The Best Sneaker Collaborations of 2023
Nowadays in the sneakersphere, collaborations are an expected weekly occurrence. There’s been countless this year, which makes our job hard when rounding out 2023. Nevertheless, we’ll continue to charge ahead and finish the year with the definitive Sneaker Freaker list of the best collaborations of 2023!
To choose each, the collaboration had to meet certain standards. The most important were its broad pop-cultural appeal, how sought-after pairs were, and finally, whether the shoe was objectively good.
Keep on scrolling to find out our picks for the top collaborations of 2023.
Ganni x New Balance 1906R
Ever since being founded in Y2K, have been the go-to for in-the-know fashion girlies. In 2023, it seems their cultural cache doubled, leading the brand to a highly sought-after collaboration. When pairs landed in August, fans clamoured to boutique retailers to get a whiff of these yellow NBs, leading pairs to sell through in minutes. It seems everyone wanted a pair… even Taylor Swift.
Cecilie Bahnsen x ASICS GT-2160
One new name to the sneakersphere this year was , the Copenhagen-based designer . Throughout 2023, Bahnsen collaborated with to forge her version of the GT-2160. Setting these apart from other women’s collaborations was her use of the that created a new innovative look. You bet these flew like hot cakes, with the release selling out with the quickness.
Powerpuff Girls x Nike SB
One of the biggest collaborations of 2023 was the linkup between the Powerpuff Girls franchise and . surfacing around March that the two heavyweights had something in the works, with leaks continuing on a consistent basis throughout the remainder of the year. Nostalgia is still king when it comes to sneakers, so bringing the PPG franchise back around with popping colourways makes these one of the top 2023 linkups. Who would have thought that this December would finally host the drop?
J Balvin x Air Jordan 3
has become a regular fixture in the sneaker space thanks to his partnership with . It seems the reggaeton artist is working through signature line, as following his and , Balvin launched his ‘Medellín Sunset’. First leaking in May, fans of the artist and sneakerheads were eager to scoop this gradient pair when they landed in September.
Corteiz x Nike Air Max 95
The shoes that stopped the world! London-based streetwear brand announced this year that they were partnering with to craft an . Little did we know that the three colourways would bring the entire sneakersphere to a standstill when they touched down. It felt like everyone wanted a pair, but they proved to be one of the hardest collaborations of the year to cop, thanks to an in-person release strategy and an even harder-to-cop online release.
Patta x FC Barcelona x Nike Air Max Plus
In 2023, had back-to-back heater collaborations that rocked the sneakersphere, but none caused a stir like their . perennial Tuned model hasn’t been part of many collaborative ventures, but it has engaged in two this year. Patta’s version was also intertwined with FC Barcelona, transforming the TN into an homage to the Spanish football team.
Kith x Clarks x adidas Samba
If there was one man who could bring and together, it’s . Having worked with both brands multiple times before, Fieg went to his collaboration kitchen and cooked up multiple with Clarks’ signature crepe sole. Whenever two brands who seem like strange bedfellows come together, it’s always a must-cop – especially when they look as good as these.
Sandy Liang x Salomon
have built a massive following over the past few years thanks to the brand’s foundational and unique aesthetic. One of the brand’s biggest signatures is the use of in campaign imagery and lookbooks, so when Sandy Liang announced a collaboration with the French outdoors brand, we weren’t surprised. As to be expected, fans lined up at boutiques ahead of the launch, with both the and RX Moc now commanding hefty prices on the secondary market.
Wales Bonner x adidas Samba
and relationship isn’t new, as the pair has been concocting collections for a number of years now. It seems the duo makes this list every single year, with one or multiple of their ventures. In 2023, the ‘Metallic Silver’ were some of the most recognisable kicks of the whole year and played in perfectly to the silver trend.
Action Bronson x New Balance 990v6
As a rapper, chef, professional food taster and Queens tour guide, is a jack of all trades. He recently added sneaker designer to his extensive CV, which has been a long-time coming since he’s a known sneaker fiend and lover of . This year, he was blessed with multiple that satisfied his cult-like fanbase, and according to him, there’s.
CLOT x Nike Clotez
If there was one sneaker that had the whole SF office going wild, it was and wayward 3-in-1 . Exploring the idea of the tai chi diagram, the Clotez can be worn as a sneaker, indoor house shoe and slip-on. The latter also came with special insoles for added comfort.
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