The 10 Best Sneakers of 2023
By
By Stadium Goods |The 10 Best Sneakers of 2023
Our picks for the ten best sneakers in the culture in 2023. Are they all in your collection yet?
Matt DeSciora & Zack Schlemmer
If you frequent the Stadium Goods Journal, then you know that we release a version of our Best Sneakers of the Year (So Far) list midway through the year, and again at the end of the year. Well, itās now November, which means itās time to reveal our final picks for the best sneakers from 2023.
While collaborations from Travis Scott and Jordan Brand and AimĆ© Leon Dore and New Balance continued to hold their popularity, there were also significant changes in sneaker culture that defined the year. For one, New Balance became the breakout brand for 2023, as there was never more demand for models like the 2002R, 1906R, and 990 āMade in the USAā series as there was in 2023. Elsewhere, the Y2K style trend made 2000-to-2010-ish retro runners a hot commodity. And then there was 2023ās biggest breakout hit: the adidas Samba, which was and still is everywhere right now.
From returning Air Jordan colorways that havenāt been released in ages to new collaborations and silhouettes altogether, our culture is truly thriving right now. Itās only right we do it justice by showing love to our favorite sneakers of 2023.
Tiffany and Co. x Nike Air Force 1 Low ā1837ā
It finally happened. Tiffany and Co. and Nike have collaborated together in an official capacity. Years after Diamond Supply Co. and Nike SB released the āTiffanyā Dunk Low, a colorway inspired by the luxury jewelry company, the New York based label joined forces with The Swoosh on an Air Force 1 Low called the ā1837.ā The shoeās premium design is everything everyone has ever wanted in a collaboration between the two companies.
Air Jordan 1 High ā85 āBlack/Whiteā
The classic Air Jordan 1 High ā85 is back in blackā¦ and white. Debuted in 1985, the Jordan 1ās original, iconic, and somewhat rare āBlack/Whiteā colorway returned in 2023 on the accurate-to-original version of Michael Jordanās first signature shoe. The modern āBlack/Whiteā features all the same components that made the OG pair a stunner, and is another cog in the āPandaā colorway themeās wheel of hype in 2023.
Air Jordan 3 āWhite Cement Reimaginedā
Itās been a year to remember for retro colorways. The Air Jordan 3 āWhite Cement Reimaginedā is yet another old school colorway from back in the day to receive a modern reissue in 2023. Based on the OG āWhite Cement,ā the new Jordan 3 āWhite Cement Reimaginedā features panel shapes, colors, branding, and other design elements that are consistent with what was found on the first Jordan 3.
While itās been around for ages, thereās no denying that the adidas Samba is the sneaker of the year for 2023 so far. The silhouette is everywhere you look, both online in the latest celeb sightings, and on the streets on everybody's feet. Itās also a shoe thatās made waves with its collaborations with fashion designer Wales Bonner, Emily Obergās Sporty & Rich clothing brand, and Kithās three-way project with Clarks and adidas. Clearly, the Samba is having a moment, one that will probably extend well into the future.
The biggest movement in sneakers this year was the Y2K trend. Retro running sneakers with big mesh and silver colorways were everywhere this year, and the ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 was one of the most significant sneakers fueling the Y2K-style aesthetics. Launched in 2008, the Gel-Kayano 14 became the poster child for what a Y2K sneaker should look like: metallic overlays on a mesh upper, a chunky, techy-looking midsole, and minimal branding. Just like about every other sneaker on this list, the Gel-Kayano 14 was used in a few different collaborations that brought it even more popularity, including projects with Aritzia and Kith.
Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 āPine Greenā
Nike SB and Jordan Brand have teamed up before, but this is the first-ever skate-ready edition of the Air Jordan 4, and it certainly didnāt disappoint. But who can even bring themselves to wear such a clean pair of 4s while skating?
The Y2K sneaker styleās winning formula of big mesh, metallic detailing, and other techy features is what made the New Balance 1906 another one of the hottest retro running models of 2023. The general release colorways have been stellar, and the model got extra support from collaborations by the likes of AimĆ© Leon Dore, Ganni, and size? that also greatly contributed to it being one of the most in-demand sneakers of the year.
Like the ASICS Gel-Kayano 14 and New Balance 1906R, the Nike Vomero 5 is another 2000s-era running shoe that has made a big comeback in 2023. Nike Runningās Vomero line has always been known for its plush comfort, achieved with a soft foam midsole with plenty of Zoom Air cushioning embedded inside. Theyāre like walking (or running) on clouds.
Action Bronson x New Balance 990v6 āBaklavaā
Action Bronson is most well known for his music and being a world class food connoisseur, but the Queens, New York native also dabbles in many other things from pro wrestling to what weāre here to talk about today, sneaker collaborations. Action Bronson has been repping New Balance for years, but in 2023 he officially teamed up with the brand for his own colorway of the 990v6. Dubbed āBaklava,ā the multicolor design was easily the most hyped New Balance release of the year, and thatās saying something.
If you want one of the most hyped sneakers of 2023 so far on your feet, then youāre going to want to pick up the Corteiz x Nike Air Max 95. The London-based streetwear brand Corteiz has been making big headlines in the sneaker world as of late with its flash drops of Air Max 95s in various cities including Paris, London, and this pink-accented edition that was released only in New York City.