The 10 Best Patent Leather Sneakers

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When the Air Jordan 11 “Concord” debuted on court in 1995, fans couldn’t wait to get their hands on a pair. So when the sneakers finally hit retail a few months later, they were the hottest thing on the street. 

First retroed in 2000 and then again in 2011 and 2018, the Air Jordan 11 Retro “Concord” carries the class of a dress shoe with the swagger of the greatest to ever play the game. The patent leather mudguard is a statement of innovation and risk-taking, forever changing the category and rewriting sneaker history along the way.

The Nike Air Force 1 altered the basketball footwear landscape when it debuted in 1982. By bringing technical solutions to cushioning and composition, Nike established itself as a leader in the industry with this revolutionary model.

By the 2000s, the Nike Air Force 1 occupied a completely different lane as a lifestyle staple. Released in 2001, the Nike Air Force 1 Low “Taiwan” was as flashy and exclusive as it got. Draped in white patent leather and set off by gradient branding and translucent soles, this “Taiwan” re-release from 2018 oozes with nostalgia and “if you know, you know” flair.

For years, the Nike LeBron line struggled to catch on with players on court and consumers off court. Seven shoes in, the brand proved all it needed to do was bring back Air Max and add patent leather to the mix.

This notion is proven on the Nike Air Max LeBron 7 “Dunkman” from 2010. Dripping with patent leather shine on the black mudguard and set off by volt accents on the Air Max sole, this model helped reinvent the LeBron line as a force in the performance space, all while remaining desirable as a collectible.

At the dawn of the new millennium, most brands and hoopers were focused on the future. Nike and Rasheed Wallace on the other hand? They weren’t afraid to zag.

The 2001 Nike Air Force 1 High “Sheed” took a new approach on a classic shoe by updating an archival favorite with the flavor of a modern star. This black patent leather pair is among the best to ever drop, rebranding the Bruce Kilgore design with Rasheed’s shooting silhouette on the heel.

The only way to make patent leather even flashier is by presenting it in gold. In 2018, that’s exactly what Jordan Brand did.

Through the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG NRG “Gold Toe” release, the brand pulled out all the stops on the shoe that started it all. Iconic color blocking provides an homage to the shoe’s hardwood past, while lifestyle shine aims to take on some of the dress-code constraints beyond the court.

During Kobe Bryant’s playing days in Los Angeles, UNDFTD added energy to an array of his Nike releases as a way to connect to California fans and add collectible cool to the all-star’s line. Upon Bryant’s retirement, the shop leaned into the same local ethos while also appealing to the next generation of Mamba-approved ballers.

2019’s Undefeated x Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Team Orange” paints the Eric Avar classic in patent leather and Phoenix Suns tones, offering an homage to noted Kobe fan, Devin Booker. The orange upper is a head-turner off court and a statement on it.

In 2017, the Nike Air Max 97 was on an absolute tear. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the retro runner could do no wrong in original colorways and was just as coveted through collaborations.

The Undefeated x Nike Air Max 97 OG “Black” brought Gucci inspiration into the fold, with black patent leather and red and green trim framing the iconic model. The use of the flashy material proved powerful in the world of running, revising the old favorite as a mainstay in modern fashion.

Jordan Brand brought out the cheat codes with 2016’s Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Top 3,” merging three famed OG colorways in one drop. Just a year later, they brought even more sauce by taking the same idea and dipping it in gold.

Dubbed the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG NRG “Gold Top 3” and debuted at ComplexCon, this rare release is only exceeded in intrigue by its boldness. Patent leather in black, gold, and white shades dances across the uppers, appearing in mismatched blocking that demands a double take.

Never afraid to experiment, the Air Jordan 11LAB4 asked the world what it would look like if you melted an Air Jordan 11 on top of an Air Jordan 4. The result was a patent leather-covered basketball shoe that was even louder than both models combined.

Much of the noise came from the “Red Patent Leather” colorway released in 2015. This brazen pair was part ringer, part science project, continuing to turn up the volume on the line that woke up the footwear industry.

Despite its popularity on the original Air Jordan 11 in 1995, patent leather didn’t dominate the world of sneakers entirely until the early 2000s. Used to make retro models desirable off court, patent leather’s second run as a favored material was far more impactful than its first.

This point was proven on the patent leather Air Jordan 1 Mids released in 2003 and expanded upon in 2021. Never before released in Black/Red, the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Patent “Bred” reimagines the OG model in the material that changed everything. Not only is this revised original decked out in patent leather, it features the preferred high-top cut.

Shop the best patent leather sneakers now on GOAT.