The sneaker market is so volatile thanks to trends and pop culture that sometimes it’s hard to really pinpoint what will be a total success. These past few years have been filled with some surprise hitters from brands like Jordan Brand and New Balance, each with the possibility of being considered grails to many in the future. Whether you’re looking to add a trendy sneaker to your rotation or want to bring someone up to speed on what’s hot, check out StockX for all of your sneaker heat.
New Balance 550 Aimé Leon Dore White Green
New Balance and Aimé Leon Dore’s Teddy Santis, Creative Director of New Balance’s Made In USA line, sparked a massive wave with their collaborative release of the 550. Originally designed as a basketball shoe, the New Balance 550 has been around since 1989. But as running shoes from New Balance became more of the backbone for the company, the 550 was left in the shadows. Three decades later, Santis and his Aimé Leon Dore streetwear brand revived it from the archives, and through stylish lookbook photos and a hit of aged aesthetics, they presented the 550 to a more fashion-forward audience. Since then, New Balance has released a number of general release versions of the 550, making the model more obtainable and appealing for a variety of people. This collaborative New Balance 550 features full-grain leather uppers, an Ortholite insole for comfort, and ALD and New Balance branding on the heel. The New Balance 550 is a great shoe to gift during the holidays as its likeability within sneaker culture and streetwear doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.
adidas Yeezy Foam RNNR Vermillion
In 2014, Nike did a surprise drop of the Air Yeezy 2 Red October at the end of their partnership with Ye, FKA Kanye West. Since its sudden release, the sneaker has been highly sought after by many within the sneaker community. Outside of its unique release moment and the distinction of it being the last Nike Yeezy sneaker, what made it such a standout was its vibrant triple-red colorway. Because of the popularity of this Yeezy, any other sneaker featuring an entirely red color scheme is unofficially dubbed a “Red October”, which quite possibly led to the rise in demand for this particular Foam RNNR. Fans of the original Nike sneaker have coined the Red October nickname to the Vermillion Foam RNNR, as some saw it as Ye paying homage to his 2014 sneaker. The shoe’s colorway banter might be one of the reasons why it became the top-performing Foam RNNR on our platform thus far. Plus it is significantly more affordable than the $13,000+ Red October Yeezy 2, all while still providing a similar tonal vibe. Whatever the reason, the Yeezy Foam RNNR is sure to be a top seller for the holidays so make sure to get a pair now before prices go up.
adidas Forum Low Bad Bunny
Collaborations really work wonders for brands, artists, and the silhouettes they work on, and nothing holds more true than when talking about the adidas Forum. From a resale perspective, when adidas retroed the 1980s basketball sneaker this year, it was met with a lukewarm response from the secondary market, holding only a 16% resale premium. But, when one of the biggest pop stars in the world, Bad Bunny, remixed the shoe as his debut collab with the Three Stripes, his collaborative sneaker not only outranked other Forums but also outranked other collabs done by musical artists on more popular sneakers, such as J Balvin’s AJ1s and Skepta’s Air Max. From a massively supportive fan base to the quirky qualities of the sneaker, Bad Bunny’s Forum Low became an instant hit and has led to two other adidas collabs, each holding strong resale premiums. For those that are fans of the Latin pop star or are looking for a unique sneaker to add to their collection, the adidas Forum Low Bad Bunny is a perfect choice for the holidays.
New Balance 2002r Protection Pack Rain Cloud
To generate hype behind a sneaker, most brands look towards collaborations as a driving force. But this year, New Balance proved that all it takes is a really great concept to have a successful release. When any brand drops a general release sneaker, it usually falls on the wayside, with not much attention being paid towards it from the public. And although the New Balance 2002r Rain Cloud was a general release sneaker, its jagged suede overlays and attractive tonal colors made it an instant sell-out, resulting in an unusual amount of raffle releases for a GR. This is a sneaker that will only grow in value with time, so you can either get it to rock or stock as a future investment. If the grey colorway isn’t for you, it also came in Phantom and Sea Salt colorways.
Air Jordan 3 A Ma Maniére
Anyone that is big into sneakers knows how popular the Air Jordan 3 A Ma Maniére sneaker is, but the amount of positive praise and acclaim that the shoe has garnered may come as a shock to some. Released in the summer of this year, the inspiration for the Jordan 3 collab came from the boutique’s mission to promote Black culture’s connection to luxury goods. When it dropped, the sneaker was met with an exuberant amount of hype, as its patinaed elements, hits of suede, and quilted-lining were driving qualities towards its popularity. Since then, the sneaker has maintained a high 250+% price premium and over 12.5K sales on StockX, both very good numbers for a Jordan 3. Outside of the data, the sneaker collab was awarded Collab of the Year by Footwear News. All in all, the Air Jordan 3 AMM is a sneaker with a lot of appeal, making it another solid choice as a holiday gift.
