Oh, you thought I was done? I’m just getting started. In the second installment of my series, I’m taking a deep dive into Supreme archives and presenting what I think are the best footwear Supreme has had to offer over the years. Supreme has collaborated with a lot of footwear brands such as DC Shoes, Timberland, Clarks, and Dr. Martens but, in terms of history and culture, Nike and Vans lead the wave. Ironically, Supreme released a Japan-only friends and family t-shirt that said “Fuck Nike” in 2001. This major anti-establishment statement would essentially become meaningless as, a year later, Supreme debuted its first collaboration with the Swoosh. Supreme did attempt to make its own shoes, first with the Air Force 1-inspired Downlow in 2001 and Midtown in 2002, but they did not look that good so it’s probably a good thing that they stuck with collaborations. It would not be an exaggeration to say that each of the releases listed below turned the world of sneakers upside down and back again many times. Old heads and new heads alike could be found either camping out in front of stores overnight or furiously pounding their keyboards in an effort to cop a pair online. Don’t get me wrong, all releases by Supreme are either hit or miss; it just so happens my favorites are the older ones. I think the Supreme sneaker hype has died down a bit since the mid-2000s, but maybe that’s because I am totally unfamiliar with all the shoes they have been bringing back lately as opposed to the more well-known, mainstream models. Supreme was never a brand to cater to the hype. It will always be unpredictable and surprising. That’s what I love about Supreme: introducing underground stuff I have never seen before in a completely new light. Anyway, if you’ve got pairs of these in your wardrobe or on your feet, consider yourself lucky.
1. Nike SB Dunk Low Supreme (2002)
The collaboration that started it all. The flashpoint for sneaker culture. The Air Jordan 3 elephant print treatment for the Dunk (originally a basketball shoe from 1985 but repurposed as a skate shoe) worked spectacularly for both colorways of White Cement and Black Cement and helped it become one of the most sought-after Dunk SB’s in the shoe’s history. With this shoe, sneaker culture ceased to be a moment and transformed into a movement. 750 pairs of the Black and 500 pairs of the White were created and officially released at Supreme’s stores in NYC and Tokyo. Back then, however, it was a different time and a quiet release took place without mass hysteria and police involvement. As Supreme started to become more well-known, a shoe that was once under the radar became an all-time grail. Since these were made to skate in, and in fact many skaters proudly did so, makes these shoes even more valuable. The leather, contrasting inner linings, and no visible Supreme branding put this easily at the top for me. Supreme came out with another Nike SB Dunk Low for its 15th anniversary in 2012, but the originals will always be the best.
2. Nike SB Dunk High Supreme (2003)
Coming in Blue, Orange, and Red, these shoes had golden stars on the sides, golden dubraes, crocodile-textured overlays, and three sets of laces. The colorways are borrowed from Nike’s 1985 ‘Be True To Your School’ Dunk High program which saw Nike strike deals with top athletic college teams (Kentucky, Syracuse, St. John’s) to provide an official shoe for them. The bold Supreme logo featured on the lace-lock and oversized padded tongue make this a classic execution that will never grow old and inspired a cult following alive to this day. The three-day release event during which one colorway was sold per day in freezing conditions further serves to mark this shoe as a piece of history. The SB Dunk Low versions of these with golden Nike Swoosh logos instead of stars were only ever seen as mockups, and ultimately rejected.
3. Nike SB Blazer Supreme (2006)
An unlikely match made in hype heaven. Remaking a quintessential skate shoe (which was also originally a basketball shoe that came out in 1972) with luxury details, the quilted leather upper, snakeskin Swoosh, and Gucci-inspired pull tab on a Blazer, makes this as fresh as ever. It looks like a luxury sneaker but is, in fact, the exact opposite. Only Supreme does it this way, and they shocked everyone with the level of quality and details. The trio of colorways (Red, White, Black) look to the loud fashion statements of the ’80’s and showed the world true NYC style. What Supreme did was nothing new — it had been done by Dapper Dan, Stüssy, Diamond Supply Co., etc… — but no other shoe that references high-end style compares. Not even Don C’s Jordan 2’s.
4. Air Foamposite One Supreme (2014)
Another home run knocked out of the park for Supreme and Nike. The retro basketball silhouette is probably the most divisive model on this list: you either hate it or you love it. The Red and Black colorways of this shoe also channeled luxury through ornamental baroque-style graphics, black nubuck on the throat and collar, and translucent outsoles. More infamous than the shoe itself was the in-store launch in NYC. The NYPD literally had to shut down the release due to public safety concerns. An unruly mob consisting of thousands of sneakerheads and brand loyalists formed and law enforcement used pepper spray for crowd control when customers tried to rush the doors. This was not the first time a shoe caused pandemonium nor would it be the last, but it changed the way Supreme and Nike released sneakers, now mainly favoring online releases.
