The Best Sneaker Collabs of 2022 Came from Nike and Stüssy

The Southern California skate-and-surf brand was Nike’s most prolific partner this year.

Published December 16, 2022

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Sneakers are no secret, at least not anymore. Each year, the year-end roundups are overrun with notable releases. Some are super-limited collaborations, while others are iconic new standard issues — sneakers that’ll remain part of the given brand’s core catalog long after the year is over. But it isn’t easy to put these lists together, especially with the sheer amount of sneakers dropped annually.

As such, plenty of good-looking designs get overlooked — and left out of these recaps, whether they’re compiled by publications or popular sneaker personalities. In my opinion, everyone’s ignoring Stüssy, which had a hell of a year. If my count is correct, the Southern California-born launched 12 original Nike sneakers this year, whether with Nike itself or its early-2o00’s acquisition, Converse.

Sure, they weren’t the most sought-after releases, but consistent is key — and Stüssy undoubtedly delivered. It offered an array of casual Chuck Taylors (with custom insignias, to boot); utilized Converse’s lesser-known silhouettes; and retooled three shelved Nike sneakers — the Air Force 1 Mid, Air Penny 2 and Air Max 2013 — for today.

Instead of capitalizing on a hype blank canvas — i.e. the Nike Dunk or Air Jordan 1 — Stüssy carved its own lane out of under utilized designs, cementing itself as a quasi defibrillator for neglected Nike designs.