We’re a little ways past the year’s midway point, which means it’s high time we took stock of the best sneakers of 2024. And so far, at least, it feels like there’s been something of a sea change in the finicky world of kicks. A handful of sneaker-collecting standbys—the transparent bids for virality, the run-of-the-mill retro releases, the perennial hypebeast faves—simply haven’t been hitting quite as hard as they used to. Instead, what’s really resonating now are sneakers with an original vision and an emphasis on premium materials and clean design.
High-fashion collaborations remain hotter than ever, with some of the world’s most vaunted design houses linking up with sneaker brands to reimagine classic models. New shapes and silhouettes have made a strong impression, with state-of-the-art materials working their way into shoes like never before. In short, some aspects of sneaker culture as we’ve known it are beginning to fade out—and they’re quickly being replaced with new, extremely exciting alternatives.
Sneakers are dead. Long live sneakers. These are the best sneakers of 2024 so far.
Bode x Nike Astro Grabber
For Bode’s debut Nike collaboration, Emily Adams Bode Aujla savvily dug deep into the Swoosh’s archives to uncover the Astro Grabber, a long-forgotten football shoe from the 1970s. The sneaker has, in the months since this much-hyped limited release, found itself elevated back to legend status. It is, without question, the shoe of the season—to the point that you might already be sick of it popping up on your IG feed. More than a hype-fueled flash in the pan, the Bode x Nike Astro Grabber is a true classic in the making, doing for the silhouette what Wales Bonner did for the Samba a few years back.
JJJJound x Adidas Samba
