A year filled with continuous sneaker releases, and we have finally reached the end of 2018. Uusually during this time of the year, a question arises among sneakerheads, ‘What was the best release of 2018?’ and with an abundance of shoes being released practically every week, it’s almost impossible to determine which is the best since most releases were strong in their own elements. The office has decided and we managed to sum up the best releases of the year, so here it goes:
17. Nike M2K Tekno ‘Phantom’
As the ‘dad shoe’ trend strides in, Nike released a new silhouette known as the Nike M2K Tekno. Initially released only for women’s, the Swoosh eventually decided to release the silhouette for men’s sizing after underestimating its popularity. Amongst the colorways released, the OG colorway dubbed the “Phantom” is arguably the best one among all, due to its sheer simplicity. Retailing at RM389, all pairs sold out the moment it dropped.
16. Adidas Yeezy 500 ‘Blush’
The Adidas Yeezy 500 ‘Blush’ seemed foreign to many and wasn’t accepted instantly, however, once on-feet photos surfaced, sneakerheads were out to find a pair for themselves. Resell value started at around RM1,000 but eventually climbed up all the way to RM1,800 per pair and even higher prices for bae (read: small) sizes. Even without ‘Boost’ as a selling point, the silhouette in the ‘Blush’ colorway managed to win the hearts of sneakerheads with its own unrivaled aesthetics.
15. size? x Vans ‘Factory Floor/Patchwork’
It was tough to choose either one, so we proceeded with both pairs. Dubbed the “Factory Floor” and “Patchwork”, the concept behind each pair is based on prototypes and raw materials. The “Factory Floor” features various materials throughout the silhouette where each material references the scraps found on the factory floor while the “Patchwork” represents the initial process of building and designing a pair of sneakers using various materials where these materials are used on sample pairs or prototypes to assist employees to design the end product. Underrated, we believe this release deserves more recognition than it did.
14. Blends x Vans Sk8-Hi ‘Bones’
Every Blends collaboration with Vans never fails, especially with bones replacing the Jazz stripe. Early of 2018, Blends released another pair of Sk8-Hi with pony hair on the bone sidestripe which sold out instantly. A pair that was slept on, yet fortunate for Vans collectors as they need not compete with sneakerheads worldwide for a pair.
13. Air Jordan 1 ‘Bred Toe’
Jordan Brand released the ‘Bred Toe’ using the same color-blocking (and probably leather) as the ‘Shattered Backboard’ but with bright, lush red instead. The release was beyond successful as sneakerheads started looking high and low for their personal pairs after the release date. With such high demand and limited supply, the resell value shot up from RM1,200 all the way to RM1,800 within months.
12. AFEW x BEAMS x Asics Gel-Lyte III ‘Orange Koi’
The ‘Orange Koi’ is the sequel to AFEW’s Koi back in 2015 during Asics’ 25th Anniversary. For this release, AFEW and Asics included BEAMS into the team to produce the ‘Orange Koi’ and they did not disappoint. Details throughout the silhouette with color-blocking runner collectors can’t resist, it is safe to say that the ‘Orange Koi’ is one of the better releases of the year or even the best release yet to the collectors.
11. Air Jordan 1 ‘Nigel Sylvester’
BMX sensation Nigel Sylvester worked on a pair of Air Jordan 1 with Jordan Brand because he uses Air Jordan 1’s to master his tricks. A detail to highlight from this release is the mini Swoosh logo on the mudguard, which is a first ever for the Air Jordan 1 silhouette. Hand-scuffed marks are observable throughout the pair as it represents the damages done to a cyclist’s shoe when they try to master any tricks which is a great representation of the concept behind the release. This pair is definitely one not to miss for collectors.
10. Off-White x Nike Blazer Mid ‘Halloween Pack’
Off-White and Nike made it in time to release two more colorways of the Nike Blazer this Halloween. Dubbed the ‘Grim Reaper’ and ‘All Hallows Eve’, both the colorway and the nicknames represent the occasion perfectly. Some prefer the ‘Grim Reaper’, some prefer the ‘All Hallows Eve’ but at the end of the day, we can all agree that this was one for the books when it comes to 2018 releases.
