Sneakers bring people together. They give countless people a healthy way to bond and form connections. Certain pairs of shoes tell stories that voices and words alone are not able to convey. Posts will include sneaker reviews, store reviews, opinions, interviews, favorite sneakers lists, upcoming releases, on feet reviews, and basically anything sneaker related.
Shoes often go beyond the materialistic realm. Enthusiasts and collectors appreciate the intangible aspects of sneakers just as much as the physical features. Certain collaborations and limited releases have a deeper meaning attached to them. They are usually not just a regular pair of shoes. The brands, back stories, collaborative efforts, and creativity tend to draw in a particular crowd that appreciates immaterial aspects of both sought after and general releases.
It has been over a year since the sudden passing of the fashion designer and streetwear icon, Virgil Abloh. Nobody within the past decade has impacted the sneaker community as much as Abloh. His influence is still impactful and will be for the foreseeable future; nobody can deny the fact that Abloh broke down barriers for designers everywhere no matter their opinion on his creative work.
Streetwear has typically been a subculture within the larger fashion scene. With Abloh’s presence and prominence, streetwear became widely accepted by almost everyone in the fashion industry. After the work of the Illinois native, the crossover between high-end/designer fashion and streetwear became normalized. Sneakers were one of Abloh’s main focuses that pushed limits and redefined the impact and precedents regarding collaborations.
Virgil Abloh’s most recognizable creative production is his collaboration between his world renowned brand, Off-White and the sneaker/apparel giant in Nike. “The Ten” collection showcased the true genius that Abloh was. He put his own creative touch on classic models like the Air Jordan 1, several Air Maxes, and Air Forces without doing too much. Abloh decided to work on already established shoes and turn them into unique sneakers that have never been actualized before. Past designers did not have the creative freedom that Nike granted to Virgil Abloh. He tweaked timeless models that were otherwise not altered since their inception.
After his first collection with Nike, Virgil Abloh’s influence showed no signs of slowing down. Nike has released countless pairs in collaboration with Off-White since their partnership first started. The quotes, “unfinished” materials, and exposed foam all are prevalent in numerous sneakers and in other brands looking to capitalize off of the well-known details popularized by Off-Whites’ founder.
Since Abloh worked with Kanye West on numerous creative collaborations, he solidified himself as a creative genius. The work between the two creatives started when they first interned together with the major fashion house, Fendi. Their work and influence together flourished; eventually, Abloh became the creative director at Donda. Through his own brand and West’s ties to Louis Vuitton, the trained architect became the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection in 2018 and later received more creative control of the major French fashion house.
Abloh broke boundaries at Louis Vuitton after he got full creative control of the men’s clothing line . He became the first person of African descent to command LV’s menswear clothing line. Virgil Abloh showed how Black designers can lead a major fashion house LVMH despite decades of prejudice and discrimination. As the son of Ghanian immigrants, Abloh rose to the top of the fashion world even with the odds stacked against him. If Abloh could do it, so can other marginalized individuals who wish to become influential designers in the industry.
Abloh provided blueprints and gave aspiring designers a chance to learn from his personal work. He quickly became a renowned leader and mentor in the high-end fashion and streetwear communities. Virgil Abloh openly mentored Jordan Bentley, a young Black creative who founded Hypland, a widely recognized and influential streetwear brand. Virgil Abloh could have easily kept to himself and focused only on his work. However, he wanted to provide for kids and young adults who look up to him as a man and an influential designer.
“Life is so short you can’t waste even a day subscribing to what someone thinks you can do versus knowing what you can do.”
Virgil Abloh
The Illinois native will be remembered for numerous things especially his major contribution to current state of sneakers. Nobody has recently paved the way for future creatives like Abloh. His concept of tweaking something already great by just three percent unlocks countless doors for upcoming artists and designers. The fact that one has to come up with a new, completely original idea is almost dead. Now, creatives have the ability to twist and change an already existing concept into something of their own without completely reinventing the wheel.
Streetwear and high-end fashion owe the world to Abloh. Very few designers have produced the amount of creative mastery that he did over a rather short period of time. May he forever live on through his original creations, collaborations, and noticeable influence on other artists and labels.
