brand’s running series from 1989 that only went up to ZX 9000. They brought in the original designer, Jacques Chassaing, and let him imagine what could have been, and he did a great job. These also only released in Berlin at Overkill, and big names like Ronnie Fieg and Sean Wotherspoon were sweating them beforehand. All in all, a good shoe from Adidas and not the expected hype bullshit. —Matt Welty
4.Undercover x Nike Daybreak
Undercover made a name for itself in the sneaker world with bold, often experimental Nike collabs like the Element React 87 and Jun Takahashi’s numerous Gyakusou running designs. But this season, the influential Japanese brand dialed things down with a more reserved (yet still polarizing) makeup in the form of the retro Daybreak runner—a model that originally released in 1979. The collaboration is highlighted by a three-dimensional heel counter that aggressively extends off the back of the shoe, like a darker, less playful counterpart to Sacai’s multi-layered LDWaffle. —Riley Jones.
3.Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike Air VaporMax 2019
Unlike many of her contemporaries, Cactus Plant Flea Market designer Cynthia Lu doesn’t aspire to be the story herself. The longtime Pharrell Williams associate instead lets her work do the talking, and this Nike VaporMax collaboration is instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with the brand as a CPFM creation. Details like shoe’s three-dimensional prints stayed true to her signature aesthetic and offered a taste of the under-the-radar line’s look to a much wider audience. The sneaker was also notable for being one of a handful women’s releases in 2019 that were coveted by fans regardless of their gender. —Zac Dubasik
2.Sacai x Nike LDWaffle
I love a 1970s runner. Nike might not be my favorite brand, but the company’s shoes from the era of waffle soles are great. They’re also massively underrated and not the usual suspects when it comes to buzzworthy collaborations. That’s why Sacai’s take on the LDV, one of Nike’s early running sneakers, is so good. But it’s not just a color-up-and-call-it-a-day job. They included two tongues, two Swooshes, two soles, and two laces. This is Noah’s Ark’s reinterpretation of a sneaker. There were even two colorways of the shoe. Brendan Dunne told me it’s a “true Gemini sneaker.” I think that’s because he hates Jesus. So let’s keep it biblical. If neither the stars nor The Word are your thing, good sneakers are good sneakers, as we always say. Sacai x Nike gets that nod. The shoe even had two release dates—its first one, which was scrapped, and the official release date. In the almighty words of Buggin Out from Do the Right Thing, “I'll fuck you up two times quick” to get my hands on a pair. —Matt Welty
1.Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1
Getting to collaborate on the Air Jordan 1 is the pinnacle of sneaker design. Prestigious names likes Virgil Abloh, Dave White, and Union Los Angeles have had this honor in the past, and this year it was bestowed upon Travis Scott. La Flame took the opportunity and truly ran with it, reversing the icon’s midfoot Swoosh, adding a stash pocket around its collar, and carefully placing numerous hits of his Cactus Jack branding throughout the shoe. Due to the acclaim Scott has garnered from his music and past sneaker collabs, the SNKRS release of his Jordan 1 became a viral moment that reached far beyond the typical sneakerhead. —Ben Felderstein