From the store to the site, the team is strong. The guys and gals of NiceKicks.com and the Nice Kicks Shop took the time to countdown their ten favorite sneakers of 2011. Check ‘em out, give us your favorites, and enjoy your New Years. Here’s to a great 2011 and an even better 2012.
Matt Halfhill- Founder & Publisher
10. Taka Hayashi x Vans Vault Sk8-Hi LX “Honey”
Taka and the Vans Vault team have linked up for a number of great shoes, but none rank as high to me as his reinterpretation of the Sk8-Hi. From the ground up, the shoes sported a new outsole, a mixture of treated textile and ostrich skin upper, finished off with leather laces.
9. Ronnie Fieg x ASICS GT-II “Ultra Marine”
Ronnie has gotten busy for the past four years on ASICS sneakers, but his first go round on the GT-II showed to many that he knows a thing or two about sneakers that don’t have a split tongue.
8. Frank the Butcher x adidas Forum Crest Hi
Frank knows his kicks, period. The high top Forum has not been seen since the days when the hustlers in his hometown were rocking this beast. Frank unearthed the shoes from the grave and put together a series of three that are to be celebrated. Great materials, timeless colors, and the original ‘Hustler’s Crest’. They may be a remake, but many will say these kicks are made for an OG.
7. Concepts x New Balance 999 “Kennedy”
Concepts has no shortage of great releases on their resume, but the “Kennedy” 999s definitely rank high on the list. Concepts helped bring back this vaunted silhouette with a bang, and they were the official pair to rock last summer with a polo and shorts.
6. Nice Kicks x New Balance 1500
Maybe I’m a little biased about how much I like this shoe, but the materials and quality that New Balance executed make this my favorite project to date. Don’t let the photos fool you—hit these with the flash and you will see that these aren’t your grandpa’s grey New Balances.
5. Nike Air Foamposite One “Royal”
We have seen countless Foamposite drops in the past couple of years, but nothing touches the OG.
4. Air Jordan 11 “Concord”
The 100-foot dunk commercial was yet another unforgettable commercial put together by Wieden + Kennedy for the Air Jordan franchise, but MJ and team busting doors down and finishing 72-10 is something that can’t be matched. Look past the great design of the Jordan 11 and look at what MJ accomplished en route to his 4th ring – Jordan 11s are historic.
3. Air Jordan 3 White/Cement
The Air Jordan 3 was an iconic shoe in and of itself in terms of design, but coupling that with what Michael Jordan accomplished on the court in the 1987-88 season makes this shoe one of the most incredible sneakers of all time.
2. Run DMC x adidas Superstar “My adidas”
Sure, sneakers get referenced in hip-hop all the time, but no shoe or brand was put center stage quite like adidas was by the legendary RUN DMC. Adidas Originals held nothing back for this release with the finest quality leathers, black reflective stripes, gold rope chain lace dubray, and nods to the 25th anniversary of the track.
1. Nike Mag
Everything about this project was legendary. The years of grassroots efforts to build awareness of the demand and love for this shoe by fans of the movie and sneakers paid off as Nike used the opportunity to bring out the McFly to raise awareness and millions of dollars for Parkinson’s research.
Read the rest of Ultimate Nice Kicks Staff Picks: The Best of 2011
© Ian Stonebrook for NiceKicks.com, 2011. | Permalink | 30 comments |
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