Sneaker News 
In the sneaker world, the only thing more ubiquitous than a Jordan Retro is the sneaker collaboration. Decades ago, these brand x store partnerships were rarities and thusly highly coveted, but today, they seem to happen on a weekly basis and consumers get to freely pick and choose what to rock. From that wealth of colorways, we’ve whittled it down to twenty of the most significant, ground-breaking, and downright sick tag-team designs of 2015. Check them out below.
Stay tuned for the 10 Best Sneaker Headlines Of 2015 Tomorrow.
fragment design x Nike Sock Dart – Black
No doubt one of the most exciting Nike sneakers of the year, the Sock Dart was a major presence for the NikeLab imprint in 2015. The Swoosh’s favorite collaborator of the year, fragment design led by the creative mind of Hiroshi Fujiwara, helped create the best Sock Dart of them all with this version in a simple black upper and grey speckled midsole. Released in limited quantities and gone instantly, these Sock Darts helped create more buzz around every other fragment x Nike release for the rest of the year.
Supreme x Air Jordan 5
Perhaps the biggest sneaker collaboration ever, Supreme and Jordan Brand linked up in 2015 for the monumental release of the Air Jordan 5 in three colorways. Each decked out with Supreme branding, the Air Jordan 5 came in more traditional black and white colorways along with the unique and bold desert camo edition, which would prove to be the most desired of the three. Whether you’re a Supreme nut or not, you can’t deny how significant this collaboration was.
Packer Shoes x Diadora N.9000 “Purple Tape”
One of the most legendary hip-hop albums ever was translated into sneaker form perfectly by Packer Shoes on this Diadora N.9000 inspired by Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. The “Purple Tape” N.9000s (for those that don’t know, the album was originally released on purple-colored cassette tapes) made use of subtly differing purple hues across the premium pigskin suede and mesh upper, accented with silver, black, and translucent purple just like you’d find on the OG tape. Also available with matching Yankees hats, the Purple Tapes fittingly released at S.O.B.’s, one of NYC’s best destinations for live hip-hop, for an authentic homage to the landmark 1995 album. With Diadora making major headway in America this year, none of their releases were more appealing to the Stateside market than Packer’s Purple Tapes.
Concepts x Nike SB “Holy Grail” Collection
Concepts collaborated with Nike SB in a major way in 2015, releasing the three-shoe “Holy Grail” collection containing the most unique versions of the Dunk Low, Dunk High, and Stefan Janoski Max you’ve ever seen. Taking inspiration from religious art and Italian architectural elements like stained glass windows and mosaics, the three shoes were highlighted by the bold iridescent Dunk Lows, presented with mismatched tongues and golden skull lace dubraes. A small amount of pairs were released in epic stone or wooden boxes to emphasize the ancient artifact theme, and secure the collection as one of the most memorable collabs of the year.
Ronnie Fieg x Puma “Tokyo Sakura Project”
Ronnie Fieg and PUMA headed to Japan for this special collaborative pack of the R698 inspired by the country’s spring season when the cherry blossoms, or sakura, bloom. The two-shoe set features the traditional R698 as well as a new mid-top version of the silhouette imagined by Fieg, each with his signature bold color blocks and premium materials. The shoes had an initial release at a special pop-up shop in Tokyo, and dropped with a coinciding apparel collection to prove Ronnie and the Kith crew know how to do a collaboration in style.
Don C x Air Jordan 2 Retro
Translating his signature quilted premium leather aesthetic to a pair of sneakers, Don C created this bold edition of the Air Jordan 2 in tonal royal blue. The eye-catching sneakers were extremely limited, and now make for one of the most sought-after Air Jordan 2 releases of all time. Rumors are currently circulating of more colorways of the Don C Air Jordan 2, but we’re not sure if any will be able to top this original blue version.
