Sneaker News Presents: The Year in Customs 2012

2012 was a year filled with plenty of entertaining headlines and discussion topics that made it perhaps the most immersing year of sneakers ever (our Top 30 list covered all of that). Nike continued to dominate basketball, Reebok made an honorable come-back, the mainstream media begin paying attention to the hobby, and sneaker games were “upped” by NBA ballers and celebrities alike. There were some surprising stories and controversial debates sprinkled here and there, and falling somewhere in-between those two ends is the rise in popularity of custom sneakers.

At this point, it doesn’t matter if you think custom kicks are a ‘faux pas’ because customs are very much a staple in the sneaker game right now, and with guys like Jay-Z wearing those Air Jordan 1 ‘Brooklyn Zoo’ customs’, Spike Lee getting some special Jordans for his movie, and LeBron James recognizing Mache Customs’ work, any negative rep a pair of repainted kicks holds has been completely wiped out. Of the hundreds of custom kicks that we’ve featured on Sneaker News, we picked the 96 of them, selecting eight of the best designs each month that cover a wide range of creativity and trends. Look below for a recap of all the variety and evolution of some of the custom-sneaker game-changers of 2012 and get ready for another year of awesome results!

JANUARY

Air Jordan VI “Air Yeezy Net” Customs by Mike Nameus

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Nike Air Flightposite “Carnage” by Jonathon Carrington

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Air Jordan VI “Porsche 911” by C2

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Nike Blazer Mid “Jet Life II” by JBF

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Air Jordan VI “Kobe VII Leopard” by Envintaj

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Nike Dunk Hybrid Dress Shoes by PMK

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Nike Air Foamposite One “Knicks” by Jason Negron

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Nike Free Run Y2K by Gabriel Dishaw

FEBRUARY

Nike Air Foamposite Pro “No Church in the Wild” by Mache

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Air Jordan VI “Krueger” by El Cappy

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Nike SB Dunk Low “Sunburst Mint” by Sharp020

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Jordan Spiz’ike “Black/Cement” by Sab-One

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Air Jordan VI “Porsche 911 Agate Metallic Silver” by C2

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Air Jordan V “Real Metallic” by Proof Culture

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Nike Dunk High “Jekyll & Hyde” by Revive

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Air Jordan VI “Cannon” by El Cappy

MARCH

Air Jordan V “Grape to Aqua” by Rudnes

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Nike Air Foamposite One “Penny Photo” Customs

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Air Jordan IV “The High Life” by SmoothTip

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Air Jordan VI “Jungle Fever” by Peculiar Kinetics 

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Nike LeBron 9 “South BeeGums” by Mache

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Air Jordan V Low “Grape” Customs

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Nike Dunk High “Let’s Play 2” by Diversitile

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Nike Air Foamposite ONe “Invisibility Cloak” by ECC

APRIL

Air Jordan XI “Galaxy” by Peculiar Kinetics

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Nike SB Dunk High “What The Dunk” by El Cappy

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Nike LeBron 9 “Galaxy” by C2

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Air Jordan VI “McFly” by Proof Culture

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Nike Air Force 1 low “30th Anniversary Year of the Dragon” by Zhijun Wang

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Jordan Son of Mars “Son of Yeezy” by Mache

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Nike Air 180 “Fukijama” by Dank

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Nike Zoom Stefan Janoski Mid “Wingtip” by Solecity Pinas

MAY

Nike Air Foamposite One “Galaxy” Light Up by Jason Negron

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Air Jordan III “Pigeon” by Mache

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Air Jordan V “Bordeaux” by Mache

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adidas Pro Model “Pendleton” by JBF

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Jordan Son of Mars “Air Yeezy Grammy” by Wolfstein

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Nike Air Foamposite One “Oregon Ducks” by Jason Negron

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New Balance 999 by Pimp My Kicks

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Nike Zoom Kobe VII “Grinch” by Jason Negron

JUNE

Nike Air Foamposite Pro “Miami Nights” by SmoothTip

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Air Jordan VI “Bred XI” Inpsired by LOBE

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Air Jordan V “Floral” by El Cappy

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Air Jordan X “Hanes” by Revive

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Nike Dunk High “What the Vengers” by Expression Airbrush

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Air Jordan 1 Low “Dave White” by Mache

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Nike Air Force 180 High Pump Sole-Swap by Revive

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Nike LeBron 9 Elite “Sex on the Beach” by Twizz

JULY

Nike LeBron 9 Elite “MVP” by Mache

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Nike Air Foamposite One “Foampollo One” by Chef

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Nike Air Max 90 “Piranha” by Emilio Zuniga

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Air Jordan IV “Rorschach” by Sekure D

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Nike Air Flightposite III “Spiderman” by Mache

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Nike Air Max “3 Bears” by Kike

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Nike Air Force 180 High Pump “Murder” Customs by Revive

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Nike Air Foamposite One “Horizon” by Peculiar Kinetics

AUGUST

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Nike Air Yeezy 2 “Imperial” by PMK

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Air Jordan VII “Goldie” by El Cappy

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Reebok Question “Miracle Whip” by PMK

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Nike Air Max 1 “Questlove” by JWDanklefs

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Nike Dunk High “Thriller” by Diversitile

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Nike “Wolfstein” Prototype by Brian Villanueva

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Air Jordan III “Threezy” by DeJesus

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Nike Air Max 1 “What The One” by Revive

SEPTEMBER

Nike Mag “Flux Capacitor” by Mache 

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Nike SB Blazer “Camo” by JBF

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Nike Air Force 180 Pump “Admiral” by Revive Customs

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Nike Air Foamposite One “112” by Chef

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Air Jordan VII “A Different World” by Rocket Boy Nift

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Air Jordan IV “Wheaties” by Emmanuel Labor

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Reebok Question “Snakeskin” Customs

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Air Jordan V “Oregon Pit Crew” by Emmanuel Labor

OCTOBER

Air Jordan 1 “Brooklyn Zoo” by PMK

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Nike Zoom KD IV “What the KD” by Mache

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Nike Air Foamposite Pro “Blake Griffin Galaxy” by Sole Swap and Rebel Aire

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Nike Air Max 90 “Leatherback” by JWDanklefs

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Nike Roshe Run “Versace x H&M” by Noldo

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Nike Air Yeezy 2 “Kobe” by Mache

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Nike Dunk High “Frankenstein” by Diversitile

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New Balance “1200” by Revive Customs

NOVEMBER

Nike Air Foamposite Pro “Walking on Mars” by Smooth Tip

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Nike LeBron X “Big Bang” by Mache

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Air Jordan IV ‘What The Fake’ by Revive

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Nike Air Force 1 Low Foamposite “DeLorean” by Expression

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Nike Air Max 1 “Old Skool x New Skool” by JWDanklefs

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Nike Hyperdunk “Scooby Doo” by Mache

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Nike HyperMag by Brian Villanueva

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Air Jordan IV “South Beach” by Ecentrik Artistry

DECEMBER

Nike LeBron X iD “Devastator” by Mache

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Nike Air Foamposite Pro “Hunting Season” by WEEKend

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Nike Air Command Force “McFly” by Peculiar Kinetics/Revive/Evolved Footwear

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Air Jordan IV “Grinch” by Freaker Sneaks

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Nike Air Force 1 “Year of the Snake” by Zhijun Wang

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Air Jordan IV ‘Python’ by JBF Customs

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Air Jordan V “Fresh Prince 1.5” by Rocket Boy Nift

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Air Jordan XI Low “Bred” by JWDanklefs