Once a niche segment of the hobby, customization has evolved into one of the pillars of sneaker collecting over the years. No longer are artists just painting kicks — they’re stripping down the materials and recreating silhouettes with an entirely new vision. Brands like Nike and adidas have even commissioned top customizers to work on official projects.
Further validation has been given by athletes and entertainers, who have showcased customs on some of the biggest platforms. LeBron James even wore a pair of 'Iron Man' Nike LeBron 10s by Mache when practicing for the NBA Finals in 2013.
From the early styling of Methamphibian, SBTG and Sekure D to fresh faces like JBF, Revive and Dank, custom sneakers have come a long way — here’s the 50 best.
50. Nike Air Force 1 'Misplaced Checks' by The Shoe Surgeon
1.
Year: 2015
3.
Year: 2014
5.
Year: 2014
7.
Year: 2013
9.
Year: 2015
45. Nike Dunk High 'Galaxy' by Sekure D
11.
Year: 2008
44. Nike Dunk Low Pack for In4mation by Methamphibian
13.
Year: 2008
43. Nike LeBron 10 'Air Max 95' by Mache
15.
Year: 2013
17.
Year: 2015
19.
Year: 2014:
21.
Year: 2014
39. Nike Air Max 90 'Pigeon' by oROSOo
23.
Year: 2010
25.
Year: 2013
27.
Year: 2014
29.
Year: 2014
31.
Year: 2014
33.
Year: 2015
35.
Year: 2015
32. Nike Dunk High 'Prison Blues' by SBTG
37.
Year: 2009
39.
Year: 2014
41.
Year: 2014
29. Nike Roshe Run 'Cement' by JP Customs
43.
Year: 2014
45.
Year: 2008
47.
Year: 2013
49.
Year: 2013
51.
Year: 2014
53.
Year: 2014
55.
Year: 2014
22. Nike LeBron 10 for Matthew Walzer by Nike
57.
Year: 2012
59.
Year: 2012
20. Nike Air Force 1 Low 'Tech Challenge' by C2
61.
Year: 2005
19. Nike LeBron 10 'Doernbecher 6' by Dank Customs
63.
Year: 2014
18. Nike Zoom Revis 'MAG' by Wolfstein
65.
Year: 2013
67.
Year: 2015
16. Air Jordan 1 'Royal Python' by JBF Customs
69.
Year: 2013
71.
Year: 2013
73.
Year: 2012
13. Air Jordan 11 'Derek Jeter' by Dank Customs
75.
Year: 2014
12. Nike KD 5 'MAG' by kenny23forever
77.
Year: 2014
11. Nike Air Max 95 'Nyan Cat' by Revive Customs
79.
Year: 2013
10. Nike Air Max 1 Burst 'atmos' Hybrid by Dank Customs
81.
Year: 2015
It's one thing to give a custom look to a sneaker as-is — it's another to piece together two beloved models for a hybrid that stands out on its own. And it also showed that there are many facets to Dank's expertise in the field.
83.
Year: 2015
Known for its vibrant splatter, the Air Tech Challenge was updated with another iconic print by Wolfstein. And if there were any doubts about how well this custom turned out, #WDYWT photos from Andre Agassi himself erase them.
85.
Year: 2014
With such a polarizing design, there were some sneakerheads that predictably preferred the Nike Kobe 9 Elite in low-cut form. Nike eventually obliged, but for coveted colorways that weren't available in lows, Dank started doing his own conversions. And you wouldn't be able to tell if you didn't know better.
87.
Year: 2013
Sole Collector turned 10 in 2013, and to celebrate, we held a company party in Portland. There, founder Steve Mullholand was presented with this 'Bred' Air Jordan 11, personalized by its original designer — Tinker Hatfield.
89.
Year: 2013
Trying to pick your favorite 'Python' JBF custom is like picking your favorite child. In this instance, the black and red Air Jordan 4 is the kid who won out. Perhaps he wasn't the first, but JBF is the best at python customs and he completely raised the bar when he started releasing them regularly a few years back.
91.
Year: 1986
After missing most of his sophomore season with a broken foot, it's believed that Jordan return to work in this custom version of the 'Chicago' Air Jordan 1 with a built-in strap system for extra support. When this extreme rare pair hit the auction block back in 2011, it was rumored that Nike bought it back.
93.
Year: 2014
Because this custom turned out so well the first time, Dank was asked by Wale to create a pair for him. With cues borrowed from Kanye West's Louis Vuitton sneaker, the 'Don' 4 is one of the best executed concepts of all-time.
3. Nike Kobe 9 Elite 'UCONN' by Mache
95.
Year: 2014
If customizing sneakers is your deal, it probably doesn't get much bigger than having the opportunity to create an official piece for Nike. To celebrate the UCONN Lady Huskies' 9th championship in 2014, Mache was officially commissioned by Nike to create this Kobe 9 Elite for head coach Geno Auriemma. The shoe features a pattern of elements inspired by the legendary leader.
97.
Year: 1997
A custom before customs, Penny Hardaway's Sharpied-in Foamposites were more about necessity than style. Somehow, the 'Royal' Foams didn't meet NBA standards in 1997, as they called for more black to match the Orlando Magic's uniforms. Instead of waiting for a new design from Nike, Hardaway took matters into his own hands and filled the grooves of the Foam shell with a black sharpie marker. The shoe, essentially Penny's 'Banned' model, is officially being released this year.
99.
Year: 2014
The 1996 NBA All-Star Game is arguably the most memorable of them all. Not only did the exhibition deliver, but it was stylistically unlike anything before or after it. The actual 'All-Star' Nike Air Penny 1 worn by Penny Hardaway in that game is actually pretty tame and was re-released to mixed reactions last year. Understanding that the motif speaks for itself, Dank brought the teal and San Antonio fiesta print from the East uniform to Penny's debut sig. The final product is a shoe that captures the very essence of what everybody loves about All-Star '96.