SNS x Packer Shoes x Reebok “Token 38” Project
Nike got lots of attention as usual on NBA All-Star Weekend, and adidas may have stolen the show with the debut of the Yeezy line, but it was Reebok who had the coolest sneaker release in the minds of many actual die-hard basketball fans. For the most epic, cross-continent collab ever, New Jersey’s Packer Shoes joined forces with Sweden’s Sneakersnstuff to drop a staggering seven Reebok Classic sneakers at a special pop-up shop in New York City. Included in the immense collection were the following: the Sneakersnstuff x Reebok Kamikaze II “Brooklyn”; the Packer Shoes x Reebok Question “Madison Square Garden”; the Sneakersnstuff x Reebok Question “A Shoe About Crocus”; the Packer Shoes x Reebok Shaq Attaq “The Neon”; the Sneakersnstuff x Reebok Pump Fury “NYC”; the Reebok Kamikaze II “PE”; and the re-issued Packer Shoes x Reebok Kamikaze II “Remember the Alamo”. Each pair even came packaged with matching Stance socks, and a full line of apparel—even foam fingers—was also available. The sneakers were already a major draw, but what really had people lining up outside the pop-up shop was the appearance of NBA legends throughout the weekend, including Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal, Dominique Wilkins, and Shawn Kemp, all on-hand to meet fans and sign autographs. We can’t even imagine how much work and coordination the entire event was, but we’re certainly glad the two sneaker shops and Reebok made it happen.
BEAMS x FootPatrol x Saucony Grid 8000
London’s Footpatrol and Japan’s BEAMS teamed up for this international collaboration with Saucony for this unique edition of the Grid 8000. Dubbed “Only in Tokyo” as a reference to Footpatrol’s “Only in Soho” Shadow 6000 from 2013, the shoe sports a predominantly orange multicolor knitted textile base with off white premium suede paneling outfitting the rest of the upper. Special loose tongue tags reveal “Only in Tokyo” when flipped up, adding another unique detail to this very clean collaboration. With no apparent back story for the colorway, it’s refreshing to see a collaborative sneaker that just straight up looks great without some obscure inspiration.
Rise x Puma Blaze Of Glory
There were a lot of great collab sneakers released this year, but few have the amount of meaning and importance behind them as this PUMA Blaze of Glory by New York sneaker shop RISE. Losing his father to AIDS as a child, Rise co-founder Chase Ceparano partnered with PUMA on this very special “New York is For Lovers” Blaze of Glory to help bring awareness to HIV/AIDS education and prevention. For the bold Blaze of Glory in premium red leather with black accents and cut-out heart detailing at the heel, RISE and PUMA made a joint $15,000 donation to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. The meaningful collaboration shows that sneakers can actually help make a difference in the world.
Public School NY x Air Jordan 12 Retro
Menswear label Public School NY became a household name in the sneaker world by the end of 2015, dropping a few coveted collaborations with Jordan Brand throughout the year. While the Air Jordan 10s were highly limited and never released at retail, the world got their chance at this super clean edition of the Air Jordan 12, constructed in premium nubuck in tonal charcoal from top to bottom. Still very limited, the shoes are currently fetching high prices on the resale market, and without a doubt make for one of the most memorable collaborations of 2015.
Kendrick Lamar x Reebok Ventilator
We couldn’t forget the Reebok Ventilator, which saw a major push in 2015 for its 25th anniversary with a large amount of colorways by sneaker boutiques and creatives across the globe. Shops like END, Sneaker Politics, Livestock, and Titolo all had impressive editions of the classic Reebok runner, but it was Kendrick Lamar who caught our attention the most with his clean take on the model. The first physical representation of the hip-hop superstar’s partnership with Reebok came in the form of this socially-conscious Ventilator, which features a creamy white upper and mismatched blue and red themes on the left and right shoe—a call for the bloods and crips of Los Angeles to co-exist peacefully.
Solebox x Diadora V.7000
Always known for their impeccably executed collab sneakers in great colorways with premium materials and attention to detail, Berlin’s Solebox outdid themselves once again with this Diadora V7000. With a predominantly black upper, the shoe is constructed in soft kangaroo leather and suede with mint green accentuating the stylish model’s wavy lines. Topping them off are the black leather laces to add a final premium detail that secures their place among the year’s best collaborations.
fragment design x Nike Air Trainer 1
Hiroshi Fujiwara’s fragment design label seemed to be on just about every notable NikeLab release this year, and none were bigger than the six colorways of the Air Trainer 1 each inspired by the Major tennis tournaments. Referencing the fact that tennis players like John McEnroe and Andre Agassi used to play in the Air Trainer 1 after it released in 1987, fragment created two colorways each for Wimbledon, the French Open, and the US Open that all dropped around the same time as their respective tournaments. And if that wasn’t enough, there was a surprise release of additional black and red colorways during the US Open in September. The impressive set of Trainer 1s perfectly combined Nike’s tennis history with on-trend modern looks for the iconic silhouette, and best of all, they were actually attainable by pretty much anybody that wanted a pair—unlike some previous fragment collabs.
