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Sneaker culture has made its way into everyone's closet. As the boundaries separating streetwear and luxury are constantly eroding, sneakers have also become a love interest in the high-fashion industry. In response, luxury fashion houses such as Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and more have begun to focus on streetwear fashion, particularly sneakers.
Many of these luxury brands have taken the sneaker fad a step further by teaming up with notable sportswear labels, including Adidas, Nike, Reebok, ASICS, and more, to introduce genuinely distinctive and sensational models.
If you're interested in learning more about designer shoe collaborations, keep scrolling since we've highlighted a few noteworthy ones below.
Five designer shoe collabs that took the sneaker world by storm
1) Maison Margiela x Reebok
The Maison Margiela x Reebok Tabi toe shoes are the most interesting pieces from the designer sneaker partnerships. The duo's first collaboration, split-toe Instapump Fury sneakers with a heel, appeared on the runway in Paris during Couture Week in January 2020.
In line with their partnership, they later introduced Tabi toe shoes. The pair, fashioned with a split hoof-like design, was constructed using Nappa leathers and EVA soles. Perforated toe boxes, co-branded tongue tags, and sturdy makeup accentuated these shoes. Priced at $300, the pairs were sold via the e-commerce websites of both Reebok and Maison Margiela, as well as select retailers.
2) Nike x Off-White
Off-White, the late Virgil Abloh's label, has also collaborated with Nike on a number of models. For the first time in 2017, Off-White and Nike collaborated on Nike and Off-White: "The Ten," a line that reinterpreted 10 classic Nike styles with Virgil Abloh's streetwear fashion prowess.
Among their multiple releases, one of the most notable was the Off White x Nike Air Jordan 4 “Sail.” Virgil used muted color makeup for this design.
The shoe uppers are made of full-grain leather and a grid mesh cover. A subtle layer of modernity is added in the form of clear textiles. Adorned with similar beige toned laces and Air units, the shoes are designed keeping comfort in mind. The tongues of these Jordans are embellished with neutral tone logos.
Further, the typical lettering on the lateral border highlights the shoe's Oregonian roots. The monochromatic sneakers were finally finished with visible foam on the collar and a classic Off-WhiteTM cable tie. These designer masterpieces were launched with a retail tag of $200.
3) Prada x Adidas
These luxury kicks are the latest releases on this list. Launched on January 13, 2022, the Prada x Adidas Forum High and Low models arrived with a price tag of $1120 and $850, respectively. The pair were sold by Prada boutiques and the e-commerce websites of both labels.
The collab created an all-black and all-white style of classic Forum silhouettes. Fashioned with Prada’s characteristic re-nylon material, both the low-top and high-top variants of the shoes were introduced. Moreover, the chic shoes were equipped with functional pouches that were emblazoned with Prada branding.
Since their debut in 2019, the Forum silhouettes have been the third collaborative work of Prada and Adidas.
4) Dior x Jordan
Dior joined forces with Michael Jordan’s shoe label in 2020 for its fresh take on the brand’s highly-coveted Air Jordan 1 style. Constructed with premium leather, the collab created both high and low versions.
The minimal gray and white kicks were embellished with staple swooshes stuffed with Dior logos. Other standouts were the translucent outsoles that featured huge Dior lettering.
There were 8,500 high-top shoes and 4,700 low-top shoes available during the much-anticipated launch. The sneakers were supposed to be released in March 2020, with 5 million people reportedly signing up for a chance to win a pair.
The COVID-19 epidemic pushed back the planned release date, culminating in major chaos in June 2020. The sought-after Jordans now sell for thousands on resale sites like StockX, with the high-tops going for a whopping $2,200.
5) ASICS x Vivienne Westwood
English fashion designer Vivienne Westwood teamed up with ASICS to extend her label’s sneaker portfolio. The fashion brand reinterpreted the Gel Kayano model of the shoe manufacturer. Priced at $240, the collab’s Gel Kayano 27 LTX was sold via the online stores of ASICS and Vivienne Westwood.
They created three colorways: Citrus/Black, Vapor/Black, and Black/Black of Gel Kayano 27. The laceless bootie was made flexible towards the collars for easy entry and better gripping. Adorned with zippers on the sides, the bootie boasted the branding of both labels on the center as well as on the sides.
Note: The article reflects the writer's own views.
