Top 10 Sneakers That Changed Culture Forever

Nike discontinued the Air Force 1 in 1984 after just two years. Baltimore retailers petitioned to bring it back — and it became the best-selling sneaker in Nike history, with an estimated 2 billion pairs sold. The "Uptowns" (as they're known in New York) became the default footwear of hip-hop culture in the 1990s and 2000s. Nelly's "Air Force Ones" (2002) hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The all-white AF1 Low is the single most-sold colorway in sneaker history. Nike releases hundreds of AF1 collaborations annually, but the plain white-on-white remains the bestseller — $90 of perfect design that has defined streetwear for 43 years.

Kanye West's collaboration with Adidas created the first sneaker since the Air Jordan 1 to fundamentally reshape the market. The Yeezy 350 V2's "SPLY-350" stripe, Boost midsole, and Primeknit upper became the most recognizable silhouette of the 2010s. At peak, Yeezy generated $1.7 billion in annual revenue for Adidas. Resale prices for limited colorways reached $1,000+. When Adidas terminated the partnership in 2022 following West's antisemitic statements, they were left with $1.3 billion in unsold inventory. The Yeezy proved a single celebrity could build a billion-dollar shoe brand — and that brand risk goes both ways.

Released as a college basketball shoe in 1985, the Dunk was a commercial failure. Then skateboarders in the early 2000s adopted it for its flat sole and padded collar, and Nike SB Dunks became the foundation of sneaker resale culture. The "Pigeon" Dunk (2005) caused a riot in New York City — police had to escort buyers from the store. Travis Scott, Virgil Abloh (Off-White), and Supreme collaborations pushed resale prices above $10,000 for limited releases. The Dunk's 2020 revival made it the #1 selling sneaker silhouette globally, outselling even the Air Jordan 1. A failed basketball shoe that became the most hyped sneaker on Earth.

The first shoe with Vans' iconic "jazz stripe" sidestripe, designed by Paul Van Doren's son. Adopted by skateboarders, then punk rockers, then the Warped Tour generation, and eventually mainstream fashion. Sean Penn wore checkered Vans in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982) and sales exploded. Vans has maintained its $60-75 price point for decades while Nike and Adidas pushed prices above $200 — making Old Skools accessible to every high school kid who wants to signal subcultural belonging without spending a paycheck. VF Corporation acquired Vans in 2004; it now generates $3.5 billion annually. The sidestripe is the people's logo.

The first sneaker to retail for $100 (in 1982 dollars — about $320 today) and the shoe that defined "dad shoe" before that was a compliment. The 990 was made in the USA, cost twice as much as competitors, and sold to runners and professionals who valued function over fashion. Then in the 2010s, fashion swung toward ugly-on-purpose aesthetics, and the 990 suddenly became cool. Aimee Leon Dore, JJJJound, and Teddy Santis collaborations turned New Balance from "your accountant's shoe brand" to the hottest sneaker label in fashion. Steve Jobs wore 991s (the UK-made variant). The 990v6 still retails at $200 and is still made in Maine.

Tommie Smith wore Puma Suedes when he raised his fist on the 1968 Olympic podium in Mexico City — one of the most iconic protest images in history. The shoe became permanently linked to Black Power, civil rights, and athletic defiance. In the 1980s, the B-boy community in New York adopted Suedes for breakdancing (the flat suede sole was ideal for floor moves). The Clyde (a basketball version named after Walt "Clyde" Frazier) followed the same cultural trajectory. Puma Suedes have been in continuous production for 57 years, collaborated with everyone from Rihanna to MCM, and remain a $70 entry point into sneaker culture.

Tinker Hatfield was inspired by the Centre Pompidou in Paris (which exposes its structural elements on the outside) to create a shoe with a visible air bubble in the sole. Nike executives thought it was insane — who wants to see the inside of their shoe? Consumers loved it. The Air Max 1 launched the visible air technology that would define Nike for the next four decades. In the UK, the Air Max became the shoe of rave culture and football casuals. "Air Max Day" (March 26) is now a global sneaker holiday. The 2017 Air Max 97 "Silver Bullet" revival showed the design's timelessness. Total Air Max franchise revenue: $5+ billion annually.