The Best Sneakers of 2024

In some ways, 2024 was a sneaker year just like any other. There were a handful of high-profile retro re-releases—some of which we never thought would ever actually happen, like the Nike Dunk High ‘Wu-Tang Clan’ and the ‘Silver Surfer’ SB Dunk Low. (Editor's note: We decided to only consider entirely new sneaker drops for this list—i.e. first-release colorways or shoe models—which is why neither of those kicks, or other retro heavy-hitters like the Air Jordan 3 ‘Black Cement,’ made the cut.) There were more transparent bids for sneaker virality. And there were a handful of perennial faves—OG Sambas and Vans—that hung around and stayed relevant.

But there were also a whole lot of new developments in the sneaker world worth getting excited about, too. After years of oversized dad shoes dominating, a handful of ultra-slim silhouettes broke through in a big way. An instant-classic signature shoe emerged on the hardwood. And designers seemed to put a greater emphasis on strong storytelling, clean design, and premium materials in their footwear than we've seen in years.

All of that added up to a strong calendar of kicks worth celebrating. These are the best sneakers of 2024.

Bode x Nike Astro Grabber

For Bode’s debut Nike collaboration, Emily Adams Bode Aujla savvily dug deep into the Swoosh’s archives to uncover the Astro Grabber, a long-forgotten football shoe from the 1970s. The sneaker has, in the months since this much-hyped limited release, found itself elevated back to legend status. It is, without question, the shoe of the season—to the point that you might already be sick of it popping up on your IG feed. More than a hype-fueled flash in the pan, the Bode x Nike Astro Grabber is a true classic in the making, doing for the silhouette what Wales Bonner did for the Samba a few years back.

JJJJound x Adidas Samba

Speaking of Wales Bonner’s Sambas: the British label’s beloved partnership with Adidas is still going strong. But if we had to choose the single best iteration on the Samba this year, that title would have to go to the deceptively luxe spin from JJJJound. Rather than dress the iconic soccer shoe up with any new bells and whistles, the Montreal design studio decided to simply master the basics. They rendered the Samba in three classic colorways—the OG white and black makeups, alongside a new hairy tan suede—and then had them fashioned from the finest of premium leathers by artisans in Adidas’s native Germany. The result feels like the definitive version of an all-time great sneaker.

New Balance 1906L

From the moment it debuted at Paris Fashion Week in January—on the runway of the revered Junya Watanabe, no less—New Balance’s sneaker-loafer hybrids generated a maelstrom of discourse and memes. It would’ve been easy to imagine the silhouette wearing out its welcome before it even arrived (it’s scheduled to release sometime later this fall). But in the end, this is simply a good shoe—comfy, versatile, and far less bizarre than its reputation might suggest—one that we’re anticipating so heavily that it demanded a place on this list well in advance of its official launch.

Studio Nicholson x Asics 360 VIII

If we have one criticism of the Studio Nicholson x Asics 360 VIII, it’s how hard it is to find: the sleek collab was limited to an ultra-scarce 100 pairs worldwide. Inspired by the architecture and street style of Tokyo, the lush black kicks were hand-finished in London with Italian leather detailing—a testament to Studio Nicholson’s fabric-first ethos.

Nina Chanel Abney x Air Jordan 3

As soon as the acclaimed Chicago artist Nina Chanel Abney began teasing her latest Air Jordan collaboration on Instagram back in January, it was clear it was destined to become one of the year’s sickest new Js. That proved true: Abney’s take on the Air Jordan 3 is every bit as vibrant as her art, making a familiar silhouette feel as fresh and novel as the day it was released.

Issey Miyake x New Balance MT10O

This low-profile trail runner is every bit as streamlined and tasteful as you might expect from Issey Miyake. With its minimalist lines and monochromatic tones, the barely-there sneakers are an ode to what Issey designer Satoshi Kondo calls “the concept of barefoot mobility” and “the notion of ‘natural and honest shape.’”

Hidden NY x Asics Gel-NYC

This one’s for the Adobe heads in the audience. Hidden NY’s flip on the beloved Asics Gel-NYC is subtle but striking, tweaking the brand’s famous stripes to appear pixelated and low-resolution. Rather than a designer shoe, Hidden says, this is “rather a shoe for designers everywhere.”

Atmos x Adidas Gazelle 85

The homey, vintage-inspired patchwork aesthetic of the Atmos x Adidas Gazelle 85 feels tailor-made for 2024. Launched to celebrate the new flagship store of the Japanese retailer in Tokyo, Atmos and Adidas teamed up yet again to deliver a wildly original vision that still feels somehow timeless.

Miu Miu x New Balance SL

Much like the Issey Miyake x New Balance MT10O, the Miu Miu’s collaboration with the Boston athletic brand also trades NB’s typical chunkiness for a notably trimmed-down look. Borrowing some of the minimalist splendor of Miu Miu’s viral ballet flats, it feels like a classic New Balance dad shoe that’s been sliced in half and pared down to its very essence.

C.P. Company x Asics Gel-Quantum 360 VIII

Italy’s C.P. Company linked up with Asics’s Sportstyle division to produce this cutting-edge interpretation of the Gel-Quantum 360 VIII. Designed as an homage to “natural forms and interlocking structures,” the shoe has been reengineered to include lightweight “Division Space” tech across the midsole and various 5D-printed details, all designed to minimize its environmental impact.

A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 4 ‘While You Were Sleeping’

With its landmark While You Were Sleeping collection—comprising six distinct shoe models from Nike, Converse, and Jordan Brand—A Ma Maniére all but cemented itself as one of the current era’s signature Swoosh collaborators. And perhaps the sickest shoe of the six was this ultra-clean spin on the Air Jordan 4, swaddled in soft tonal suedes and leathers.

