The Best Kith Sneaker Collaborations

Image via Complex Original

Ronnie Fieg had quite the footwear resume under his belt by the time he collaborated with Nike in 2017, and that first project was delivered in grand style. A capsule collection that focused on two models made famous by NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen was launched via a short film entitled "Take Flight” on Pippen’s 52nd birthday. It featured the Air Pippen 1 (including an exotic animal print variation) as well as a reworked version of the Air Maestro 2 An all-red edition—a nod to the one Pippen wore in the 1994 NBA All-Star game—was included, but the all-purple colorway stole the show. The shoe, based on the colors of Pippen’s alma mater, Central Arkansas, may not have the resale value of some of the more hyped releases, but the storytelling made it a memorable and worthy entrant into the Kith archive. —Zac Dubasik

Fieg says: "A completely reworked upper of my own design paired with the tooling and inspiration off the original Maestro II, worn by Pippen before he received his first signature shoe. Words can't describe what this project means to myself and the set." (Instagram, September 2017)

Centered around the use of color by members of Fieg's community, his New Balance 1700 "Colorist" collaboration is up there among his finest work with the brand. It came in two variations; a predominantly light blue pair with a pink toe and a more multicolored-leaning version (featured here). While both pairs were great, it's the "Blue Toe" version that really stood out thanks to Fieg's use of color blocking and material selection. Like its counterpart, this iteration mixed 10 different colors across a pigskin suede upper that let its rich pink and blues really stand out. Throw in a dash of yellow near the toebox and premium made-in-USA construction on a relatively slept-on New Balance model, and you've got one of Fieg's best. —Riley Jones

Fieg says: "I have always been obsessed with color and visuals since I was a kid. After building Kith for 9 years, I think the palette has always been at the front of my mind for what we look and feel like as a brand. That’s why I consider myself a colorist. And that mentality is the basis of this campaign, where we identified creatives in other professions who are incredible colors in their space." (kith.com, January 2020)

For years, Fieg’s “Super Green” Asics Gel-Lyte 3 was nearly mythical. During the shoe’s first run in 2013, the designer created 300 pairs to benefit the Soles4Souls charity and sent former Kith and Complex employee Pete Forester to Haiti, where he hand-delivered the sneakers to those who needed them most. Inspired by one of Soles4Souls’ T-shirt designs, the “Super Green” colorway used an alluring mix of grey suede and nubuck with a bright green accent on Asics’ crossed stripes logo. If the story ended there, it would be an excellent shoe created for an even better cause, but Fieg wouldn’t keep his devotees waiting long. Released in 2016 to mark 10 years of Fieg’s work on the Gel-Lyte 3 silhouette along with Kith’s five-year anniversary, the “Super Green” colorway received a truly premium treatment. The 2016 public release was produced in Japan to ensure the utmost quality⁠—“Even better than how it originally was,” in Fieg’s own words. 700 pairs of this updated version were released alongside a matching Gel-Lyte 3.1. —Riley Jones

Fieg says: "Originally created as a charity effort to support impoverished Haitian youth, then selectively given to employees of the brand as a sign of membership, this shoe had become something bigger. So after much deliberation, I decided that the only way it made sense to release them was to do it in the best way possible. That is why I decided to have these pairs handmade in Japan. The craftsmanship in Japan is unmatched globally, and I knew they could deliver the highest quality production Gel Lyte 3 ever. To be able to let people experience this shoe in the best way possible, even better than how it originally was, makes me very happy." (ronniefieg.com, May 2016)

The “Fiegsta” Bape collection is a great example of Kith doing what it does best when it comes to collabs—elevating a model we all know and love with old-fashioned good taste. The Bapesta rose to prominence in the mid-2000s by being a loud, unapologetic, and high-priced homage to the Nike Air Force 1. But rather than being utilizing patent leather, reptile skin, or camo prints—elements that would be perfectly acceptable on a pair of Bapestas even in 2016, Fieg cooked up two colorways that were so good because of their subtlety. The white-on-white is a no-brainer when it comes to any Air Force 1 tribute, but the suede pair was the standout. The “Fieg” logo flip was another subtle touch that tied the whole project together. —Zac Dubasik