Virgil Abloh Photographed by Sebastian Kim, Vogue, October 2015
This year has provided the sneaker community with countless notable releases. Nike and Jordan Brand have dominated the best drops like they have been year in and year out over the past five plus years. With the exception of a few years when Adidas first came out with the Yeezy line, Nike has been almost untouchable in terms of producing the most noteworthy sneaker releases. Everyone has their personal favorites of the year for their own reasons and rationale. The best releases are always a topic of discussion towards the end of every year; every list is obviously subjective which draws more attention than staying impartial and objective.
This year in particular has been full of recognizable collaborations and classic pairs that were re-released. Every personal list differs based on preferences, personal pickups, and numerous other deciding factors. This list does not include every “hyped” sneaker to release in 2022; personal favorites are unique as they highlight individual style and taste. It is always tough to only pick a few sneakers when a year typically experiences numerous notable releases. The list below does not portray the overall magnitude of all of the distinguished sneakers released in 2022.
Top 5 Personal Favorites (2022)
Nike Air Max 1 NH Treeline
Released in early May, the Treelines were an instant hit. Although there was not too much hype before the pair released, this pair became an instant favorite for countless Air Max lovers. The materials truly stand out on this pair; suede, canvas, and mesh cover the outdoor-themed sneakers. Earth tones with hints of pink and a green suede mudguard give a new look to the classic Air Maxes and provide a fresh appearance for the timeless trainers.
The Treelines are an excellent option in the spring and summer for a pop of color when the weather is typically suede-friendly. Nike executed a new twist on a classic model to as close to perfection as possible. The earth tone craze has run rampant over the past few years; Nike knew what the people would gravitate to when they dropped the Treelines.
The Nike Air Max 1 Treelines provide a much needed breath of fresh air; the colorway is unlike any classics and gives a sense of ingenuity to the well-known silhouette.
New Balance 550 x Aimé Leon Dore Purple
Yes, a brand besides Nike makes my personal list this year. New Balance has proved to be a worthy competitor to the regular sneaker industry leaders in the recent past. Aimé Leon Dore (ALD) reintroduced the New Balance 550 with their collaboration in 2020 and the duo has not looked back since. Teddy Santis, the founder of ALD, brings a new swag to New Balance and revitalized the brand’s image especially with his latest creativity.
The NB 550 is no stranger to working with Santis, as they have released multiple clean colorways that compliment the timeless model extremely well. Earlier this year, Aimé Leon Dore released brown, olive, and purple colorways of the 550. All of the combos are distinguishable and match well with many other colors. Specifically, the purple colorway provides a unique look that pairs well with neutral tones. Teddy Santis did not disappoint with his recent releases in collaboration with New Balance. The tandem show no signs of slowing down and will continue to release clean 550s while allowing countless people access to the sneakers.
NB 550Aimé Leon DoreTeddy Santis and New Balance have been coming together to give a classic silhouette a modern upgrade
Air Jordan 3 Fire Red
Another classic makes the list for 2022. Jordan 3s are one of my favorite Jordan silhouettes and are easily in my top three models of all time. The elephant print produces a unique look that sets the sneakers apart from its relatives in the Jordan family. One of the more sought after silhouettes, Jordan 3s paired with an ageless colorway are bound to make the lists of many sneaker enthusiasts no matter the year.
The Jordan 3 Fire Red was highly anticipated and became one of the more notable sneaker releases before this year even started. Since its 2013 predecessor, Jordan 3 fans were anxiously waiting for the Fire Reds to drop with the original Nike Air branding. The 2022 version of this pair is arguably one of the best renditions of the timeless colorway since being originally released in 1988. Other J3 Fire Red retros did not include the coveted “Nike Air” on the shoe’s back tab. This branding alone increases the number of sneaker enthusiasts looking to secure a pair; the Jumpman logo is not nearly as popular with older and younger crowds alike.