Adidas AE1

If we’re being real here, this is the one. No shoe generated more hype, had a better campaign, or made more of an impression in 2024 than Anthony Edwards’ first signature sneaker with Adidas. It’s hard to recall the last time a signature shoe put the culture in a vice grip the way the AE1 did. The rollout? Note perfect. Those first few colorways? Again, perfect, from the debut peachy orange to the metallic All-Star Weekend joints. At their best, signature sneakers channel the allure and charisma of athletes without sacrificing performance innovation. In that sense, the AE1 is the signature game at its best. What’s more, it’s hard to remember the last time the most talked-about sneaker of the year has been readily available at Foot Locker and other easily accessible sneaker retailers.

Nigo x Nike Air Force 3 Low ‘Blue Void and Tour Yellow’

After circling each other for decades, the Swoosh and streetwear icon Nigo finally linked up on a proper collaboration. The result was in keeping with the BAPE founder’s love of splashy tones and deep reverence for sneaker history: A far-out take on the slept-on Air Force 3 Low, with a blush pink suede toe box offsetting a crayon box's worth of primary colors across the upper.

Bentgablenits x Asics Gel-1130

How do you bypass the sneaker hype industrial complex and create something truly unique as a collaborator? If you’re Bentgablenits, the vintage upcycling masterminds from Toronto, you do what put you on the map to begin with and give each pair of kicks a one-of-a-kind touch. For their collaboration with Asics earlier this year, BGN adorned pairs of the trendy Gel-1130 with vintage Cracker Jack charms. These aren’t reproductions–these are meticulously sourced antiques, none of which are the same from shoe to shoe. It made each pair an instant collector’s item and provided a bold statement from one of the more fascinating collaborators in the sneaker world today.

Jack Harlow x New Balance 1906R ‘Rose Runner’

Speaking of first-time collaborators: Rapper Jack Harlow may have signed with New Balance years ago, but 2024 saw the release of his first real collaboration with the brand—and what a collaboration it is. Harlow took the reliable 1906R runner and decked it out in a lush rose patterned print with velvet ivy green laces. They look like your grandma’s couch—in a good way. There’s been no shortage of hot collaborators at New Balance over the last five years, but few have so instantly staked their claim as one to watch like Harlow did with these.

Dries Van Noten Suede Sneakers

In 2024, Dries Van Noten stepped away from his namesake brand with a bang. Among the highlights of the legend’s final collections were these thin-soled suede trainers inspired by ’70s runners and marathon shoes. They’re an excellent display of simple, restrained design, prioritizing premium materials and retro vibes over ostentatious presentation and attention-hungry detailing. Dries knows if it isn’t broken, you don’t fix it—and shoes like these haven’t had anything to fix in a long, long time.

Kids of Immigrants x Nike Air Max Sunder SP

When Nike revived this mostly-forgotten archival trainer from the ’90s earlier this year, it may have seemed like a bit of an odd move. Once the shoe’s collaborative colorway with innovative streetwear hub Kids of Immigrants hit, though, it all made sense. The brand channeled great storytelling and a keen sense of design into two gradient colorways, both absolute stunners. The detailing across the shoes and the packaging made for a deeply thoughtful endeavor that also happens to look really, really great on-foot.

Wales Bonner x Adidas Samba ‘Navy Croc’

Three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and Grace Wales Bonner designing great Adidas Sambas. Year in and year out, the celebrated British designer finds a way to make one of the most popular sneaker silhouettes in the world feel fresh. The highlight of her 2024 output with the Three Stripes is this navy croc leather number, bringing swaggy ’70s vibes that feels just a hair more formal than your usual black-and-white kicks. Like all Wales Bonner Sambas, they’ll leave you wondering what she could possibly do with the shoe next (there is, as it turns out, always something).

Wale x Nike Air Foamposite One ‘DMV’

As an homage to his beloved DMV—the Washington, D.C./Maryland/Virginia region, not the Department of Motor Vehicles—Wale cooked up this scintillating Foamposite that nods to the area’s famed cherry blossoms.

Jae Tips x Saucony Grid Azura 2000 ‘Remember Who Fronted’

Go big or go home. That’s the mentality streetwear designer and rapper Jae Tips has brought to every single one of his collaborations with Saucony in 2024. Subtlety? That’s for the other guys. JT made his mark with the brand by bringing loud colors and clashing patterns together for symphonies of chaos that somehow gave way to something resembling sneaker harmony. For our money the debut Grid Azura is still the best of the bunch, embodying everything great about Jae Tips’ partnership with Saucony.

Puma Speedcat OG

You can never quite tell when a silhouette is going to get plucked from the archive and become the It shoe of the moment. Last year nobody would have guessed the Puma Speedcat would have its time in the sun in 2024, yet that’s exactly what happened. The slimmed-down, minimalist shoe became the sort of trendy daily driver that you’d see on the feet of the most well-dressed folks in the Lower East Side or Los Feliz. The suede silhouette is readily available in basic colorways and goes with just about anything, making it the perfect finishing touch to fits composed of fresh thrift finds or designer threads alike.

Air Jordan 5 ‘El Grito’

The House that Mike Built bodied this Air Jordan 5 colorway, which hit stores back in September in time for Mexican Independence Day. Full of well-considered details and easter eggs that pay homage to everything from the architecture in Mexico City to the legend of El Grito, the shoe was an instant hit. It’s no wonder rumors are already circulating that the shoe’s palette will be applied to more Jordan silhouettes in the future–don’t be surprised if this time next year we’re still talking about El Grito on our Sneakers of the Year list.