This Christmas, there are few better presents than the gift of ridiculous heat on feet.
Here are five of the most eye-catching and heavily hyped trainers that launched in the past 12 months.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1s ‘Cactus Jack’ Retro Hi
Launched: May 2019
These coffee-coloured beauties launched with maximum interest earlier in the year – taking an ever-beloved silhouette like the Jordan and bestowing it with Travis’ trademark quirkiness.
The reverse black ‘Swoosh’, the brown upper and clean lines made it an instant sell-out, frequently changing hands now for more than £1,000.
Cactus Plant Flea Market x Nike Vapormax 2019
Launched: May 2019
These elusive oddities marked the beginning of the collaboration of Nike with Cynthia Liu’s avant-garde fashion house.
Emblazoned with their trademark huge logotype and playful graphics, CPFM’s take on the Vapormax plasters the iconic ‘Just Do It’ branding around the entire shoe, joined by their mutated smiley face.
Followed with a full collaboration in the autumn, these coveted shoes only released in women’s sizing, making them even harder to cop.
And if you were one of the lucky Friends and Family to receive a light-up pair complete with neon accents, well…consider yourself truly blessed with a shoe worth around £30k.
Nike x sacai LDV Waffle Racer Daybreak
Launched: May 2019
BIG SHOE. First arriving on the catwalks of Paris Fashion Week in late 2018, these fashion-forward pieces immediately had tongues wagging as the Japanese luxury brand Sacai tapped up Nike to give a multi-layered take on the Waffle Racer.
The initial blue / red and yellow / green colourways proved to be insanely popular, seeing them quickly followed by a monochrome offering and pink-tinged affair throughout the year.
Visually arresting but surprisingly wearable (not to mention incredibly comfortable), the collaboration dominated the timelines of influencers and celebrities alike over the Summer.
Aime Leon Dore x New Balance 997
Launched: April 2019
Vaporwave objectified, the New Balance x Aime Leon Dore collaboration encapsulates the meteoric rise of this fledgling New York fashion house.
Laser-focussed on nailing the 80s aesthetic, this pair fit snuggly into a collection laced with quarter-zips, beautiful pastel shades and the feeling of winter warmth and opulence.
The November second drop led to stores being mobbed…and the reasons why are obvious.
Travis Scott x Air Jordan VIs
Launched: November 2019
The buzz continues, with Jordan Brand bookending the year by releasing Travis’ spin on a Jordan VI at the end of a highly successful 2019.
Debuted during his performance at the Superbowl no less, the AJVI persists with ‘Cactus Jack’ branding, a splash of red across the front and rear breaks up the olive and black of a familiar Jordan outline, whilst the striking cargo pocket on the heel makes for a great way to transport…things.
Travis can do no wrong it seems, and with a linepu of shoes already prepped for 2020, it looks like his reign of hyped sneaker king will continue.
