words // Brennan Hiro Williams
From great colorways to great stories, October was an especially exciting month for collaborations, with so many great projects available we had to tack on an extra large honorable mention section to give credit where credit is due. The brands truly gave us what we need (though it may not be what we want).
Check out October's Top 10 Collabs below, and let us know your favorite in the comment section.
Ronnie Fieg x ASICS Gel Lyte V 'Volcano'
Always in the mix for our Top Collab rankings, Ronnie Fieg and the Kith team finally took the top spot this October with the new Gel Lyte V 'Volcano,' an excellent colorway backed by a solid apparel collection. Celebrating Kith's second year of business, the erupting 'Volcano' colorway features a premium nubuck and mesh upper, brought together by chunky rope laces.
Packer Shoes x Reebok Question 'For Player Use Only' Pack
Packer Shoes and caused a stir once again with the 'For Player Use Only' Pack, featuring two special 'PE' colorways of the Reebok Question worn by LeBron James (at St. Vincent-St.Mary High School) and Kobe Bryant (during his 2003 sneaker free agency year).
Supreme x Nike Flyknit Lunar 1
Supreme surprised us with a special Flyknit Lunar 1 , developed in collaboration with Nike Running and Nike SB. The shoe features a special upper with Supreme's iconic script replacing the normal swoosh (a miniature swoosh is instead placed near the heel). A classic red Supreme box logo appears on the tongue, while a reflective box logo appears on the heel tab. Though seemingly unlikely, we would love to see more colorways release.
Concepts x New Balance Made in USA M998TNY 'Mint'
The New England alliance of Concepts and New Balance followed up on the fantastic 'C-Note' 998 with the Made in USA M998TNY, a special colorway dedicated to Concepts' sister store, The Tannery. If the 'C-Note' was inspired by the new $100 bill, the 'Mint' 998 looks like old money, featuring a distinctive pastel green upper made with premium suede with tonal leather accents.
atmos x Nike Air Max 90 'Duck Hunter Camo'
Call it a collaboration or an exclusive, it doesn't change the fact that this shoe had droves of sneaker collectors lining up outside of the atmos' Tokyo retail locations last month. The Air Max 90 'Duck Hunter Camo' features a unique suede upper with duck camo overlays, set off by classic infrared accents and a snakeskin patterned swoosh (continuing the atmos 'Animal Camo' theme).
Pendleton x Nike N7 Collection
For its latest N7 Collection, Nike turned to its neighbors at Pendleton Woolen Mills to assist on several great items, including two colorways of the Roshe Run and Air Force 1 Hi. Drawing from the collection's special Pendleton blanket, both footwear models feature intricate wool details inspired by Native American dress.
NEIGHBORHOOD x Converse First String Collection
Converse First String released one of its most notable collaborations to date, working with Japanese street style heavyweight NEIGHBORHOOD on a two-shoe collection. Lining up perfectly with NBHD's aesthetic, the collection includes classically styled colorways of the Chuck Taylor '70 Ox and Jack Purcell Johnny Mid, each featuring premium materials and woven lattices running down the heel (a nod to NEIGHBORHOOD's love of motorcycle culture).
DEFCON x Vans Syndicate 'Digital Camo' Pack
Vans Syndicate and the covert DEFCON team released the 'Digital Camo' pack, featuring camo-equipped colorways of the Old Skool Pro and Sk8-Hi Notchback.The pack features visually similar versions of Naval Special Warfare AOR1 and AOR2 camouflage, modern patterns originally developed for DEVGRU (also known as SEAL Team 6) during the early years of the War on Terror.
BAIT x Onitsuka Tiger by Akomplice Colorado Eighty-Five '6,200 Ft'
BAIT, Onitsuka Tiger and Akomplice got together for the Colorado Eighty-Five '6,200 FT,' a great story-driven collaboration inspired by Akomplice's Colorado origins. The shoe features colors from the Colorado state flag, a unique ski map graphic sockliner and a ski lift-themed hang tag. The nickname, '6,200 FT,' is a direct reference to Carbondale, Colorado, the hometown of Akomplice founders Mike and Patrick Liberty.
Sneakersnstuff x Reebok Kamikaze II 'Herringbone'
Sweden's Sneakersnstuff released the SNS x Reebok Kamikaze II 'Herringbone,' the 10th shoe in its yearlong collaboration project with Reebok. Created with the fall season in mind, this special Kamikaze II features a herringbone patterned wool upper with bone white accents at the tongue and heel.
Honorable Mentions:
Uprise x Nike SB Dunk High Premium
Nike x Undercover GYAKUSOU Holiday 2013 Collection
MADE FOR SKATE x Nike SB Dunk Mid
Todd Bratrud x Nike SB Dunk High 'Send Help 2'
Crooked Tongues x Reebok Classic Leather 'Wannabes'