9. KITH x Coca-Cola x Converse
Representing four different countries, using four different colorways, and a translucent green sole as a nod to Coca-Cola to represent their bottles, this release was beyond most expectations. One of the Converse 2018 releases which united collectors of different brands together just because the conceptual execution was so damn perfect.
8. Off-White x Nike Air Max 97 ‘Menta’
The Air Max 97 ‘Menta’ is arguably one of the easier pairs to wear on-feet with its two-tone grey upper and tri-colored Swoosh. First teased on the runway of Paris Fashion Week which gained the shoe its own publicity and stirred up hype amongst sneakerheads. The Air Max 97 ‘Menta’ definitely made it on most sneakerhead’s list this year.
7. Off-White x Nike Presto 2.0 (Black)
The Off-White x Nike Presto is almost all sneakerhead’s top three ‘The Ten’ silhouette and when Nike announced that the 2.0’s were releasing, the sneaker scene went wild. Everyone was looking for a plug, or at least finding out every way to get their hands on them. Most sneakerheads preferred the black colorway over the white due to the contrast between the uppers and the Swoosh and also due to its high wearability aesthetics. Some call them the ‘Venom’, while others just call them heat.
6. Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 ‘Cactus Jack’
Most Air Jordan 4’s are given colorways which aren’t loud but when these released, sneakerheads screamed out of joy. Vibrant blue, with hints of red, white and black reflecting the Houston Oilers, it was a no-brainer for most especially when such an iconic rapper such as Travis Scott is behind the works of it.
5. ACRONYM x Nike Air Presto Mid
The previous Nike Air Presto Mid release by ACRONYM and Nike was a huge success and this time round, it did not fall short. Released in a pack of three, Racer Pink, Dynamic Yellow and Cool Grey, with Racer Pink being the favorite of sneakerheads. This release was easily accepted by both male and female sneakerheads, and most of them bought with intentions to wear instead of reselling which is why this entire pack made it to the list.
4. Union x Air Jordan 1
Released in November in two different colorways with similar color schemes of the “Black Toe” and the “Storm Blue”. The aesthetics of the collaboration was meant to celebrate DIY culture and vintage hunting, highlighted by the exposed stitching and dual-colored uppers. The vintage retro vibe apparently resonated well with everyone after a while, after people turned it down when Union secretly dropped it at the Rose Bowl Thrift Market.
3. Daniel Arsham x adidas Futurecraft 4D
As futuristic as Adidas Futurecrafts already are, Daniel Arsham took it to the next level. The Primeknit upper mimics the green 4D-printed midsole color while Arsham adds hidden UV-light branding on the toe box and stripes on the side panels. The office agrees that this pair has to be the best, or not one of the most futuristic collaborations of the year.
2. Nike React Element 87 ‘Sail’
We know Virgil Abloh started the see-through trend with ‘The Ten’ through ‘The GHOSTING’ pack, however Nike’s new silhouette which placed a heavy emphasis on the see-through concept broke necks everywhere. The innovative design allowed wearers to change their sneaker colorway by wearing different colored socks which was fun and fresh to sneakerheads. The OG colorway, also known as ‘Sail’, is deemed the best and cleanest colorway among the others. Why is it number two, you ask? Yes, while this may be a game changer, the next silhouette we think surpasses even that.
1. Nike AM1/97 ‘Sean Wotherspoon’
The winner of this list is not a surprise. Do you recall the struggle to cop this pair back in March? It was chaotic and prices were already inflated even before they released. A hybrid between Air Max collector’s favorite silhouettes, the Air Max 1 and Air Max 97, using unique materials such as corduroy and velvet, accompanied by patches which was an interesting detail to add, who wouldn’t want a pair for themselves?
The background story of the pair itself, including Wotherspoon’s associates who helped him with the design and colorway, sweetened the deal even more. Nike decided to go big instead of going home with this one, and they wow-ed the global sneaker scene with their marketing. It is safe to say that there won’t be another pair with such impact releasing in the near future and this is why the Nike AM1/97 ‘Sean Wotherspoon’ wraps up the list at number one.
