Five of Our Favourite Undefeated Colabs

From humble beginnings in 2002, Undefeated has grown from a boutique LA sneaker store to a streetwear powerhouse with 13 stores across the US and Japan. In its 16-year history, the brand has developed a reputation for history-making colabs. Some are the stuff of sneaker legend, others fly under the radar but are no less worthy.

Here's our take on UNDFTD's best grails and hidden gems.

Air Jordan 4 (2005)

Ask anyone versed in the history of Undefeated, and they'll tell you that the most important colab was 2005's Jordan 4. It was Jordan Brand’s first ever colab, and only 72 pairs were released - it was bound to cause waves in sneakerdom. Its flight jacket-inspired khaki and orange colour scheme has become a fixture in Undefeated’s arsenal, having been used on multiple colabs since; but no others, it has to be said, fetch 20K on the resell market.

Nike Air Max 97 (2017)

Last year was dominated by the Air Max 97, and no wavy Max caused as much of a stir as Undefeated’s subtly branded trio. The black and white versions paid homage to Italian high fashion with their Gucci-esque stripes, while the ComplexCon-exclusive olive iteration used Undefeated’s well-trod green and orange combo. The release of the latter caused such a stir at Undefeated's ComplexCon booth that it had to be shut down after the shoe sold out in the first morning.

Reebok Question Mid (2006)

The boutique's colabs are known for their military-inspired colour palette, but they're capable of dipping into the rainbow too. If you don’t believe us, check out the Reebok Question ‘Iverson’ from 2006. The Question was Allen Iverson’s first signature shoe – introduced in 1996 for his first season in the NBA – and Undefeated’s version could not have reflected the decade any better. Iverson's famous bravado is celebrated with his words printed on the tongue, which is also adorned with a Liberty Bell in tribute to The Answer's home team.

PUMA Mid 24K (2009)

Undefeated’s collaboration with PUMA isn't their most well-known, but it should be on every sneakerhead's radar. The mid-top is dressed in gold so shiny you can see your reflection, and drips in gold 'five strike' swing-tag jewellery. The same symbol sits on the shoe’s collar, similarly gilt of course. The Mid is usually a low-key silhouette, but it's safe to say these are anything but.

Nike Air Force 1 'Fukijama' (2006,2009)

If you were a fan of Entourage, you know what's coming. Movie star Vinny Chase dropped 20K on these one-of-one Undefeated Air Force 1s for Turtle, and the sneakersphere let out a collective sigh of sadness knowing they'd never get their hands on them. The shoes were designed by fictional graffiti artist Fukijama and were the stuff of dreams – gold leather upper, laser etching and custom wooden box. For a lucky few, a similarly laser-etched 'University Blue' pair were released in 2009 in homage to the gold pair.