Fieg says: "Nigo changed the game forever. The respect I have for this man is unmatched." (Instagram, October 2014)

The United Arrows x New Balance 997.5 was a collaboration from the Japanese retailer that originally released back in 2009 as a Japan exclusive. While New Balances received much more attention from Japanese collectors at the time, this rare grey, pink, and purple iteration of the retro runner achieved cult classic status stateside as well, thanks to Kanye West. Always a trendsetter, this was just another of the countless examples of him catapulting an item to popularity in the style world, after being spotted wearing these multiple times that year. Since then, it has been a coveted pair from NB’s extensive catalog of collaborations with one of its biggest fans being Fieg, who calls the particular 997.5 one of his favorite New Balances ever. To celebrate its legacy, the Kith founder brought back a near identical version of the 997 OG in collaboration with the original creator in November 2018. It came alongside modern flips of the colorway on the 997S and 997S Fusion, as well as an accompanying trio inspired by the Nonnative’s ‘Dune’ 997.5 from 2012 that Fieg was also fond of. But the best of the bunch had to be this Kanye-approved option. —​Mike DeStefano

 Fieg says: "This is my best work with New Balance. 6 of my 18 New Balance shoes and they are the 6 best to date. So thankful to New Balance for trusting me in launching the 997 Sport and for being a really great partner through the years, United Arrows & Sons and Nonnative for the creative freedom and their trust in letting me create new products using their grails as inspiration. This collection will age well." (Instagram, November 2018)

Kith is mostly known for its flagship store in Manhattan these days, but when it launched in 2011 it was based only in Brooklyn. In November of that year, Kith opened a store adjacent to Atrium near SoHo and launched the "Leatherback" Asics Gel-Lyte 3 for the occasion. The shoe itself is beautiful. It features a black leather back (as the name suggests), grey nubuck on the toe, and was accented by light blue piping. The first photo of the shoe simply said, "Kith," on Fieg's blog. 40 pairs came in wooden boxes, and the rest were sold in regular boxes. There was a line in the cold weather for the shoes. The nostalgia remains strong for this sneaker, with pairs still selling for over $800. —Matt Welty

Fieg says: "Friday was a special for myself and the Kith team. We opened our Manhattan location and to celebrate we released the Leatherback Asics Gel Lyte 3. The lineup was crazy and kids waited from Monday to Friday in cold weather to get their hands on the collector’s edition wooden box that came with a Kith T shirt and wooden dog tags." (ronniefieg.com, November 2011)

Making people care about obscure sneakers by updating them with premium materials in good colorways is what Ronnie Fieg does best. Fieg cut his teeth on the Gel Lyte 3, but some of his best work comes on a lesser known Asics shoe, the GT 2. His first collaboration on the shoe, released in 2012, came just as the rose gold trend was hitting and featured a pigskin upper in a pinkish colorway. This was coming off the heels of shoes like the “Salmon Toe,” so, needless to say, there was a built-in fervor for them. But sometimes a beautiful shoe is just a beautiful shoe, no backstory needed. And these are them. Fieg would later revisit the colorway on a Gel Lyte V in 2014. —Matt Welty

Fieg says: "Good things take time. The 'Rose Gold' GT 2 was a shoe that went back and forth for almost two years until I was able to find what I think is an amazing color and fabric combination. Inspiration is truly everywhere, this shoe was inspired by an old photo I shot awhile back and it’s been incredible seeing it come into fruition." (ronniefieg.com, February 2012)

Ronnie Fieg had a buzz building in 2010. He had emerged as a tastemaker at New York shoe store David Z., where he'd started as a stock boy at age 13. He'd convinced Asics to let him rework the Gel-Lyte 3, a heritage retro model that didn't enjoy too big a following in the U.S. back then, on several occasions. The peak of that pre-Kith output is this pair, which established his tonal takes on the retro runner that focused on premium materials and colorway storytelling. The "Cove" was born from a Fieg trip to the resort of the same name in the Bahamas in 2010 and perfectly captured the crystalline aquatics of its source. It was one of the early instances of the designer really establishing a storyline around a sneaker, inviting his followers into his process in order to better endear them to the end result. Many projects with a similar equation followed, but none matched the elemental richness and plain depth of the "Cove." —​Brendan Dunne

