The Coolest Supreme Sneakers Ever Made… So Far
Do you love Supreme sneakers? Just wait til you see the coolest Supreme sneakers ever in our post especially for Supreme fans!
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Of course, you know Supreme. And of course, you love Supreme. This incredible billion-dollar company, founded in 1994 in New York City, has taken the world by storm ever since. It has made its heavy and noticeable mark not only in the skateboarding industry but in the fashion industry and in popular culture as well.
Today, Supreme is well known around the world. The company’s simple logo can be seen in stores and on individuals on nearly every continent, and it is recognizable as a brand that is sported by people with the best taste and style.
Although Supreme makes everything from jackets to luggage to t-shirts to pinball machines to an actual brick, along with their original product, skateboards, one area in which this company really shines is shoes. Supreme sneakers are of high quality and comfortable, and they are great looking, too.
Read on to learn more about this amazing brand, and to see some of the best and coolest Supreme sneakers ever made, so far.
How Supreme Began
British entrepreneur James Jebbia founded Supreme in 1994. The first store opened at 274 Lafayette Street in Lower Manhattan that year and became popular with skaters right away.
The location was perfect for the brand; it was just south of the iconic Houston Street, and a few blocks over from the shopping mecca on Bowery. It was close to all the action but was on a fairly empty block, which made the location an even greater draw for skateboarders who wanted to skate.
Supreme’s first location was designed with its skateboarding clientele in mind. An open floor plan with hardwood floors allowed people to skate right in, and skate videos on loop played on screens around the space.
Initially, the store sold a variety of the time period’s popular skate brands like Zoo York, Spitfire, and Shorty’s, and offered only a few items to promote the Supreme brand. In a short time, however, the brand began to grow, and as its popularity increased, so did Supreme’s creativity, influence and revenue.
Today, there are eight Supreme stores around the world. There are two in New York, five in Japan, one in Los Angeles, one in Paris, and one in London, with more on the way. Rumors of new stores in San Francisco, Berlin and Milan excite collectors and devotees around the world.
James Jebbia still owns half of the company and remains involved in the brand’s operations and development. In 2017, he sold half of the company to the private equity firm The Carlyle Group for $500 million.
Supreme has come a long way since its humble beginnings twenty-five years ago. It has become a worldwide brand and all of the products it produces are coveted by collectors of all ages.
The Coolest Supreme Sneakers of the First Twenty-Five Years
Supreme has been designing and producing sneakers since almost the company’s very beginnings; their first pair came out in 1996, just two years into Supreme’s history. It’s hard to know how many different pairs they have created since then, but it’s a lot, and the vast majority can be viewed on the brand’s online shoe archive. Most of the Supreme sneaker offerings have been collaborations with larger and more mainstream brands such as Nike, Vans, DC, Timberland and others.
It’s almost impossible to narrow down Supreme’s sneakers to the very best of the bunch, but here are a few of their coolest and most memorable pairs, some of which today can fetch several thousands of dollars even on the secondhand market.
Vans Old Skool (1996)
This collaboration with the company that developed the very first skate shoe decades ago was Supreme’s first, and the partnership between these two companies continues to this day. They were released in several colorways, but the most popular were and are the two “camo” colorways.
Supreme x DC Sho es (1999)
Although the collaboration between Supreme and DC Shoes resulted in a rather plain sneaker, this shoe is worthy of mention and is sought after by collectors. Founded in 1994, both DC Shoes and Supreme still exist today. DC experienced the peak of its popularity in the ’90s, though, and Supreme continues to grow.
Supreme x Gravis (2000)
A short-lived collaboration between Supreme and Burton Snowboards-owned Gravis Footwear happened back in 2000, but it didn’t last long. The shoes produced by this partnership were quite simple, yet comfortable, and are worth noting for their rarity.
Nike SB Dunk Low Pro Supreme (2002)
The most popular Supreme sneaker collaboration was and is likely this shoe, which is one of Nike’s most popular shoes in general, as well. The Supreme SB Dunk Low is comfortable and functional. All sneaker-wearers and collectors love it since its original drop in 2002.
Nike Dunk High Pro SB (2003)
The SB Dunk Low is one of the most stylish skate shoes of all time, so it makes sense that Supreme decided to also collaborate with Nike on the classic high-top version as well. These 2003 kicks feature stars on the sides and gator-print leather and came with three pairs of laces.
