The Best Sneakers of 2018

Another year in the books means yet another heated debate over which sneakers stole the show over the last 12 months. After the ComplexCon(versations) panel hashed out their list in Long Beach last month, it’s time to take a closer look as we revisit the top drops of 2018.

As is often the case of late, collaborations dominated the scene, with everyone from Virgil Abloh and Jerry Lorenzo to Diamond Supply and Union Los Angeles getting a chance to drop projects with Nike and Jordan Brand. But it wasn’t just about rarity in 2018. While one of the year’s biggest drops, the Nike React Element 87, wasn’t quite a general release, it was accessible enough that people who wanted it could pick up a pair without too much hassle. Meanwhile, Jordan Brand retroed what are arguably two of the most important sneakers in its entire archive: the “Black/Cement” Air Jordan 3 and the “Concord” Air Jordan 11.

Take a look back at which sneakers stood out the most in a highly competitive year below.