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Whether you're an old school trainer fan or you've just started collecting, you can probably recognise some of the best sneaker collaborations of all-time from a mile away. Without going into too much detail about the birds and the bees, when a shoe company and a creator or brand really like each other, they partner up. After a couple of months of hard work and graft, a newborn collab pops out.
While sneaker collaborations have now become a permanent fixture, as with all things in life, not all of them are created equally. The majority of these will come and go, and nobody would ever know that they even existed. But there's a few that stand the test of time, and have lived on to become five-figure (or even six-figure) earners on resale platforms.
Those are few and far between. And grails in their own right. So we've collated the best of the best of the best sneaker collaborations ever made. Just keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list, so before you cancel us over on Twitter (or X, as some of you are actually starting to call it), let's take a second to just enjoy some of the greatest sneaker collaborations in history.
1 | Off-White x Air Jordan 1 High OG ‘Chicago’ (2017)
We just can't talk about the greatest sneaker collaborations of all-time without bringing up the Off-White x Air Jordan 1 High OG ‘Chicago.’
Part of the original ‘The Ten’ collection that took the trainer world by storm back in ‘17, the late and great Virgil Abloh took the first Jumpman sneaker and gave it his signature deconstructed makeover, with zip-ties, quotation marks, and plenty of Helvetica to speak of. We'll still be talking about this shoe in a decades time. So, let's schedule some time in for 2034.
2 | Staple x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘NYC Pigeon’ (2005)
When our grandkids' grandkids sit down to chat about kicks, there's a huge chance they'll bring up the Staple x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘NYC Pigeon.’ Hype surrounding the skateboarding silhouette is pretty crazy at the moment, but it's nothing like it was back in 2005.
When these first launched in New York City, they caused so much madness that the NYPD had to be called out. For those who were lucky enough to secure their size, they had to be escorted home by authorities. We're glad that queuing for hyped sneakers is now a thing of the past. Now, we can just set our alarms for 8am, take our Ls, and cry ourselves back to sleep again.
3 | Raf Simons x Adidas Ozweego Bunny ‘Core White’ (2017)
The Raf Simons x Adidas Ozweego Bunny ‘Core White’ is probably a controversial choice, but there's no debating how much influence it had on the sneaker industry.
Released during a time when everyone was playing it safe, the Belgian fashion designer dove deep into Adi's archives to bring back one of its most beloved '90s models. However, instead of just copy-and-pasting the exact same design in 2017 (like so many collaborators tend to do), he completely redesigned the Ozweego from the ground up.
4 | Pharrell Williams x Adidas NMD Hu ‘Yellow’ (2016)
Pharrell Williams and Adidas have one of the most successful (and drama-less) sneaker partnerships of all-time. With coveted collections like the ‘Supercolour’ Pack, the fashion icon followed it up with 2016's NMD Human Race.
A collaboration that supercharged the NMD silhouette's popularity, the Pharrell x Adidas NMD Hu ‘Yellow’ is still considered by many to be one of the most sought-after Three Stripes shoes even after all this time.
5 | Salehe Bembury x Crocs Pollex Clog ‘Stratus’ (2022)
Who said Crocs can't be cool? Definitely not Salehe Bembury, that's for sure. While the Colorado-based company's clogs are no doubt a cult hit, they lack a little bit of finesse.
That's why we think that even though 2022's Salehe Bembury x Crocs Pollex Clog ‘Stratus’ isn't strictly a sneaker, it's still one of the best collabs in history: it gives big form to what was once a solely functional shoe.
6 | Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97 ‘Light Blue Fury’ (2017)
There was a time in sneaker history when the Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 1/97 ‘Light Blue Fury’ was the only thing that people talked about. A love letter to '80s thrift stores, it combined the upper from the Air Max 97 with the midsole of the Air Max 1. The result? A high-heat hybrid that's still one of the most unique pairs even six years later.
Unfortunately, Wotherspoon officially swiped left on Nike in 2019 and went on to work with other brands, but we can very confidently say that none of them have ever been as hyped as his Swoosh sneaker.
7 | Dior x Air Jordan 1 High OG ‘Wolf Grey’ (2020)
Let's shift our minds back to the beginning of 2020. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and that little cough turned out to be… well. Then, as if out of nowhere, Kim Jones completely turned the trainer world on its head by announcing the Dior x Air Jordan 1 High OG ‘Wolf Grey.’
One of the most premium Air Jordans that we've ever seen, the Parisian fashion house went all-out for this project. Crafted from calfskin leather and decorated with lacy details, each one was also packed in a special edition box. If this sounded way too good to be true, well, it's probably because it was. Each shoe retailed for almost £2,000, and there were only 8,500 pairs available worldwide.
8 | JJJJound x New Balance 992 ‘Green’ (2020)
JJJJound has come a long, long way over the past decade or so. Once an social media moodboard seen by hundreds, it's now a global fashion brand admired by millions.
While it was tough to pick the Montreal-based platform's best collaboration, we have to hand it to 2020's JJJJound x New Balance 992 ‘Green.’ Crafted from lush green pigskin suede, it's at the top end of premium NBs.
9 | Wales Bonner x Adidas Samba ‘Core Black’ (2023)
Even though the Wales Bonner x Adidas Samba ‘Core Black’ released quite recently, it definitely deserves a spot in this list. This silhouette initially debuted all the way back in the late ‘40s and was originally designed so that footballers could trainer on icy terrain. However, it’s now become one of fashion's most sought-after pieces thanks to Grace Wales Bonner.
