The 10 Best Sneakers of 2021
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By Stadium Goods |The 10 Best Sneakers of 2021
Our picks for the ten very best sneakers of the year.
Matt DeSciora
Another year brought another roundup of sneaker releases that reaffirmed our love for the culture. From Nike and adidas to Air Jordan and New Balance, the industry’s heavyweights were in constant competition over the last twelve months to see who could pull off the most surprising collaborations, bring back the most timeless colorways, and push forward the most innovative sneakers in the game. It’s safe to say that we, the sneaker community, were the beneficiaries of all of these power moves by the game’s power players.
Now, as the year comes to a close, it’s time to anoint the best sneaker releases of 2021. These lists are never easy to create, but we stand by our selections for the best sneakers of the year because they represent where the culture currently stands, as well as where it's headed into the future.
In no particular order, these are the 10 Best Sneakers of 2021.
A Ma Maniére x Women’s Air Jordan 3 “Raised by Women”
The best women’s shoe of the year, the most creative Air Jordan 3 of the year, and Jordan’s top collaboration of the year, the A Ma Maniére x Women’s Air Jordan 3 “Raised by Women” is deserving of each one of those superlatives. A Ma Maniére owner James Whitner’s take on Michael Jordan’s third signature shoe champions a premium aesthetic that alters its design, impossibly, for the better. The decision to remove the Jordan 3’s original elephant print detailing in favor of hairy grey suede gives the shoe a more streamlined and refined appearance, one that feels retro enough to have been an original concept sketched by Tinker Hatfield some thirty years ago.
Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 550 “Natural Green”
In 2020, Teddy Santis and his Aimé Leon Dore fashion brand released its first collaboration with New Balance on the 550 silhouette. In 2021, Santis was named Creative Director of New Balance’s Made in the USA sub-line. Unearthing a forgotten basketball shoe with no meaningful ties to any one player or moment and making it incredibly popular many years later will have that sort of impact on one’s career. In April, Santis and New Balance cooked up a Boston Celtics-esque “Natural Green” colorway that brings the same vintage look to the shoe as all of the great 550s of 2020.
Air Jordan 1 High ‘85 “Neutral Grey”
Vintage clothing went from a fringe trend to a bonafide movement this year, with people pairing their faded jeans and well-worn workwear jackets with shoes of equal vintage. Many old school sneakers popped up on social media, but none looked better with thrift store finds than the Air Jordan 1 High “Natural Grey” from 1985. Beloved for its wearability and prized for its rarity, the “Natural Grey” was finally reissued in February as the Air Jordan 1 High ‘85 “Neutral Grey.” A simple name change and a few modifications made the new “Neutral Grey” a must-have for all sneaker collectors, including those who pride themselves on their ability to discover hidden gems in vintage shops.
Patta x Nike Air Max 1 “Monarch”
Sneaker collaborations shouldn't always be about reinventing the wheel, rather fine tuning a classic shoe for the current times. No one knows this better than Patta. The Amsterdam sneaker boutique stayed busy in 2021 by releasing a string of Nike Air Max 1s with a new modified, wavy mudguard. The fix isn’t so much mind-blowing or bold as it is simply just well-executed and subtly creative. Future sneaker collaborators should take notes.
adidas Yeezy Foam Runner “MXT Moon Grey”
It took a minute for sneaker collectors to warm up to the adidas Yeezy Foam Runner, but when people finally came around to Kanye West’s hybrid silhouette, there were plenty of great options to choose from, including the “MXT Moon Grey.” The colorway’s marbled blend of dark grey and tan made the part slip-on sandal, part sneaker stand out as one of the year’s best releases, period. You could catch the Yeezy Foam Runner on everyone from West himself, to people at the beach, in the streets, and pretty much everywhere else.
Bad Bunny x adidas Forum Buckle Low “Easter Egg”
Bad Bunny was everywhere in 2021. Between popping up on WWE television—and competing in the ring at Wrestlemania 37!—and winning a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop or Urban Album, the Puerto Rican rapper and entertainer managed to find the time to release his first-ever sneaker collaboration, the adidas Forum Buckle Low “The First Cafe.” Inspired by Bunny’s love of a cup of coffee in the morning, the mocha-style colorway was quickly succeeded by the “Easter” in April, and the “Back to School” in September. The “Easter Egg” is the most heralded of the three, although each colorway provides a glimpse into what makes Bad Bunny tick.
Off-White x Nike Dunk Low “Lot 01”
Virgil Abloh left us far too soon, passing away from a private battle with cancer in late November. A true visionary who had a hand in everything, whether it be designing clothes for Off-White and Louis Vuitton, DJing parties, curating exhibits at art museums, creating a custom Mercedes Benz G Wagon, or collaborating with Nike and Jordan on classic sneakers, Abloh was seemingly the glue that held so many cultures together. His last major project with Nike brought 50 unique colorways to the Dunk, titled “Lot 50.” Each colorway featured the same distinct “do-it-yourself” aesthetic that made Abloh’s “The 10” collection so groundbreaking. Indeed, we had seen Off-White’s signature look on so many Nikes and Air Jordans after “The 10,” but there was still something refreshing about “Lot 50” that will never be replicated again by another sneaker designer. Rest in peace, Virgil.
Salehe Bembury x New Balance 2002R “Let Water Be the Guide”
After leaving his post as Versace’s Director of Men’s Footwear in 2020, Salehe Bembury began making a name for himself by collaborating with the likes of Crocs, Anta, and New Balance. It’s Bembury’s explorations with the latter that caught the attention of sneaker culture the most. Earlier this year, the designer released his second New Balance 2002R entitled “Let Water Be the Guide,” a shoe inspired by water and colored accordingly. More specifically, the vibrant look honors Bembury’s morning routine of traversing through Los Angeles’s popular hiking trails.
Michael Jordan’s two years with the Washington Wizards didn’t result in an NBA Championship or anything of the sort, but it did yield a few memorable sneaker moments, which is about equal in our eyes. Jordan debuted the Air Jordan 11 “Cool Grey” early in his tenure with the team in 2001, helping build hype for the iconic shoe’s first non-original colorway. The “Cool Grey” colorway infiltrated Jordan Brand’s other classic Air Jordan styles before returning to the Jordan 11 for a Holiday 2010 release. We waited another eleven years for the “Cool Grey” Air Jordan 11 to come to fruition, but as you can see, it was well worth the wait. Simply put, it’s one of the best colorways of one of the greatest sneakers of all time.
READYMADE x Nike Blazer Mid “White”
Until time machines become a thing, we’ll have to rely on progressive footwear like READYMADE’s Nike Blazer Mid “White” for a glimpse into what things will look like years beyond the present day. The avant-garde styling of the Japanese streetwear brand’s Blazer is so far removed from the sneaker’s original design that it almost looks like an entirely new shoe. READYMADE’s designer Yuta Hosokawa described the collaboration as a “deconstructed look that doesn’t lose sight of the model’s DNA.” And that’s true considering the 1971-style Swoosh on either side juxtaposed with the rest of the incredibly forward-thinking design. Exposed foam appears on the collar and tongue, three different shoelaces and bungee cords sit atop a digi-camo-patterned foam tongue, and the outsole is made from up to 15% recycled material otherwise known as “Nike Grind.” Here’s to humanity still wearing shoes with laces in 2053 if READYMADE has any say in the matter.