Whether you can’t get enough of them or think they are overused these days, sneaker culture in 2022 revolves around the collaboration shoe. So, with so many different collaborators having their work blasted all over our social media timelines, we thought we could offer some help filtering out all but five sneaker collaborators to look out for right now. This list isn’t necessarily the five most popular collaborators but rather the collaborators with, in our subjective opinion, the most interesting and important creations to the sneaker world at this present time. All of the shoes listed are also available to buy and sell through our Woovin marketplace.
Image: End
Salehe Bembury
Starting off our list, Salehe Bembury has been on a tear since the start of the decade. After working his way up the sneaker ranks at Payless and Yeezy, he took on a role as vice president of Men’s footwear at Versace. Nowadays, he is collaborating with anyone and everyone and making hits every time. Whether it’s a revolutionary silhouette with Crocs or some of the most thought out and detailed collaborations with New Balance in the last few years, he simply cannot miss. And, in his spare time, he has even brought companies like Li-Ning and Brandblack into mainstream sneaker news across the world thanks to his collaborative projects with them.
Image: Nike
Billie Eilish
We have seen many music artists play it safe when they first enter the sneaker space, but Billie Eilish has held nothing back in her first forays into sneaker collaboration. Her models match her style effortlessly whilst also pushing the boundaries and rules of today’s sneaker world, favouring uniqueness over convention. Personally, we can’t wait for her new Air Force 1 Lows that recently surfaced online.
Image: A Ma Maniere
A Ma Maniere
Hot off potentially the best sneaker of 2021, A Ma Maniere and Jordan Brand have had a heavily successful partnership that is showing no signs of slowing down. Putting great amounts of thought into the materials they use, and producing aged, maroon/grey versions of some of our favourite models, A Ma Maniere has already put their magic touch on the Air Jordan 1, 2 and 3. And, with an Air Jordan 4 around the corner – as well as owner, James Whitner, revealing a pair of A Ma Maniere Air Jordan 12s – look out for more A Ma Maniere antics in the near future.
Image: Nike
Ambush
Yoon Ahn, the creator and designer behind streetwear brand, Ambush, has managed to push the boundaries of sneaker fashion whilst also remaining consistent, with her striking takes on classic Nike models. The latest of these is a soon-to-be-released version of the Nike Air Adjust Force, bringing back removable shrouds that offer extra customization potential.
Image: Nolis
Joe Freshgoods
Last but not least, Joe Freshgoods, like Salehe Bembury, has made a name for himself in the sneaker space after some phenomenal collaborations with New Balance. His collaborations have been praised for their intricate details, from the colour choices and the story behind them to the boxes they come in and the overall purchasing process. Joe Freshgoods has focused on emphasizing the cultural element of the sneaker game, not taking any shortcuts but rather getting quality products into the hands of real people, especially in his hometown of Chicago. Most recently, he put his own spin on three colourways of the Vans OG Style 36 LX, which sold like hot cakes in time for summer.
Written by Thomas Perry and Hannah Rodriguez