Nike Delta Force SB (2004)
After the success of Supreme’s first two collaborations with Nike, it seemed natural that they would team up for the third time in three years to create these sneakers that are also classic skate shoes. They were released in three colorways, and their gum soles were a throwback to skate shoes of the 1980s.
Vans Half Cab “Checkerboard Pack”, Vans Sk8-Hi “Public Enemy,” & Vans x Supreme Vans Era “Ari Marcopoulos” (2006)
2006 was a banner year for Supreme’s collaborations with Vans. They really started to make stand-out shoes in partnership with the skate great – a trend which continued well into the next decade.
Each of the above designs was unique to Supreme and was and is highly recognizable to anyone who cares about shoes. The “Checkerboard Pack” kicks were akin to Vision Street Wear’s older designs, the “Public Enemy” high-tops reminded the world that the great rap duo was and is still doing their thing, and the “Ari Marcopoulos” pairs celebrated the famous skate and snowboard photographer that contributed his work to create them.
Vans Sk8 Hi “Bad Brains” (2008)
Just like the designs mentioned above, these Vans were a tribute to and were in cooperation with the founding fathers of hardcore punk, Bad Brains. These high-tops are stylish and colorful and are just one component of the Bad Brains x Supreme collection that began that year.
Campbell’s Soup/Supreme Vans (2012)
Yet another strange and beautiful collaboration between Supreme and Vans came in 2012 with their Campbell’s Soup design. These were, obviously, reminiscent of the work of Andy Warhol, and were quite popular then and are sought after today.
Supreme/Playboy Vans (2014)
In 2014, Supreme collaborated with Vans on another slew of popular sneakers, branded with the Playboy logo. These didn’t stay on shelves long and were available in a number of Vans styles and colors.
Supreme x Nike Air Foamposite 1 (2014)
The Nike Air Foamposite 1 is an interesting and unique looking shoe. Many might say they were designed for royalty and perhaps royalty around the world wears them even today. They feature the usual Nike Air silhouette, but the gold leaf design is quite different, indeed.
Nike x Supreme Air Force 1 Hi (2014)
People either love or hate Air Force 1 sneakers, but everyone agrees that they are a classic. This collaboration with Nike includes the usual Nike swoosh along with the word “Supreme” written loud and clear on the back, making this collaboration more obvious than others.
Nike x Supreme Air Jordan 5 (2015)
As with the Air Force 1 sneakers above, this collaboration with Nike is also a clear partnership. The Supreme logo is visible on the sides of the shoe, but any sneakerhead can also tell in a single glance that these are Air Jordans first and foremost.
Supreme/White Castle Vans (2015)
If you like White Castle burgers and fries – and if you are a New York skateboarder you most likely do – you are going to want to get your hands on a pair of these. This may be one of the only collaborations out there between a shoe company and a fast food restaurant.
Nike x Supreme Air More Uptempo (2017)
Fans of sneakers will either adore this design or think it’s awful, but they’re definitely unique. Available in three colorways – gold, black and red and white, the poofy sides of these shoes actually scream Supreme right out loud.
Vans x Supreme Jean Paul Gaultier Floral Print (2019)
This three-way collaboration amongst Vans, Supreme, and French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier is different than any of Supreme’s past shoe releases. The print on the sides, tops, and rear of the shoes is covered with a floral design. You may not love these, but they are available for purchase right now. If you plan on becoming a Supreme sneaker collector, these might be a great place to start.
Vans x Supreme Diamond Plate (2019)
Supreme also released this line of sneakers this year and you may like them better than the Jean Paul Gaultier pairs above. The diamond plate design comes in black, gold or red, and can be found in high-top or slip-on styles.
Hooray for Supreme
As you can see, Supreme has been absolutely killing it in the realm of sneakers for almost the entire lifetime of the brand.
Their collaborations with masters of the sneaker industry have helped to put and keep Supreme sneakers on the map. Also, they have undoubtedly been a crucial aspect of the brand’s overall success.
If you are looking for Supreme sneakers (or other Supreme gear), please check out the Supreme section of our site. Happy collecting!
Photo Credit: Lifestyle Asia, uproxx, Coolstyle TW, the Daily Street, Sneaker Freaker
