October 17, 2022

The Best Sneaker Collabs for Her

Riley Wolff

Riley is the Integrated Marketing Manager for Australia and New Zealand, and is based in the Melbourne office.

Female focused collabs have delivered some of the most iconic sneakers of recent years - let's break them down

Female focused collabs have delivered some of the most iconic sneakers of recent years - let's break them down

This article is part 114 of 67 in the series: Australia

All the big sneaker brands understand the power of the collab, and we’re better off because of it – whether it’s a luxury fashion house or an individual designer, each time we see a fresh take on a classic sneaker it transforms it into something new. Thankfully, the ladies don’t miss out when it comes to hot collabs, with plenty of fire releases to keep wardrobes full and wallets empty over the last couple of years. 

Let’s dive into some of our favourite female focused sneaker collabs.

best female focused sneaker collabs aleali

Jordan 1 High Zoom Air CMFT Aleali May Califia (W)

World-renowned stylist and model Aleali May partnered with Jordan Brand to release her third Jordan 1, the women’s Air Jordan 1 Zoom CMFT Califia. The Califia colorway draws inspiration from May’s high school drill team, where she says she learned the importance of self-expression, community, and leadership. The Air Jordan 1 Zoom CMFT Califia features a green and Royal Blue leather upper. The ankle and cut-out Swoosh logos are green satin, the Wings logo on the ankle is cream chenille, and a cream, green, and yellow Air sole completes the school-spirited shoe.

best female focused sneaker collabs gucci

adidas x Gucci Gazelle Pink

The long awaited adidas x Gucci collection finally released in June, after what felt like a very long build up (it was only a few months in reality), and it didn’t disappoint. The whole collection was dripping in classic Gucci style, and these adidas x Gucci Gazelle Pink sneakers are no exception. 

The shoe features a pink velvet upper (of course), with details made from Demetra – Gucci’s proprietary animal-free leather equivalent. There’s also a pink suede trim, while the logo on the heel comes in a vintage green colour, providing the perfect accent to an otherwise mostly pink and black shoe. The gum sole is a chef’s kiss if ever I’ve seen one.

Jordan 1 Mid SE Fearless Melody Ehsani (W)

There was a really brief time after these dropped at the end of 2019 where they weren’t super hyped – I won’t say they were sitting, but they were gettable. And then they exploded and prices have stayed high ever since.

Designer Melody Ehsani manifests her message of women’s empowerment and self-expression into her vision for this Jordan 1. This women’s Jordan 1 Mid SE features a multicolour leather and neoprene upper. Right and left sneakers display a different set of colour blocking, providing a feeling of individuality. Highlighted with text across the midsole, three sets of laces, and a watch lace jewel atop a translucent outsole completes the design.

best female focused sneaker collabs jacquemus

Nike Air Humara LX Jacquemus Light Bone Gold (W)

French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus teamed up with Nike for a luxe take on the hiking-friendly Nike Air Humara as part of a bigger collection release in June of this year.

The women’s Nike Air Humara LX Jacquemus Beige is constructed of a smooth light beige leather upper with brown hairy suede overlays and striped exterior ribbons. A pendant-like golden Nike mini Swoosh graces each side of the upper in an elegant fashion. At the base, a sculptural, jagged gum outsole is versatile enough for the streets and the trails. This one also dropped in a darker brown colour if that’s more your vibe.

adidas Ultra Boost OG Beyonce Ivy Park Ivy Heart

Everything about this is a delight. The all over pink palette is eye-catching in a good way, and Ultra Boost is actually such a versatile and proven silhouette. The toggle on the laces and the heel tab are nice embellishments, while the pair also comes with a removable IVY PARK tag. These are one of my favourite pairs in this guide – not just because they’ve got Beyoncé’s co-sign, but the wearability of Ultra Boost and the pop of the pink colourway are doing plenty for me as well.

best female focused sneaker collabs olivia kim

Jordan 4 Retro Olivia Kim No Cover (W)

So I wanted to put some Jordan 4’s in here, and I was almost going to feature the Jordan 4 Off-White Sail, but we can’t do that to Olivia Kim. Kim, the Nordstrom VP of Creative Projects, created the ‘No Cover’ collection back in 2019 to provide her take on some iconic silhouettes she couldn’t cop growing up. This Jordan 4 might just look like a blacked out Jordan from a a distance, but it’s actually finished in a bovine-haired leather upper for a big dose of luxury look and feel. The Nike Air logo features on the heel – the first time it was used on a women’s Jordan 4, balancing the future forward upper with a nod to the past with the original logo. This is one for the heads who appreciate the heritage. Go get ‘em.