The Best Sneaker Collaborations of 2018

This year's best sneaker collaborations include shoes from Off-White and Nike, Travis Scott and Air Jordan, and more.

Best Sneaker Collaborations 2018
Image via Complex Original
Best Sneaker Collaborations 2018

“Stop, collaborate, and listen,” uttered hip-hop trailblazer Vanilla Ice in his 1990 hit “Ice Ice Baby,” and he might have been onto something. Jokes aside, a lot of great ideas are fostered from unrelated parties sitting down together and coming up with a solution that benefits all. This has been going on for nearly two decades in the footwear industry, and it’s not only used as a tool to gain more brand awareness or to come up with better footwear—the ultimate goal is to create hype for both parties while making coveted shoes in the process.

A lot has changed over the years when it comes to these sneaker collaborations. No longer does it simply take a boutique slapping a new colorway on a running shoe from the ’90s and adding premium materials to generate a buzz. They need to be truly groundbreaking and memorable, and that’s what occurred this year. Whether it was Nike giving an all-new model to someone who won a crowdsourced competition, or Nike SB reigniting the brand’s energy from nearly 15 years ago, 2018 had it all. Here are the best of the best sneaker collaborations from the past 12 months.

10. Daniel Arsham x Adidas Futurecraft 4D

daniel arsham adidas futurecraft 4d bd7400 release date

9. Comme des Garçons x Nike Air 180

Comme des Garcons x Nike Air Max 180 Black Release Date AO4641 601

8. Kith x New Balance 997.5

kith united arrows nonnative new balance 997 grey release date

7. Diamond Supply Co. x Nike SB Dunk Low "Canary"

Nike SB Dunk Low "Canary"

6. Off-White x Nike

off white air jordan 1

5. Fear of God x Nike Air Fear of God 1

nike fear of god 1 sail ar4237 002 release date

4. Undercover x Nike React Element 87

undercover nike react element 87 volt university red black white bq2718 700 release date

3. Travis Scott x Air Jordan IV

Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 IV Oilers Release Date 308497 406

2. Union x Air Jordan 1

union la air jordan 1 high nrg bv1300 106 release date

1. Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97

Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97 AJ4219 200 (Medial)

After a small prerelease at Richmond, Virginia's Need Supply and Undefeated in Los Angeles during the fall of 2017, the official launch of Sean Wotherspoon’s Air Max 1/97 hybrid went down during the month of March to celebrate Air Max Day. Nike went all out with the release, decking out a Volkswagen van with a paint job that matched the shoes and taking it around the country, where Sean hand-delivered pairs to lucky fans. The multicolored corduroy design may have been one of the loudest looks of the year, but it proved to be fairly versatile, catching on with celebs and sneakerheads of all taste levels, even landing the always-sought-after LeBron James co-sign. Perhaps best of all, the shoes have restocked a handful of times, including a large SNKRS drop that was intended to offer a second chance to those who voted for them during last year’s contest but could not get a pair upon their initial release. This was, by and large, the people’s choice in 2018. —Riley Jones

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