Whether you know them by another name (trainers, kicks, runners, daps, or in my case, 'my babies'), there's no denying that sneakers' appeal goes way beyond functional footwear. The logo design, colorway, style and even packaging design all play a part, but there is still an indefinable quality that marks out your favorites.
Historically, sneakers have been a mark of our tribe, a product of our time, an outward reflection of context and culture. Countless sneakers have become indisputable design icons, up there with the design classics of any age.
Whether you're an indie gal married to your lo-fi canvas Chuckie Ts; a lanky hoop-scoring 'boss' who wouldn't be seen dead in anything but hi-tech fat Air Jordans; or a modern-day casual for whom vintage Adidas Trimm Trabs are everything, you've got to admit that there are some sneaker designs that are so classic, so iconic, so damn influential that they deserve a place on any classic design list, whatever your tastes.
So with all that said, agonizingly wrestled down from a long, long list of favorites, here's my take on the 20 best sneaker designs ever – and note, these are not in order!
01. Nike Air Max 1
Nike Air Max 1
The Air Max 1 wasn't the first shoe to use Nike's technologically advanced air cushioning system. That honor falls to trailblazers like the Tailwind, the almighty Air Force 1 and 1982's Air Ace.
However, 1987's Air Max 1 was the first to bare its innards to all with its 'visible air' window. Despite the technology, they still manage to look ultra-cool even to this day.
02. Converse All Star
Converse All Star
A legendary shoe and an undeniable design classic, whatever your personal taste.
Virtually unchanged since first release in 1916, Converse All Stars (or 'Chuck Ts', so named after early endorsement by basketball star Charles Taylor) are ubiquitous amongst students, skaters, indie kids, punks and primary school children. Now there's a demographic to die for!
03. Adidas Trimm Trab
Adidas Trimm Trab
The Trimm Trab has been a hugely popular design classic since its release in Adidas' native Germany in the mid-70s. Adopted with enthusiasm by hordes of 80s UK football 'casuals' as regulation de rigeur Saturday afternoon terrace footwear, the solid chunked-up rubber polyurethane sole remains instantly recognizable.
Sadly, finding a mint vintage pair is practically impossible, as the soles on the original models famously deteriorated over time, even when unworn.
04. Nike Air Jordan 1
Nike Air Jordan 1
It's difficult to overstate the impact that Nike's first Air Jordan release had on sneaker design and fashion in general, back in 1985.
In its original (now-iconic) red/black colorway, the shoe was originally banned by the NBA in the US for breaking its color rules. History shows that banning rarely harms the banned, and these beefy Michael Jordan-endorsed hi-top bad-boys soon became enormous sellers, leading to an seemingly never-ending line of follow-ups.
Interestingly, the Air Jordan 1 is the only shoe in the Jordan series to feature Nike's trademark Swoosh logo.
05. Onitsuka Tiger Corsair
Onitsuka Tiger Corsair
Following its inception in the late 1940s, Japan's Onitsuka Tiger quickly made huge strides in the development of sneaker technology and design.
Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman (later to form Nike) helped Onitsuka design the Corsair, which would be re-designed further to become the Cortez, an early Nike classic.
The Corsair's striking design features the iconic curvaceous tiger 'stripes' weaving along the sides. These were actually first introduced with the also-classic Tiger 'Mexico', the stripes as much a metaphor for speed, movement and power, as a means of providing additional foot support for the wearer.
06. Puma State
Puma State/Suede
Puma States (or Suedes as they're known in the US) are a timeless piece of classic design with a long and illustrious history.
Tommy Smith made his famous Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics sporting a pair, and they've been much-loved by basketball players (Knicks legend Clyde Frazier was a famous endorse), hip-hop stars, skate crews and street casuals ever since.
07. Adidas Superstar
Adidas Superstar
The old-school classic 'Superstar' is an off-the-scale design sneaker icon. Not just because the instantly recognizable low-top shell-toe design is simply 'cool-as', but because of its massive impact across so many musical trends, cultures and tribes.
Enjoying instant popularity on courts when released in 1969 as a basketball shoe, its subsequent adoption by hip-hop crews in early '80s New York (helped along just a smudge by Run DMC's My Adidas homage) led to a massive explosion in popularity for the Superstar.
08. Adidas Stan Smith
Adidas Stan Smith
Released in 1965 and endorsed by US tennis legend Stan Smith, these eponymous Adidas sneakers are quite simply legendary. So much so that they were treated to a re-release in 2014.
The epitome of classic, understated design, these beautifully simple all-leather works of art are a striking triumph in 'less is more', particularly notable for the three rows of perforations where the usual Adidas three stripes would appear.
09. Etnies Fader
Etnies Fader
Not a shoe typically found in top 'all time' lists, and certainly not deemed 'cool' by those in the know, but nevertheless... this is my list, right?
