| We’re only halfway through the year, but as far as sneakers are concerned, 2025 has already been one for the books. From signature hoops bangers and all-time great retros to landmark designer collaborations and under-the-radar technical masterpieces, it feels like a full year’s worth of heaters had already hit before the clocks sprung forward for daylight savings. While there are plenty of major drops still to come through the summer and fall, now feels as good a time as any to take stock of the best sneakers of 2025 so far. |
Wales Bonner x Adidas Karintha Lo Wales Bonner and Adidas don’t miss, but this might be the hardest they’ve ever hit the bullseye. The designer’s first original silhouette with the Stripes didn’t disappoint, and while we’re looking forward to future colorways, the debut sequined edition is going to be tough to beat.
Nike A’One A’ja Wilson finally has her own signature Swoosh model and unsurprisingly, it’s one of the best performance hoops shoes of the year. With its swoopy, low-cut silhouette, unparalleled cushioning, and splashy colorways, the Nike A’One is a sneaker worthy of the best player in the WNBA.
Auralee x New Balance 475 ‘London Fog’ Auralee and New Balance are a match made in sneaker heaven. Their latest linkup, a suede-happy spin on the 1980s-era 475 model, is an understated masterpiece that overdelivers on the premium materials and keen attention to detail we’ve come to expect from both brands.
Maison Margiela Sprinter Margiela dove into a key moment in sneaker history in designing the Sprinter, a souped-up homage to the Waffle Racer i.e. the OG Nike running shoe circa 1972. The luxury house’s updated take drapes the upper in crisp nylon above a pre-aged sole, resulting in an instant heater and welcome addition to the torpedo sneaker canon.
Temptation Vacation x Asics Gel-DS Trainer 14 With its effortlessly chill palette, Australia’s Temptation Vacation teamed up with Asics on one the beachiest, most versatile kicks of the summer. Keep an eye out for future sneaker collabs from the Gold Coast label based on the strength of this first at-bat, they’ve got plenty of heat up their sleeves.
Hayley Wilson x Nike SB Dunk Low Pro We’re always going to be a sucker for a good Nike SB Dunk, and this one would be great even without a compelling backstory behind it. Regardless, it has one: it’s the debut Swoosh sneaker for Australian skateboarding phenom Hayley Wilson, one of the most exciting young skaters in the game.
Body of Work x Mephisto Match We’ve been saying the granddad shoe is here to stay and nobody does the orthopedic aesthetic better than Mephisto. For this handsome edition of the iconic Match model, Toronto’s Body of Work swapped the typical pebbled leather for a rich brown suede. That simple change makes what’s usually the ultimate old-man shoe look like it’s barely a day over 45.
Spencer Badu x Hoka Elevon X Spencer Badu brought the heat for his eponymous label’s Hoka debut. The Toronto native’s take on the Elevon X silhouette is bold, brash, and rich with nods to Badu’s Ghanaian heritage. In other words, it’s exactly what you’d want from a rising young designer working on his first major sneaker collaboration.
Willy Chavarria x Adidas Jabbar Dress Sneaker Chavarria has proven himself the designer of the moment, with everything he’s touched in 2025 having turned to gold: a Super Bowl collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, a sensational showing at Paris Fashion Week in February, and of course, his work with Adidas. The still-young partnership is off to a tremendous start, with his pointy-toed take on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s signature sneaker an immediate highlight.
Story Mfg. x Asics Gel-Venture 6 Mark our words: After a few years on the sidelines, gingham is about to be everywhere again. And the venerable checked pattern launched its takeover campaign with this delightful Asics runner direct from the minds behind Story Mfg., one of the most exciting (and ethical!) independent menswear labels in Britain
Supreme x Nike Air Max 1 Supreme and Nike have been working together for 23 years now, but somehow the legendary duo had never released an Air Max 1. That all changed in March with a quartet of clean, summer-ready takes on the quintessential runner in purple, yellow, black, and white all rendered in smooth leather and offset by a touch of snakeskin print on the swoosh. It’s a successful back-to-basics reset one that’s made us far more curious about what the pair might cook up next than we have been in ages.
Adidas Harden Volume 9 It’s rare to see an athlete’s signature line get the sort of reinvigoration James Harden’s has in the last couple of years. The design language of his shoes headed in a far more avant-garde direction around the seventh incarnation, and this season’s Harden Volume 9 is easily the boldest pair the superstar has ever stormed the court in. The molded, chromed-out uppers call to mind ’90s-era Nike hoops classics like the Air Foamposite and Air Flightposite in the best possible way.
Prada Collapse Re-Nylon Sometimes less really is more. Case in point: Prada’s new Collapse Re-Nylon kicks, an instant-classic entry in the minimalist sneakers canon. And unlike most designer sneakers, you can actually pull these off without looking like you’re trying to flex a logo.
Union x Air Jordan 1 ‘Chicago/Shadow’ Union owner Chris Gibbs’ original Air Jordan 1 colorways had a strong case for being the best sneakers of 2018. As far as we’re concerned, the dude is now three for three it’s safe to say these Frankensteined beauts will be at the top of many year-end lists come December.
