Without a shadow of a doubt, 2023 has been one of the biggest years for sneakers. Over the past 12 months, the community has been blessed with some coveted collabs and colourways, and while it might be hard to keep track of every single one of them, Captain Creps has rounded up the greatest drops of the year, all in one neat little article.
Considering there have literally been hundreds (if not thousands) of notable releases, this is far from an exhaustive list. But these ten trainers are, without question, the best of the bunch. Sorted alphabetically, check out our most hyped sneakers of 2023 down below.
Let us know how many of these you actually managed to secure, and be sure to follow Captain Creps on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for all of the hottest news, drops, and restocks!
To kick things off, we have the A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 5 “Dusk.” Continuing the long-standing partnership between the Atlanta-based boutique and Jordan Brand, this pair dropped as part of a two-shoe collection. However, what made the “Dusk” so special is the fact that it was only available via AMM, making it extra limited and extra rare.
Crafted from heel to toe in buttery black suede, it was decorated with pre-yellowed details throughout for a very vintage vibe. All of this came packed in a special double-sleeved box that was almost as collectible as the actual trainers themselves. Seriously.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the icon that is the Air Max Plus, and to celebrate this absolute behemoth of a milestone, Nike went all out with the exclusive colours and collabs. Of all of the pairs that dropped though, the A-COLD-WALL* x Nike Air Max Plus “House Blue” was the one that stood out the most.
Made in partnership with Samuel Ross (or Dr Samuel Ross, as he is now known by), this release moved away from the usual multi-material construction in favour of a smooth and seamless one-piece design that’s simple and striking at the same time. Of course, you just can’t talk about it without bringing up the fact that it’s blue. Very, very blue.
Action Bronson is a man of many talents. Not only is he one helluva rapper, he’s also a chef, songwriter, television presenter, and wrestler. Basically, Bam Bam’s CV is filled with more side quests that you could ever imagine, and this year, he added hyped sneaker collaborator to the ever-growing list with the Action Bronson x New Balance 990v6 “Baklava.”
Marking his first trainer with New Balance, this pair was, and still is, one of the wildest colourways that we’ve ever seen. Working on top of a neon green mesh base, it’s overlaid by orange leather and brown suede panels. The chunky midsole is dipped in a vibrant blue hue, and it’s finished off with a pair of bright pink rope laces.
Ever since Teddy Santis was appointed the creative director of New Balance’s Made in USA division, hype surrounding the Boston sportswear company has been going up and up. So it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that his Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 1906R “Jade” would make it to this list.
Keeping in line with the normcore aesthetic that ALD is renowned for, this 1906R was crafted predominantly from a creamy mesh and was overlaid by metallic silver panels throughout. The “N” logo’s accented in a rose gold hue, and this actually worked with the eyelets to form the lacing system. This sneaker sold out within seconds, so congrats if you were the 1% who actually got a W.
If you thought the SB Dunk hype was over, you’d be very wrong. Over the past 12 months, trainer fans have been blessed with some of the greatest collabs in the history of the universe, and the Born x Raised x Nike SB Dunk Low “One Block at a Time” was one of the best ones out there.
First teased at the very start of the year, Born x Raised and Nike went all-out for this one. With colour-changing Swooshes, cross-like perforations, and a retooled Zoom Air midsole with additional branding around the back, while this was originally meant to be just another coveted release, it ended up being a fitting tribute to the Los Angeles brand’s founder Chris “Spanto” Printup, who sadly passed away in July.
While two-way collabs are pretty common these days, three-way ones are still a rare breed. So when Ronnie Fieg announced the Clarks x Kith x adidas Samba “Chalk White” earlier this year, sneakerheads were left totally stunned. You never really see two footwear companies teaming up for one shoe, and because Clarks and adidas are already so established, it made this even cooler.
Giving the Samba its most premium makeover yet, the usual leather construction was swapped for a buttery suede and nubuck combo. The classic gum midsole was also replaced with the crepe rubber unit that you’d usually find on a pair of Wallabees, giving the classic football silhouette a seriously sartorial vibe that nobody could get enough of.
After months and months (and even more months) of leaks, rumours, and teasers, the Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 “Pine Green” finally dropped at the very beginning of the year. Seemingly inspired by the mythical “Military Blue” that’s meant to be re-releasing in 2024, this combined the hardcourt silhouette with halfpipe technology, quite literally blending together the best of both worlds.
Decked out in white leather and grey suede, “Pine Green” accents featured on the lacing system, heel badge, and mudguards for a look that was sure to turn heads wherever you went. Some of the materials were slightly reworked to be a little more flexible for kickflipping, and a gum rubber outsole was also added for even more grip, automatically making this one of the best skate shoes in existence.
The 991v2 has swiftly become one of New Balance’s most popular models, but while they could’ve just introduced it with an in-line colourway, instead, they brought out the big guns with the Stone Island x New Balance 991v2 “Black.” Marking the first 991v2 ever made, this was a lesson in how every single sneaker brand should debut their latest silhouettes.
One of the first things that everyone noticed about Stoney’s 991v2 was the mismatched mesh that had a different pattern on the left hand side compared to the right. It was a small detail, but one that made all the difference. This olive base was contrasted by classic black pigskin suede, and underfoot, the midsole was infused with FuelCell cushioning, ABZORB SBS pods, and ENCAP tech, transforming it into one of New Balance’s comfiest and bounciest creps ever. You really need to try these on in-person to believe it.
Following in the footsteps of the Dior x Air Jordan 1 that launched a few years prior, the Tiffany & Co. x Nike Air Force 1 Low “1837” was another hyped sneaker that totally blurred the line between streetwear and high fashion. Made in collaboration with the prestigious New York City jewellery company, it’s called the “1837” as a homage to the year that Tiffany & Co. first opened for business.
One of the most premium AF1s of all-time, it swapped the model’s usual all-leather construction for some of the finest suede that has ever graced any shoe. “Tiffany Blue” Swooshes glided across the lateral and medial sidewalls, and a genuine block of silver adorned the heel, just to remind you that this isn’t any old Air Force 1. All of this was then packed in a very special shoebox, which was exactly what you’d expect from the Fifth Avenue-based jewellery house.
And last but certainly not least, we have the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Olive.” At the start of the year, there were rumours floating about suggesting that Nike and Jordan Brand were parting ways with La Flame. However, not only did the Texas-born rapper prove this hearsay wrong, he also released some of the hottest grails of the 21st century.
Building on top of a slick black suede base, crisp white leather panels wrapped around the majority of the upper for a monochromatic aesthetic. In typical Cactus Jack fashion, a backwards Swoosh was added on the lateral side in a rich “Olive” hue, and this was complemented by the dark green rubber outsole. While this particular pair was made exclusively for the ladies, that didn’t stop many guys from squeezing into a pair when it first dropped back in April.
