There's always room for blossoming new romances and the rekindling of old flames in the sneaker world. After a tornado of kicks that hit us in 2021 (you would've thought it would cool down after we were all forced to sit at home), 2022 is looking even more impactful. The already released previews and drops give us a sense of the sheer volume of what's to come, promising one of the best years in sneakers. And collaborations play a huge role in making that happen. Think revived unions of the past, dependable retro releases and groundbreaking partnerships for your feet.
A longstanding relationship that's thrown up some delightful treats. Every year, every season, the Japanese label never fails to surprise, often choosing a silhouette few could have predicted. For Spring/ Summer 2022, Rei Kawakubo is giving us the Air Max Sunder SP in a simple black and white to wear every day.
First things first, A$AP Rocky unveiled these slick kicks on Instagram, so we're guessing that baby Rihsap's going to be wearing them and that there's a partnership brewing between the Italian brand and the cultural figure. But right now, we're excited that the ongoing Adidas x Prada collab is getting bolder with an attached coin pouch.
If you want to really throwback to the '90s, then a pair of 97s is the only way to do it. A difficult silhouette to beat in the Air Max family and armed with cult status, Comme des Garçon's only made it more desirable with two dialled back colourways in a weathered texture for a look that says I'm a sneakerhead who knows what he's really talking about.
While many don't know of Justin R. Saunder, the founder of JJJJound that started as a curated image blog and became one of the coolest independent creative studios in America (projects include design works for Yeezy and A P C, and partnerships with Reebok, New Balance and Vans), they'll certainly be interested when you slide into these. The joint effort with Nigo's amps up its street cred, while looking like the most chilled out pair of kicks you own.
A world-bending collab like no other, Abloh first saw Louis Vuitton and Nike down the runway in 2021 with a pair of Air Force 1's injected with typography that was his signature at Off-White. Unsurprisingly it became one of the most iconic sneakers of all time. While the official launch date (200 pairs of an exclusive colourway were released by way of a charitable auction at Sotheby's) is unknown, you can bet that they'll come with impossibly high levels of hype.
While these upcoming 1050s have been criticised for being a bit extra and unwearable, you have to give Ye his due for making Yeezy his own (who even remembers that it sits in the Adidas world?) and being bold with it. Case in point, these kicks that weren't made for walking show that the musician is taking a step in an entirely new direction with these bad boys.
After a highly desirable, very sexy and pretty costly LDWaffle, for Fall/Winter 2022, the Japanese label sets its sights on Nike's first-ever sneaker, the Cortez. And this time around, the Sacai magic has transformed the OG into something straight out of the future, complete with an Air Zoom bubble, double-layered sole and two swooshes, of course.
Before the marriage between high-fashion and sportswear became common, designer Jeremy Scott and Adidas Originals introduced us to what was possible when both worlds collided. This was back in 2010. Renewing their partnership last year, the Moschino creative director, otherwise known for his OTT ways, kept it pretty simple this time around with clean high tops and those unmistakable wings.