Can’t beat a clean Jordan 3 with the Nike Air on the heel tab
Damn near executed to perfection *chef’s kiss*
A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 4 Violet Ore
The Jordan 4s have undoubtedly taken over as the hottest Jordan model of 2022. From the Military Blacks to the Red Thunders to the Canyon Purples, the classic silhouette has proved to be one of the most popular in the Jordan line over the past year. A Ma Maniére (AMM) released numerous high quality Jordans including the 1s, 2s, and 3s. The release of the Violet Ores continues their epic run in an exciting fashion; the materials are not lacking just like the previous AMM sneaker drops. A high quality collaboration with a respected brand like A Ma Maniére on one of the most recognized Jordan models in recent history proves to be a worthy sneaker of the year in many people’s personal lists.
Many sneakerheads consider A Ma Maniére collaborations to be of higher than normal quality for most Jordans. Although the Jordan 4s are still good quality, the suede was not up to par with previous AMM sneakers released in the recent past. Regardless, the AMM 4s are a sneaker of the year contender as one of the most notable sneaker releases.
A Ma Maniére produces quality sneakers with exciting stories and themes. Social Status and AMM are for the people; they always prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion in the sneaker community.
Jordan 1 High Taxi
The colorway alone makes this a personal favorite of this year. Steelers, Pirates, Penguins all in one pair of shoes. Pittsburgh pride runs deep; there’s no better pair of shoes to wear on game day than the Taxi 1s. If this pair released a few years ago when the Jordan 1 High craze was at its peak, the resell value would be at least double of the current market price. The hype for the Taxis was high, but not high enough for people to miss out on if they put in some effort to purchase the sneakers on the release day in September of this year.
Jordan 1s will always be a clean and classic silhouette no matter the demand or popularity surrounding the model. The Taxis will be timeless pair of Jordans that people will look back in the future and realize how good of a pair Jordan Brand released. Classic white and yellow color blocking keeps the well-known pattern going on the pair as well. The materials are obviously not Shattered Backboard-like, but are still better than the quality of most recent Jordan 1 Highs.
Unofficial official Yinzer Jordan 1s
City of Champions Highs
Gameday Kicks
Honorable Mentions
Air Jordan 1 Low Bleached Coral
When people think of Jordan 1s, the automatically think of the high top version. The mids typically have more colorways, but with subpar quality that draws many sneakerheads away from the particular cut. Lows are often hit or miss. Most people leave the majority of Air Jordan 1 Lows alone and only focus on a select few colorways. The Bleached Coral combo is a can’t beat colorway that stands out compared to other color combos.
The materials on the Bleached Corals provide a much needed change from the usual quality of other Jordan 1 Lows. Black cracked leather gives a nice touch to complement the smooth white leather. The Bleached Coral suede surely sticks out for a fresh look. Another pair that makes an excellent summer shoe makes the list for 2022.
Air Jordan 4 Military Black
One of the more sought after Jordan 4s that came out this year boasts a clean and timeless colorway. When the Military Blacks first came out, they had a lot of hype surrounding them earlier this year. Now, this pair is showing no signs of losing any popularity in the foreseeable future. Jordan Brand executed the Military Black 4s extremely well. The pair has above average quality; also, the Military Blacks boasts better than usual quality control.
The light gray suede mudguard is an excellent compliment on the Air Jordan 4 Military Black. Jordan Brand did not let many people down with one of the most notable sneaker releases of2022.
Simple yet timeless colorways typically see the most demand. Almost all of the classic Jordans are clean sneakers that pair well with a variety of clothing pieces. Loud colorways are typically draw a younger crowd compared to ageless sneakers like numerous older Jordans. The Military Blacks are an instant classic that did not disappoint in 2022.
2022 Notable Sneaker Releases
Obviously I could not include all of my favorite sneaker releases to drop this year in this particular list. To get a list down to only five was not an easy task, but it still captures a general overview of sneakers that caught my eye in 2022. All of these sneakers are unique in their own regard; Nike makes up the majority of my recent pickups and my overall collection without a doubt. As time goes on, I am looking to make more of a conscious effort to include other brands in my rotation.
What does your top five sneakers list look like for 2022? Any way too early predictions for 2023?
