For more than a century, athletic shoes have been basically the same. Yet every year, such companies as Nike and adidas produce thousands more designs, but which are the most welcomed and popular designs? Find no more, Sneaker Freaker, one of the world's foremost shoe magazines, has teamed up with Business Week, bring to you the top 25 sneakers of 2009. Here they are:-
Supra Skytop IIThe original Skytops were so popular, the sequels had a lot to live up to. Sneaker fans weren't disappointed. The updates have a fancier level of paneling, a super-tall tongue, and a stunning gradient color scheme.
Currently available in
Amazon
with price tag of
$103.99 Saucony Shadow 6000 Varsity
The Saucony Shadow 6000 may not get proper respect from sneaker lovers—it lacks the decades of heritage marketing of other classic shoes—but to some that only enhances the appeal. Saucony's grid cushioning system makes these shoes especially comfortable, and the simple color schemes are a minimalist's dream.
Puma Solebox R698 Light UpsOne of my favorite design. A modern twist on the classic R698 runners, these kicks feature Puma's bouncy Trinomic soles and light-up laces that blink when you start moving à la LA Gears from the 1980s. The light blue and pink touches are also 1980s send-ups.
Vans Taka Hayashi CollectionVans' collaborations this year brought much fanfare, but its partnership with Japanese-American Taka Hayashi was the collection that really caught the eye of aficionados. Adopting American-Indian stylings is hardly new, but Hayashi delivered a fresh tweak to some old classics, riffing on the Akat, Velocita, and No Quarter models.
Adidas House of Pain Campus 80
Adidas classic design, contributed by Danny Boy O'Connor, a member of hip-hop's House of Pain. Elegant touches such as the gold lettering on the side and green and orange heel flourishes reflect adidas' handiwork, and the emerald green suede and clovered tongue patch were typical House of Pain-style Irish tributes.
You can find this classic design in Amazon at only
$56.99
Adidas Ransom The Never Ending PathAnother of my top pick design. Teamed up by Canadian retailer Ransom and Adidas to create this footwear collection born and bred for the outdoors. The ruggedly handsome exteriors are composed of sleek suede and lack adidas' iconic triple stripes. With the original sneaker generation growing up and out of their training wheels, these mature kicks found an eager audience.
Louis Vuitton Kanye West SignaturesAt the very same time Nike dropped the Yeezy with Kanye West, another footwear project arose—this time matching West with designer Louis Vuitton. Surprisingly, the shoes deftly mix the styles of both. The $1,000 price seems outrageous, of course, but not to collectors who routinely spend four figures on exclusives and rarities.
Stay with us for the Part II of Top 25 Sneakers in 2009.
