With so many releases, what does it take to cut through the noise?
In today’s world, it seems like a new collaboration is announced every day, showcasing a mutually beneficial creative endeavour between a shoe brand and an external creator or artist. However, with many new partnerships making headlines, some push through the hype and into the history books. From fashion houses to frozen desserts, these sneakers are collector’s items in their own right, with some selling for hundreds of thousands at auction.
How important are sneaker collaborations? They make up a large portion of the resale market by offering unique iterations of silhouettes in limited quantities. If a collaboration is done well, it captures a particular moment in time, representing footwear and cultural trends in a wearable snapshot. By adding to or deconstructing the shoe, designers will intricately punctuate the design with narratives and references that strike a chord with the consumer, ultimately causing the trainer to sell out. See our round-up of the five most iconic sneaker collaborations below.
Nike Air Force 1 Low x Louis Vuitton By Virgil Abloh White Royal
The late Louis Vuitton Artistic Director of Menswear and Off-White founder, Virgil Abloh, was no stranger to the worlds of sneakers and fashion, often cited as a pioneer of the two’s fusion. Initially bringing the two worlds together in 2017, with the release of ‘The Ten’, we saw a collaborative exploration of 10 iconic Nike silhouettes, including the Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High Chicago x Off White.
Released a year after his death and designed as part of Louis Vuitton’s Spring Summer 2022 collection, the Nike Air Force 1 Low x Louis Vuitton By Virgil Abloh White Royal paid homage to Abloh’s role at the French fashion house. The 2022 release gave the Nike icon the luxury treatment. A leather upper features an embossed Louis Vuitton monogram print paired with branded canvas overlays. Finally, gold lettering on the heel tab and inner sidewall adds a touch of luxury to the easy-wearing icon.
Notoriously hard to get and with a staggeringly high retail price, one pair from this collection sold for $350,000 at auction.
Nike SB Dunk Low x Travis Scott
In recent years, there has been a cultural shift in the sneaker industry, with rappers rewarded with sneaker deals the same way as athletes. Travis Scott’s collaborative sneakers with Nike attract huge interest, releasing in limited numbers and demand a high resale value on websites such as Laced.com.
Initially released in February 2020, the rapper tapped his skateboarding connections to produce a promotional video featuring heavyweights Alex Midler, Evan Mock, Robert Neal, Theotis Beasley and Ishod Wair. Shot in the streets and skateparks of California, to the sound of Scotts ‘Out West’, the SB Dunk is put to the test as Midler Backside 360s stair sets effortlessly, alongside Mock’s graceful tailslides, both frontside and backside.
Textured patchwork meets bandana print on the Nike Dunk Low SB X Travis Scott, where rope laces further add to the textured appeal to the silhouette. Beneath the patterned sidewall is a nubuck layer, while lightweight cushioning and a vulcanised sole work together to deliver impact protection and enhanced grip. A sneakerhead himself, Scott’s respect for the culture is seen in his collaborations, only adding to their widespread appeal.
Nike SB Dunk Low Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Dunky
With most collaborations spanning the worlds of fashion and music, the 2020 Nike SB Dunk Low Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Dunky brought together the worlds of footwear and food. The skate-focused silhouette was previewed before the release by Nike SB team riders, including Oskar Rozenburg-Hallberg, putting the shoe to the test in a series of social-media clips.
A trio of branding can be found across the sneaker, with ‘Chunky Dunky’ embellishments across the tongue, an embroidered Nike logo to the heel, and a standout dripping Swoosh to finish the mouthwatering style. Crafted to reflect the ice cream manufacturer’s cartoon landscape logo, an animated mid-panel intersects with textured cow-print overlays. To mark the unique collaboration, Nike released a ‘friends and family’ edition of the shoe that came in its own Ben & Jerry’s tub with two pots of the delicious treat, making this silhouette all the tastier.
Dior x Air Jordan 1 High
Now working at Fendi alongside his position as Artistic Director at Dior, polymathic British designer Kim Jones has injected exciting energy into his time at the French fashion house. Known for drawing on streetwear influences, which led to his graduate collection grabbing the attention of John Galliano, it was only a matter of time before these design tropes were found in Dior’s output.
Using the iconic Air Jordan 1 as his canvas, Jones incorporated the famous silhouette into Dior’s design direction, tapping into a cultural capital previously unused by the brand, both in design and promotion. Rapper and sneakerhead, Travis Scott perfectly encapsulated this fusion of fashion and sneakers as he modelled the neutral trainer against a waning Miami sunset.
While the Jordan Brand is no stranger to distinguished branding, debuting the iconic Wings logo in 1984, the Dior x Air Jordan 1 High pairs a legendary Nike Swoosh with the instantly recognisable Dior monogram print to blend two legendary branding signifiers.
Produced in limited quantities and retailing at a high price point, the Air Dior is still in high demand today, with the fashionable sneaker selling for upwards of £6000.
Nike x Sacai
Again fusing the worlds of footwear and fashion is Japanese designer sacai. Founded by Chitose Abe in 1999, the brand is no stranger to collaboration, harnessing the power of dual-branded partnerships to further its nuanced approach to design.
Part of Sacai’s appeal is its hybridity, blurring the lines between smart and casual. The Sacai x Nike Vaporwaffle White Sail is a muted reflection of Abe’s textured design, playing on soft contrasts provided by a gum sole and suede overlays. An instantly recognisable layered heel sets the shoe apart whilst providing comfortable wear. The double Swoosh is featured heavily through Nike and Sacai’s collaborative history, a playful take on Nike’s signature branding and a sign of the Swoosh brand’s trust in the Japan-born designer.