Top 5 Sneakers to Boost Your Shoe Game

As street wear continues to dominate the fashion industry, sneakers have become a global phenomenon, serving the underground youth to fashion’s elite. Although widely accepted by various social groups, the current sneaker frenzy is heavily influenced by hip hop and skateboarding, which has renowned designers collaborating with and simultaneously, competing against longstanding footwear and street wear brands. While being previously known for comfort, sneakers have been repositioned to a must-have item and indication of style and street wear knowledge. Included are five of some of the latest and most acknowledged sneakers thus far.

Air Jordan 1 “Off-White”

Virgil Abloh; creative director of Off White, collaborated with Air Jordan to reproduce the esteemed Air Jordan 1. The Retro Chicago 1’s were rereleased, featuring industrial accents and signature Off White branding. In addition to the very literal labels; like “Shoelaces”, written on their respective component, Off White offered interactive customization of handwriting on their sneakers to the first recipients, initiating a concept which was widely accepted by fellow sneaker heads. The Off White Jordan 1 release advances the classic Jordan 1 colour way and design to a state-of-the-art sneaker.

Nike Air More Uptempo “Supreme”

Nicknamed the “Suptempo”, popular skateboard brand Supreme collaborates with Nike in recreating the iconic 90’s basketball silhouette. The Uptempo sneaker was initially released in 1996, displaying “Air” across the body of the shoe, however two decades later, Supreme redesigns the Uptempo by replacing Nike’s branding with that of their own. Available in three colour ways; white on red, black and metallic gold, the colour blocking and oversized branding makes for a statement sneaker essential to any wardrobe.

Adidas by Raf Simons Ozweego Bunny

Adidas continues to surpass it’s competitors with successful designer collaborations, and most notably, their work with Raf Simons. The footwear brand teams up with the street wear powerhouse to deliver a line of sneakers, including the coveted Ozweego Bunny. The Ozweego reinvents a classic 90’s sneaker design while adding their own details and branding. With a variety of colour choices, from monochromatic solids to vibrant colour blocking, this Adidas and Raf Simons collaboration caters to those looking for a minimalistic sneaker.

Nike Air Max 97

Originally released as a running shoe, Nike’s Air Max 97 has made a comeback into modern fashion culture as as the hottest sneaker for 2017. The shoe includes 3M features throughout the upper portion, showcasing a reflective flash when exposed to such light. This is a prominent feature of the sneaker since 1997, and continues to be an outstanding detail that people gravitate towards. Available in a variety of colour ways as well as impressive collaborations with artists and brands such as Skepta and Undefeated, any pair of 97’s will be a great addition to your sneaker collection.

Rick Owens x Adidas Vicious Sneaker

With yet another designer collaboration, Adidas teams up with popular street wear brand, Rick Owens, in releasing a line of contemporary and cutting edge sneakers. Although a popular choice from this collection, the Vicious trainer remains unique with it’s geometric and block-like silhouette. Similar to the remainder of Rick Owens’ apparel, the sneaker is available in an array of monochromatic colours, redirecting the focus onto the unconventional shape of the sneaker. Adidas and Rick Owens have created a very simple and wearable sneaker that will boost any wardrobe’s edge factor.