5. Vans Authentic Supreme Checker Logo (2016)
Back to the basics for these Vans. Coming in three simple color palettes, Red, Blue, and Black, Supreme delivered a unique twist on this shoe to appropriately celebrate Vans’ 50th anniversary. The instantly recognizable checkered pattern works in Supreme’s box logo design perfectly. The allover Supreme branding, white midsole, and waffle traction pattern on the outsole make this a timeless classic. This epic shoe was featured alongside the Vans Sk8-Hi in the same collection.
6. Supreme Comme des Garcons SHIRT Nike Air Force 1 Low (2017)
To say these premium lifestyle shoes are eye catching would only be the half of it. The eyeball graphic across the side panels and the heels is the most distinctive feature of the mainly-white colorway. The debossed typography of Comme des Garcons SHIRT Supreme is written in typical CDG fashion under the Swoosh and the chrome lace dubraes finish the look. The highly anticipated, online exclusive Uptown collaboration came after the rest of the Supreme and CDG apparel released earlier in the season. Supreme and CDG followed up with another Air Force 1 which released in 2018.
7. Supreme Vans “Power, Corruption, Lies” (2013)
New Order’s 1983 “Power, Corruption, Lies” iconic album cover art designed by Peter Saville, which in turn borrows from the 19th century painting “A Basket of Roses” by French artist Henri Fantin-Latour, formed the basis for this shoe. The floral print covers the quilted side panels of the shoes constructed in canvas. The hi-top version blends suede, leather, and canvas while incorporating the white leather side stripe. This shoe was among the cluster of Vans silhouettes released for PCL: Vans Sk8-Hi, Vans Chukka, and Vans Era.
8. Jordan 5 Supreme (2015)
Any other Jordan would have made sense. First released in 1990, the Jordan 5, by all measures, is an atypical choice for Supreme’s first Jordan Brand collaboration. Then again, Supreme is not your typical brand. One photo of Michael Jordan wearing a Supreme and Jordan Brand t-shirt was all it took to drive sneakerheads into a frenzy. The rumors of a Supreme Jordan 5 were true after all. Black, White, and Desert Camo graced the shoes with Supreme branding hitting the netting and the number ’94,’ representing the establishment of Supreme, replacing the traditional ’23,’ Jordan’s team number for the Chicago Bulls. Shark teeth on the midsole and the 3M reflective tongue complete the look.
9. Air Force 1 High Supreme World Famous (2014)
One shoe to rule them all. Three colorways: Red, White, Black. The three colors represent Supreme’s traditional color blocking and candid styling which left nothing more to be desired. The premium leather uppers with Nike branding, Supreme-branded lace locks, ‘WORLD FAMOUS’ mantra on the ankle straps and embossed logos on the heels celebrate Supreme’s 20th anniversary. A clean, simple sneaker that brings together the best of both Supreme and Nike.
10. Supreme Nike Air More Uptempo (2017)
When Supreme linked with Nike for this iconic ’90s basketball shoe, it knew it had to go hard. Football superstar Neymar Jr. was first spotted wearing them on the airport tarmac in Paris. Its appearance in teasers and the NBA Slam Dunk Contest further stoked fans. This shoe, a.k.a. the “Suptempo,” came in three different colorways (Red, Black, Metallic Gold) and “SUPREME” boldly replacing “AIR” and wrapping around the upper. The nubuck with custom leather, elastic gores on the tongue, and 3M outline of the “SUPREME” branding combine for a visually striking execution.
Honorable Mentions: Vans Old Skool Supreme Camo (1996), Vans Sk8-Hi Supreme Public Enemy (2006), Vans Half Cab Checkerboard Pack (2006), Vans Era Supreme Ari Marcopoulos (2006), Air Zoom All Court Supreme fragment design (2011), Vans Era Style 46 Supreme Zebra (2011), Air Force 1 Low Supreme (2012), Vans Authentic Supreme Campbells Soup (2012), Nike Flyknit Lunar 1+ Supreme (2013), Vans Authentic Supreme Bruce Lee (2013), Vans Authentic Supreme Playboy (2014), Vans Era Supreme CDG Shirt (2013), Vans Sk8-Hi Supreme CDG Harold Hunter (2014), Vans Authentic Supreme White Castle (2015), Vans Era Supreme Motion Logo (2016), Air Max 98 Supreme (2016).
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