Over the past three years, the British designer has worked on a total of 12 Samba colourways, but this understated version is still a firm fave.
10 | Clot x Nike Air Force 1 Low ‘1World’ (2009)
There aren't many shoes in history that can be compared to Edison Chen and Kevin Poon's Clot x Nike Air Force 1 Low ‘1World’ from 2009. While most sneakers at the time were made of leather and suede, this one stepped out in a fancy ‘Sport Red’ silk outfit that was relatively novel for the time.
Wrapped in a fiery red material, the uppers were decorated with a traditional Chinese pattern that nodded to the streetwear label's Eastern influences.
11 | Adidas Y-3 Qasa High ‘Triple Black’ (2013)
Nowadays, a major collab gets announced literally every second day. However, during the beginning of the millennium, the concept of two brands teaming up was still a new one. So in 2002 when Adidas announced that it was working with Yohji Yamamoto for a long-term project, nobody really knew what to expect.
Over two decades later, and Adidas Y-3 is still going strong. However, out of the hundreds of styles, silhouettes, and colourways that they've released over the years, the Adidas Y-3 Qasa High ‘Triple Black’ will always be the best of the bunch. Outrageously futuristic even by today's standards, it was brought back in 2022 to celebrate its big birthday.
12 | Ben & Jerry's x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Chunky Dunky’ (2020)
If you ask any SB fan what the most iconic Dunk collaboration is, there's a huge chance that they'd bring up the Ben & Jerry's x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Chunky Dunky.’ It was just so unexpected. Traditionally, sneaker companies only collaborate with labels that have some sort of link to the game, so when the American ice cream brand announced that it was working on its own Dunk, everyone thought that it was some sort of joke.
But, when the trainer was officially revealed in 2020, it was a sugar rush for sneakerheads the world over. With a fuzzy cow print and plump leather clouds, it put a big smile on everyone's face. Well, until we saw the resale price anyway.
13 | Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 Low ‘White’ (2022)
Louis Vuitton's partnership with Nike was one of the last projects that Virgil Abloh worked on before his untimely passing. While he did reveal a bunch of cool colourways, 2022's Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 Low ‘White’ was the one that we all fancied the most.
Taking a leaf out of Kim Jones' book, these Forces were crafted from the finest calfskin leather and were debossed with the Parisian house's legendary monogram throughout.
14 | Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 550 ‘Natural Green’ (2021)
While Aimé Leon Dore is pretty much a household name today, back in 2020, it was just getting started. Founded by Teddy Santis, the New York City-based fashion brand was (and still is) renowned for its normcore-prep chic, so when he announced the Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 550 ‘Natural Green,’ fans of this aesthetic lost it.
Just a few months later, NB would appoint Santis as the creative director of its Made in USA division. And the rest is history, really.
15 | Sacai x Nike VaporWaffle ‘Black’ (2020)
Chitose Abe and Nike go way back, but the Sacai x Nike VaporWaffle ‘Black’ is considered to be her best Swoosh collab yet.
Revealed in 2020, it took the Japanese designer's deconstructed vibe to a completely different level. Not only did it sit on top of two sole units, it also featured two tongues, two set of laces, and even two heels, for a look that is quite literally twice as nice. Chitose, our queen.
16 | A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 4 ‘Violet Ore’ (2022)
If you can only add one Air Jordan 4 to your collection, make it the A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 4 ‘Violet Ore.’ Giving Michael Jordan's fourth signature shoe an ultra-luxe makeover, this particular pair ditched the usual leather construction in favour of lots and lots of buttery smooth suede.
Even the inside is lined with a plush quilted fabric, and the Air midsole underfoot is dipped in a creamy hue for a very vintage vibe.
17 | Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 992 ‘No Emotions Are Emotions’ (2020)
Not only does the Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 992 ‘No Emotions Are Emotions’ have one of the longest names of any shoe, it's also one of the hottest collabs that the sneaker world has ever seen. While the Chicago native is now a household name, back in 2020 he was only just getting started, and this 992 was one of his first pairs that he made with New Balance.
Also known as the ‘Anatomy of a Heart,’ it released around Valentine's Day that year, and we're still madly in love with it even after all this time.
18 | Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Black Cement’ (2002)
Believe it or not, Nike's skateboarding division wasn't actually an official thing until 2002, and the Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Black Cement’ was the first collaboration ever to grace the silhouette.
Crafted from white leather, an exotic elephant print throughout was a change of pace for classic boarding shoes. To put things into perspective, if you want a deadstock pair today, it'll cost you the same amount as a second hand car. Seriously.
19 | Ronnie Fieg x Asics Gel-Lyte 3 ‘Salmon Toe’ (2011)
You can't talk about the greatest trainer collaborations in history without giving the Ronnie Fieg x Asics Gel-Lyte 3 'Salmon Toe' a special shoutout. While Ronnie definitely wasn't the first person to use this style of colourblocking, this was the pair that popularised it for mainstream sneakerheads.
Since then, the New York City legend has continually used it throughout this design career, and many other brands have followed suit.
20 | Peaceminusone x Nike Air Force 1 Low ‘Para-Noise’ (2020)
While Blackpink and BTS are megastars, back in 2020, K-pop was still new for some people. That's why the Peaceminusone x Nike Air Force 1 Low ‘Para-Noise' is so significant.
Made in collaboration with South Korean artist G-Dragon, this shoe was many sneakerheads' gateway. The black leather was coated with paint that wore off over time, giving each pair a unique patina, and revealing a piece of custom artwork created by the Big Bang leader himself.
