Gift Guide: Sneakers For The Sneaker Expert

Shopping this holiday season for the sneaker collector that already has everything and knows it all? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this list of absolute essentials that no sneaker snob would pass up.

By AP Sneaker

Sometimes, searching for the perfect pair of sneakers for the Sneaker Expert if your life can be a less-than-ideal experience. And that’s putting it mildly.

It’s not that this person—who knows everything there is to know about sneakers—is ungrateful when it comes to receiving shoes as gifts. It’s just that they’ve seen and done—and worn—it all. So catching them in an honest “WOW” moment with an incredible present isn’t the easiest thing to do.

But it’s not impossible. And that’s where we enter the picture.

Presenting the Stadium Goods Gift Guide for the Sneaker Expert. This curated list of must-have sneakers features popular releases from Nike, Jordan, adidas, New Balance, and more, that are sure to impress any veteran sneaker collector. Rest assured that no matter what shoe(s) you decide to give that special someone in your life, they’ll be receiving something worthwhile.

And if you’re worried that the sneaker know-it-all you’re shopping for already has any of these, don’t. Because every single one of these sneakers are such essentials that any hardcore collector definitely won’t mind having a backup pair

Women’s Jordan 1 High OG “Satin Bred”

Originally released in men’s sizing in super limited quantities in 2016, the ''Jordan 1 High OG Satin Bred'' was recently re-released in women’s sizing for the first time. The new version may be more widely available than the original from a few years ago, but no less coveted, as the colorway is based on the legendary Jordan 1 “Bred.”

Women’s Jordan 1 Mid “Strawberries & Cream”

The Women’s Jordan 1 Mid is always available in colorways that catch the eye, and few have been more attention-seeking than the “Strawberries & Cream” in 2023. The style draws favorably from the delicious dessert of the same name and features an easy-to-look at pink-and-white color block.

Undefeated x Nike Dunk Low “5 On It - Black”

Few sneaker collaborations are as universally respected as Undefeated and Nike. This year, the California-based boutique and Nike revisited its partnership with numerous projects, one of which produced this monochromatic black Nike Dunk Low “5 On It.” Not your average all-black shoe, the “5 On It” Dunk combines five different materials, hence the name, while also nodding to Undefeated’s “5 Strikes” logo. This is a shoe that’s simple yet interesting and stylish thanks to the premium materials, and perfect for any sneaker aficionado’s everyday rotation.

Jordan 1 High OG “University Blue”

The ''Jordan 1 High was offered in a UNC'' colorway in 1985 that paid homage to Michael Jordan’s alma mater, the North Carolina Tarheels. It was the first time a shoe for a pro athlete came dressed in colors of a college sports team, and it influenced a long, rich tradition of “UNC” and other college-inspired shoes. One of the more unique styles is this shoe right here, the Air Jordan 1 High OG “University Blue.” The colorway mixes UNC-flavored colors in a refreshing new way.

BAPE x adidas Superstar “Green Camo”

BAPE is a streetwear brand that has collaborated with just about every notable popular culture entity—or at least it feels that way. The brand has partnerships with Kid Cudi, Star Wars, Pepsi, adidas, and many others, credited to its name. The last one, with adidas, has been ongoing since 2003, back when BAPE’s founder orchestrated its signature camouflage print on adidas’s Superstar shoe. NIGO left BAPE some years ago, but the spirit of BAPE’s initial adidas collaboration lives on with this year’s Superstar in “Green Camo."

Ambush x Nike Dunk High “Flash Lime”

Remember those “POW!” pendants favored by Kanye West and every imitable streetwear style savant in the early 2010s? Ambush, a Japan-based jewelry brand by the husband-and-wife team of Verbal and Yoon Ahn, are the brains behind that movement. And in more recent times, Ambush is responsible for bending the proportions of the Nike Dunk High as seen on the “Flash Lime” colorway. The “Flash Lime’s” raised leather panels and rubber Swoosh that extends off the back are both firsts for the vintage basketball shoe. Instead of “POW!” pendants, Ambush is now announcing its presence in streetwear with each new, progressive Dunk.

Patta x Nike Air Max 1 “Monarch”

When you serve up the freshest sneakers in your area, you get the opportunity to collaborate with major sneaker brands. That’s how Patta, an Amsterdam-based sneaker shop with bonafides in the sneaker community, landed its gig with Nike in the 2000s. Years and too-many-to-name shoes later, Patta and Nike are still perfecting the craft of the collaboration with the Air Max 1 “Monarch.” The colorway stays true to the Air Max 1’s original color block, but adds a wavy orange mudguard. The fix isn’t as mind-blowing as it is well-executed. And we’ve come to expect nothing less from Patta.

Jordan 4 “Fire Red”

Jordan Brand works in mysterious ways. After bringing back the Air Jordan 4 “White/Cement” and “Bred” with their original “Nike Air” branding, it took several frustratingly long years for the shoe’s other popular launch colorway, the “Fire Red,” to emerge with the same classic details. Unlike the “White/Cement” and “Bred,” which received retro releases in 1999 with “Nike Air” branding before their current iterations, a proper “OG” “Fire Red” never materialized until 2020. What this all basically means is that any fan of Michael Jordan or his Air Jordans will appreciate this shoe as a gift, and that’s a massive understatement.

Jordan 11 “Bred”

In 1996, Michael Jordan won 72 games with the Chicago Bulls. His shoe of choice? The Air Jordan 11. Designed by legendary Nike sneaker designer Tinker Hatfield and inspired by men’s dress shoes, the Jordan 11 introduced a new shiny, patent leather mudguard to a high performing basketball shoe, and everyone lost their minds. The original batch of Air Jordan 11s sold out everywhere in ‘96. And they still do whenever offered in a colorway that Mike wore, like the “Bred” style. The same one “Money” had on his feet the night he and the Bulls won the ‘96 NBA Championship.

Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 990 V3 “Outside Clothes”

The art of sneaker storytelling is alive. And you don’t have to look too hard to find instances of it captivating sneaker culture in 2021. Joe Freshgoods, a Chicago native and part owner of Fat Tiger Workshop, is offering antidotes of his personal life through collaborations with New Balance. In 2020, Joe designed the New Balance 992 “No Emotions,” an un-Valentine’s Day shoe that drew a frenzied lineup at NBA All-Star Weekend. For an encore, he teamed up with New Balance on the 990 V3 “Outside Clothes” as an ode to his childhood days spending summers outside with his family and friends. Both shoes feature nuanced details, premium materials and construction, and a relatable message

Nike Air Max 95 “Neon”

The Greatest Hits selection of Nike Air Max shoes reads like this: the Air Max 1, Air Max 90, Air Max 95, and Air Max 97. Realistically, all Air Maxes are comfortable and stylish, but those four stand out as the collection’s tentpole designs. A perennial favorite of the group is the Air Max 95 “Neon.” Worn by Jay-Z and runners alike in the ‘90s, and weekend warriors and everyone else today, the “Neon” popularized bright neon colors on shoes. Revolutionary is the Air Max 95 “Neon,” indeed. Simply put, the Air Max 95 “Neon” is approved by any sneaker expert.