Concepts x New Balance 997 “Luxury Goods”
Inspired by high-fashion label Hermes’ signature shade of orange, Concepts offered up one of their best collaborations ever with New Balance for the “Luxury Goods” 997. Unless you can’t stand orange sneakers, there’s nothing not to love about these 997s hand-crafted in the USA with premium pigskin suede and buttery leather detailing. Concepts does it once again, and of course, their NYC pop-up shop received a nice transformation to fit the occasion.
Hypebeast x adidas Ultra Boost Uncaged
The shoe every hypebeast absolutely had to have this year after Kanye West was spotted wearing them seems like a very fitting sneaker for Hypebeast to collaborate on, and the media outlet certainly didn’t disappoint with this awesome adidas Ultra Boost. Reinterpreting the Ultra Boost as “Uncaged”, Hypebeast stripped off the midfoot TPU Three Stripes for an even more lifestyle-friendly edition of the silhouette with a clean colorway to match. Closing out the year with this strong collab, the Ultra Boost furthered its case for the best sneaker of 2015.
Eminem x Carhartt x Air Jordan 4 “XXV”
Even with a release of only 10 pairs via eBay auctions that no normal person could afford (which is why we left it out of our general Best Jordans list), the Eminem x Air Jordan 4 Retro is no doubt one of the best collabs of the year. Bringing Carhartt into the mix, the new Air Jordan 4 from Eminem was executed exceptionally with a simple yet strong colorway in black canvas with metallic silver accents and semi-translucent outsole. Making them even more special than the previous Eminem Jordan 4’s, they also featured special “E” and hockey mask logos on the heeltabs, and were produced specifically to raise money for Michigan State’s Literacy Through Songwriting Program. The limited release cause plenty of hype, but just imagine how crazy things would have gotten if they dropped in larger quantities at retail.
OVO x Air Jordan 10 Retro
The Air Jordan 10 has never been a model that’s received a ton of love in the sneaker world, especially by those they may fall under the label of “hype beasts”. But that all changed when the rap world’s golden boy Drake got his hands on the silhouette for the collaborative “October’s Very Own” edition of the tenth Air Jordan. The clean and ultra premium edition of the Air Jordan 10 featured a creamy off-white upper with stingray textured leather and gold accents throughout. The final product from the major team-up of Drake and Jordan Brand created the most hyped and sought-after Air Jordan 10 of all time.
Ronnie Fieg x ASICS GEL-Lyte III “Homage”
Ronnie Fieg paid homage to his own previous ASICS sneaker colorways with this “What the” style release in late 2015. Taking recognizable hues from his best ASICS collabs of the past that helped make the brand relevant in the sneaker-collecting world, the Homage GEL-Lyte III’s, complete with premium packaging, became a “super” Fieg collab that was a must-have for fans of his past offerings.
Palace Skateboard x adidas Skateboarding
Trendy skateboard company Palace teamed up with adidas this year for their very own model, the Palace Pro. The shoe debuted this summer in Primeknit and perforated suede constructions atop at traditional rubber sole unit, but then it made another appearance this fall upgraded with a Boost sole. Take your pick, because they’re all great.
Murakami x Vans
Takashi Murakami, a world famous artist that always blurs the lines between high art, pop art, street art and anime, teamed up with Vans Vault for a very special collaboration in 2015 with a number of Slip-Ons for men, women, and even toddlers. The sneakers provided a democratic way to own a piece of his in-demand artwork, and were quickly snatched up by his fans as well as those who know a good pair of Vans when they see it. The shoes were accompanied by t-shirts and skate decks to round out one of the most fun and creative sneaker collabs of the year.