Fieg says: "Six months ago I went down to the Bahamas and I took a picture that you might remember. It was taken at The Cove, a prestige resort located in The Atlantis Bahamas. The trip took place right after the holiday season and I was able to clear my head and soak in the scenery. It was necessary for me to express the amazing visuals through my favorite silhouette and share it with the world. A few months ago I set up the photo shoot in Aruba with Colombian model Soraya Yd and this was all shot with my father’s 26-year-old film Nikon FG. I was able to capture the same scenery on a private beach with amazing waters. Those close to me can tell you how long I’ve been excited about this project, my favorite Gel Lyte 3 I have worked on thus far." (ronniefieg.com, August 2010)

Ronnie Fieg had well-established himself as a top sneaker collaborator by 2018, with his countless Asics and New Balance projects, but it is hard to argue most of them being more monumental than a Nike collab with the biggest athlete on the planet, LeBron James. The partnership was revealed in a memorable way when James closed out Kith’s Spring 2018 presentation at New York Fashion Week with Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “H.A.M.” blasting over the loud speakers and a pair of white LeBron XVs covered in floral embroidery on feet. 

The first chapter of the “Long Live the King” collection arrived in December 2017, highlighted by a blush pink XV altered with gold Riri zippers running down the middle, which was worn by James on-court on Christmas Day. However, the real crowning achievement of the partnership is the more regal second collection. The launch coincided with the grand opening of Kith’s Los Angeles flagship, as well as NBA All-Star Weekend, in February 2018. This collab also can be credited with bringing some eyes back to LeBron's signature line, which had lost juice in prior years with some lackluster offerings. Not only did the “King’s Cloak” LeBron XV stand out for its regal embroidery, Fieg was also able to craft matching off-court versions of the XV with branded straps and a heightened collar, and plenty of apparel to go along with it. To top it off, James captured All-Star Game MVP honors that weekend in a special “Closing Ceremony” colorway, solidifying the partnership as not only a major moment in Fieg’s career, but James’ as well. —​Mike DeStefano

Fieg says: "To me the most important part is the concept behind the project. The concept was LeBron on- and off-court. We started thinking of the concept of LeBron winning on and off the court. LeBron is an idol to many millions, he’s a great role model, he’s an inspiration to many people. So on- and off-court we came up with this theme of a double-sided coin, where he has two faces, there’s his face and the lion’s face. That gave us the push to look at LeBron’s product on and off court. That’s really the concept behind the whole project." (complex.com, December 2017)

This is the pair that started an empire. Yes, Fieg's resume of sneaker collaborations extends back to his 2007 "252 Pack" of Asics from his David Z. days, but the "Salmon Toe" Gel-Lyte 3 marked the dawn of a new era for him and the boutique footwear game in New York City. It was Fieg's first sneaker to release at Kith, his store that grew from one Brooklyn location back in September 2011 to a present-day global chain with outposts in London, Los Angeles, and Miami.

Better than any Fieg shoe before it, the "Salmon Toe" showed Ronnie's ability to create converts—people who weren't necessarily checking for Asics before were lining up on Flatbush to secure a pair. People just becoming aware of Kith immediately believed in the nascent brand because of product like this.

Fieg first created the "Salmon Toe" as a sample years prior to its retail debut, gave away a one-of-one pair in 2010 that inspired a petition calling for its release, and finally dropped it at the opening of Kith Brooklyn a year later. It was a departure from his catalog of Asics at the time, which had recently consisted of tonal creations. Rather than drench the shoe in variations of a hue, he blocked off the toe in a warm pink and hit the side strikes with a crisp white. Fieg's own inner circle was initially skeptical of the shoe, doubting that releasing a pink sneaker would pay off. A decade of dominance later, it looks like Ronnie made the right move. —​Brendan Dunne

Fieg says: "As most know, these started out as a sample from a few years back. I showed some of my closest friends, and they were very skeptical. By skeptical I mean, they thought I was fucking insane for trying to drop, what they thought to be a 'pink' shoe." (ronniefieg.com, September 2011)