Over the years, collaborations between sneaker brands and artists have come to be a staple within the sneaker community. Creating a crossover between the brand and the collaborator, sneaker collabs are an exciting way of merging ideas to create something brand new. Today, we're going to be going over the 5 most influential sneaker collaborations of all time.
5. Nike SB Dunk Low Staple "NYC Pigeon"
Collaboration with: Jeff Staple & Nike SB
From an outside perspective, the Nike SB Dunk Pigeon may seem like a wildly priced mid-2000's Nike sneaker but it carries a deep story. When the shoe was conceptualized by Jeff Staple and his team from Reed Space, they sought out to create the quintessential New York City shoe. After settling on a pigeon as the main motif of the shoe, only 150 pairs were ever made. Upon announcement of the shoe, New Yorkers clamored to try and get their hands on a pair. The night before the drop, Jeff Staple closed his shop and noticed a large group of people already camping outside his store. Come drop day, things didn't settle down and the NYPD arrived to order everyone to vacate the line, which was promptly ignored. This led to the NYPD forcibly pulling people (including children) out of the line, while others brandished weapons such as machetes to defend their spot in line. Naturally, this escalation led to the NYPD deploying their SWAT team to the line to break up the ensuing riot.
After the shoes sold out at each location and the dust had settled, it was clear that the frenzy around them had had an immense impact on how the world perceived sneakers. Overnight, pairs were being resold on eBay at upwards of $1000, compared to the retail price of just $300. Sneakers had grown beyond just something cool you'd wear on your feet, but instead they had become a commodity, with real value. Nobody had thought they'd start a riot (especially Nike), but today, we can look back and see the shoes for what they are; a monumental grail that changed sneaker culture forever.
4. The Ten
Collaboration: Off-White & Nike
Back in May of 2017, Virgil Abloh sported an unreleased pair of Air Jordan 1 Highs to the Met Gala. Buzz quickly began about whether or not the shoes could be a potential collab between Off-White and Nike, and just four months later, the rumors were proven to be true beyond what anyone expected. Starting with an Air Jordan 1 High, they also revealed nine other shoes to be released alongside it. The Air Force 1, Air Presto, Air VaporMax, Blazer Mid, Air Max 97, Air Max 90, Zoom Vaporfly SP, Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, and the React Hyperdunk 2017 made up the remainder of the shoes in the collection. Upon release, each shoe sold out instantly and the collection was quickly celebrated as the best sneaker collab of the decade. Numerous celebrities were seen wearing shoes from the collection; from NBA players wearing the React Hyperdunk on the court, to actress Naomi Campbell receiving a custom pair from Virgil himself, it was obvious right away that the shoes had made an immediate cultural impact, one that would last for years to come.
Roger Federer wearing a pair of "Off-White Chicago" Jordan 1 Retro Highs.
Today, The Ten is widely recognized as a cornerstone of the conversation about the most important sneakers. It continues to remain a very large part of Virgil Abloh's portfolio, and by extension; his legacy that will last for years to come.
3. Yeezy Boost 350
Collaboration: Kanye West & Adidas
While Kanye West is certainly a polarizing figure today, back in 2015 he was on top of the world. After making various forays into sneakers in the past, such as his collaboration with Bape to create the "College Dropout" BAPEsta, as well as his collaboration with Nike to create the "Air Yeezy" (which ended sourly), Kanye introduced the world to the Yeezy Boosts. A few months prior, during NBA All-Star Weekend 2015, the Yeezy Boost 750 had been released and piqued the attention of the fashion world and the masses alike. However, upon reveal of the Yeezy Boost 350, a media frenzy instantly erupted as they quickly became the hottest shoe of the year. Originally released in only the "Turtle Dove" colourway, they were followed soon after by the "Pirate Black" and "Oxford Tan" colourways.
Justin Bieber wearing a pair of "Oxford Tan" Yeezy Boost 350s.
Today, the legacy of the Yeezy Boost 350 is an interesting one. Thanks in part to their incredibly unique silhouette, they became one of the most counterfeited shoes while also being quickly overshadowed by the release of the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 just one year later. While they didn't stay popular for as long as a shoe of its caliber normally would have, their mark on pop culture will last forever, sparking the question "What's a Yeezy?"
2. Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG SP "Travis Scott Mocha"
Collaboration: Travis Scott & Nike
The year was 2020, and Travis Scott was one of, if not, the most famous person in the world. So what was next for him? Creating a new version of the most famous sneaker of all time, of course. After the world was introduced to the Travis Scott Air Jordan 1, chaos ensued as everyone tried to get their hands on a pair. The pair themselves completely flipped the script on what a Jordan collab could be, opting for a backwards off-centre swoosh along with a hidden stash pocket inside of the collar. Immediately after their release, the hype reached levels very similar to the hype that the Yeezys received after they released. For a time, the shoe was inescapable; seen everywhere from the feet of celebrities, to the video game Fortnite appearing on the feet of Travis Scott himself during his virtual concert, as well as his character skin made available for sale in-game after the event.
Bradley Cooper wearing a pair of "Travis Scott Mocha" Jordan 1 Retro High OG SPs.
In the years since their release, the shoe's legend has only grown with pairs still reselling for over $1000 USD over five years later. Since then, Scott has continued to collaborate with Nike and the Jordan brand, crafting other coveted releases such as the Jordan 1 Low Reverse Mocha, two colourways of the Jordan 6 Retro, as well as the Jumpman Jack, featuring a brand-new silhouette.
1. Nike SB
Collaboration: Sandy Bodecker & Nike
Back in 1994, Nike put a man named Sandy Bodecker in charge of their failing soccer division. Seven years later, after he had turned the soccer division around, they gave Sandy the reins to their brand-new skateboarding division.
In order to reach success in this new endeavour, Sandy knew that Nike needed to connect with the skateboarding community in order to understand what skaters really wanted. After meeting with Kevin Imamura, they decided that instead of placing their focus on creating an entirely new shoe, they'd create a skateable version of the Nike Dunk, and thus the Nike Dunk Low SB was born.
Professional skateboarder Eric Koston with assorted pairs of Nike SB shoes, 2009.
Today, the Nike Dunk Low SB has been released in hundreds of colourways, and as a collaboration with other brands such as Stüssy, and Supreme as well as non-clothing brands such as Heineken and Ben & Jerrys. It's legacy stands as the shoe that changed the way Nike could connect with a sport, becoming one with the culture within it.
Nike SB has come a long way from their tiny skate convention booths, but their decision to start small, like everyone else, has paid off massively and earned them the respect that they garner today. Bodecker sadly passed away in late 2018, but as Nike themselves put it, he "will always be the man who put the SB in Nike SB."
