My Favorite Sneakers of 2021
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Another great year with amazing releases
I might say that everyone (including me) is happy and satisfied with the sneakers releases of 2021. We got the long awaited retros e.g. CLOT x Air Max 1, Air Jordan IV ‘Lightning’, fresh silhouettes e.g. adidas Yeezy 450, New Balance 574 Yurt, Nike Kwondo1 and a killer triple threat collaborations e.g. Travis Scott x Fragment Design x Air Jordan 1.
In this article, I prefer to use the term ‘favorite’ instead of ‘the best’ because I believe that sneakers are not meant to be ranked. The sneakers exist in a spectrum where you can choose which sneakers that suits with your outfit or personal value to the extent that the shoe is able to represent yourself.
Without further ado, these are my favorite sneakers of 2021.
Bee Line x Timberland Garrison Trail Low
Having been in a collaboration partnership since 2012, Bee Line and Timberland reunite to present their take on hiking-inspired gears with the Timberland Garrison Low being one of them. I never thought a hiking shoe would be this cool. The mixture of Timberland’s earthy tone and Bee Line’s playful vibrant colors has removed the image of a rigid hiking shoe. The pair looks great for daily use or casual hiking purposes.
Noah x Adidas Lab Race
Noah bring back the 2005 running aesthetics, adiZero Pro, to their Fall footwear collaboration with Adidas. The pair stays true to its original construction with a midsole improvement for a better running performance. In this project Noah challenged themselves to design something versatile that can be useful for both sport and formal occasions. And the result was amazing. The pair, especially the gold color, looks perfect with track pants as well as with a suit.
Off-White x Air Jordan II Low
For me, Virgil and Jordan Brand team have set the bar on how to superbly innovate while being faithful to the original creation especially in attempt on retro-ing an archive. AFAIK, Virgil is one of the collaborators who actively shares the design process behind his desk and respond to fellow enthusiasts’ questions. In a discussion on his latest release, Virgil turned Instagram comment section into a design class where you can challenge Virgil ideas and he will answer them.
Verdy x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Wasted Youth’
Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Wasted Youth’ is Verdy’s second collaboration with Nike. The pair live up to Wasted Youth’s concept of skate and punk rock culture by featuring denim patchwork, d-ring, and DIY option to remove the swoosh. As a guy who listens to punk rock music and has the teenage spirit, I really love the shoe. It really represents the identity of Wasted Youth brand. Sadly, the tulip, Wasted Youth main graphic, is adorned in medial side instead of lateral side so the overall looks of the shoe become too lowkey. Tulip in language of flowers means ‘first love’ for something and that meaning resonates with Wasted Youth brand identity that revolves around teenager who must have their ‘first time’ in anything.
Brain Dead x Kiko Kostadinov x Asics Gel Fratelli ‘Half-Man, Half-Alien’
Of all the sneakers that I have mentioned above, this is the most exciting sneakers that I just recently noticed. Brain Dead x Kiko Kostadinov x Asics put a different approach in their three-way project. Unlike any other triple threat collaborations, the shoe features two distinct design between the right side and the left side of the shoe. The design was made independently by each respective teams, with Kiko Kostadinov working the right side and Brain Dead on the left side. In spite of the contrasting style, the shoe looks harmonious when paired together.
That’s all folks! Happy holiday and happy new year!