So, I have a confession: I'm a sucker for Etnies Faders. A classic, appealing aesthetic, understated contrasting colorways and solid sturdy construction add up to a modern design classic that I absolutely love to wear. And boo ya to the purists!
10. Adidas Samba
Adidas Samba
The biggest selling Adidas shoe of all time, this old-school (1950) classic set the blueprint for all sneakers to follow.
A favorite of five-a-side footballers and '80s terrace casuals alike and still undiminished by familiarity, this simple design classic deserves a place in anyone's top 20 sneaker design list. Anyone who claims to have never owned a pair of Sambas is, quite frankly, telling a pack of porkies.
11. Nike Air Force 1
Nike Air Force 1
Released in 1982, the iconic and collectible Air Force 1 was the first basketball shoe to feature Nike's air cushioning system. It enjoyed huge popularity in basketball quarters at least three years before mass-adoption as a fashion item, likely because of the trailblazing (and clever marketing) of the later Air Jordan and Air Max ranges.
12. Nike Air Jordan 11
Nike Air Jordan 11
While many of the Air Jordan range are, in my opinion, utterly hideous pieces of footwear (the 12s a case in point), it's easy to see why the Air Jordan 11 was the fastest-selling shoe of all time and continues to be held in high regard by sneaker enthusiasts.
Timeless yet forward-thinking styling and some rather lovely colorways see the 11s equally at home as bad-ass street-wear or when shooting hoops with friends.
13. Adidas TRX Comp
Adidas TRX Comp
The TRX range was a range of running shoes released by Adidas in the mid-70s, soon to be adopted by clued-up fashionistas. The top-of-the-range Comp is my particular favorite: a mesh and suede upper combined with the unusual sole make these a striking piece of sneaker design.
Bob Marley was often seen sporting a pair of TRXs and frankly, if they're good enough for the Tuff Gong, they're definitely good enough for me.
14. Nike Air Max 95
Nike Air Max 95
Nike had already had success with Air Max versions 1-3 (the third more commonly known as Air Max 1990), but no one expected the brash design statement that was the Air Max 95.
Lovers of old-school classic simplicity thought they were an aberration. It's true to say the high-tech features, weird contours and vaguely extra-terrestrial detailing were a major leap for sneaker design that, for better or worse, we haven't looked back from since.
15. Adidas Gazelle
Adidas Gazelle
In the same way that the Samba became a staple of shoe wardrobes the world over, so the same can be said of the Gazelle, Adidas' classic training shoe released in 1968. Their simple timeless styling has been available in pretty much every possible colorway over the years. The Gazelle remains a much-loved design classic.
16. Nike Air Jordan III
Nike Air Jordan III
The 1988-released Air Jordan III holds a special place in the hearts of most Jordan enthusiasts. This iconic design classic was the first to feature the now legendary Jumpman logo and the first to feature Nike's patented air sole window units.
Popular to this day, re-issues of this classic sneaker design are still sported by the likes of Jay-Z and hip-hop hopefuls everywhere.
17. Adidas Kegler Super
Adidas Kegler Super
Cool-as-you-like, the visually striking Keglers saw Adidas pushing design boundaries, in terms of aesthetics, functionality and comfort. The beefed-up sole sported three adjustable pegs at each side, allowing the wearer to alter the feel of the sneakers.
Despite shipping with a set of distinctly unsexy orthopedic-style plastic adjustment rods, the Adidas Kegler was adopted by design-conscious 80s casuals as a symbol of downright cool.
18. Nike Bruin
Nike Bruin
The Nike Bruin is, quite simply, a legendary sneaker. Released in 1972 as a low-top basketball shoe, its simple clean lines, solid suede upper and prominent leather Swoosh helped launch the Nike brand into the sneaker-buying public's consciousness.
19. Nike Cortez
Nike Cortez
The Nike Cortez is another legendary shoe with historical significance. First released in 1972, Nike's first ever sneaker was actually a re-working of the Onitsuka Tiger Cortez, which in turn had been designed by Nike's co-founders. The Cortez has never been out of production since its first classic release, in white leather, with a red swoosh and distinctive blue line on the side sole.
Since released in pretty much every imaginable colorway and material, the Cortez will always be a sleek, highly desirable design classic.
20. Vans Era Checkerboard
Vans Era Checkerboard
Before skater-shoe technology's head-on collision with NASA, self-respecting '70s skateboarders were seen in one sneaker and one sneaker only: Vans.
These unassuming California deck shoes might not have attained their design classic status had Vans not involved skaters in the design of what became the 95, popularly known as the Vans Era. This ubiquitous sneaker design (particularly the black-and-white checkerboard colorway) was so successful that it has since sailed far beyond its skater origins, via new wave punk bands and indie kids, into the wider global consciousness.
So that's my list. I know, I know... the list of designs I've missed is longer than the list itself. But which of mine would you ditch, and which classic sneaker designs would you replace them with? Let me know in the comments!
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