Five Times Your Favourite TV Shows Released a Sneaker Collaboration

Let's face it, we all know we've enjoyed a TV show as much as possible when we start purchasing its merch left, right and centre. For years now, merchandise apparel and trinkets have helped us convey our love for some of our favourite shows and recognise fellow supporters while we're at it, but in recent years it seems the game has evolved.

With sneaker culture's continuous rise in popularity, certain TV shows are now opting to cement themselves as part of the scene with limited-edition collaborations with some of the heavy hitters in the industry.

Given the fact many of us here at The Sole Supplier are both sneakerheads and TV fanatics alike, we thought we would bring you five collaborations between sneakers and TV you might not know about. Check out our picks below!

With its epic season four now in the rearview mirror, we think it's fair to say Stranger Things is one of the biggest shows online right now. First arriving on our screen in 2016, Netflix's science fiction horror drama quickly garnered itself an immensely loyal following due to its unforgettable storyline combined with its '80s nostalgia.

In 2019 to celebrate the upcoming third season of the show, Stranger Things teamed up with Nike to produce a capsule of both sneakers and apparel, all of which bore distinctive nods to the show's hometown location of Hawkins. With the show set in 1985, it was only fitting that the duo would choose to release Cortez, Blazer and Tailwind silhouettes, given their iconic place in sportswear during the time period.

The debut collection paired Hawkins High's green and orange colour scheme along with the school's orange tiger mascot to create a trio of autumnal silhouettes. Both the Cortez and the Blazer featured a crisp white base with green and orange detailing, while their Tailwind counterpart would sport a green base complete with an orange Swoosh.

Later on, Nike x Stranger Things would also go on to release the "OG Collection," complete with a bright red Cortez silhouette and the "Upside Down Pack." This pack contained the same three aforementioned models, complete with a textured Sail upper that gradually peeled away to reveal a worn denim layer underneath.

While many of us were disappointed with the Game of Thrones' catastrophic last season, at least we can say the merchandise during the build-up was fun. Prior to season eight's release in February 2019, adidas teamed up with Game of Thrones to produce a selection of Ultra Boost 4.0s.

Six iterations were on offer, with each inspired by the prominent houses or groups of characters within the show. The Night’s Watch, the White Walkers, House Targaryen, the Targaryen’s dragons, House Stark, and House Lannister, were all included, with each version arriving with its own representative colour scheme and signatures.

Each creation also sports a unique sigil or phrase on the rear heel tab. For instance, House Stark's version features their "Winter is Coming" motto whilst the White Walker's edition showcases a "Winter is Here" quote instead. Other quotes and sigils include "Nights Watch," "Fire and Blood," and "Hear me Roar."

Despite the show's downfall, these shoes are still notoriously hard to get hold of, and select pairs are now even commanding up to triple their original retail price on resale websites.

While adidas' Stan Smith silhouette is quite obviously named after the American former tennis star, you can't help but appreciate the fact he shares the same name as the American Dad! Protagonist. To celebrate the move of American Dad! to the TBS network in 2014, adidas x American Dad! linked up to produce a tongue-in-cheek version of the famous tennis silhouette.

With full leather-grain uppers, a contrasting green heel and tongue and an off-white midsole, this particular pair might appear normal to the untrained eye, but there are a few things that set them aside from the standard edition. For starters, a regular pair of Stan Smiths usually showcase an illustration of the player's face on the tongue, but these instead show a picture of the cartoon character.

The insoles of the shoes also showcase a large and colourful print of the character holding a tennis racket with an American flag background. Given the fact the shoe is now eight years old, pairs are fairly difficult to find.

With the Dunk hype back in full swing, some might be surprised to learn about this next addition. Way back in 2004, Nike SB decided to first honour everyone's favourite cartoon family with a unique selection of Dunks, and years later, these shoes are nothing short of legendary.

While none of the offerings are a direct collaboration with The Simpsons, it's easy enough to see just exactly where the designs found their inspiration. It all started with the Nike Dunk SB Low "Homer", a silhouette that bore a serious resemblance to the protagonist's unchanging outfit. With white and blue uppers complete with a yellow swoosh, this shoe would eventually go on to be a legendary silhouette within the game.

In 2008, Nike SB would double-down on its Simpsons-inspired efforts with the Nike SB Dunk High "Marge Simpson". In contrast to its predecessor, this Dunk arrived with a high-top construction and a gum sole. Just like the "Homer," the "Marge Simpson" mirrored the character's signature outfit, and of course, her iconic bright-blue hair.

Finally, after 14 years, Nike decided it was the turn of the family's mischievous son, and so the Nike SB Dunk Low "Bart Simpson" was born. Decked out in "Habanero Red" and "Blue Hero" hues, this silhouette arguable takes the cake out of the bunch and mirrors the character perfectly. With the Dunk hype still in motion, how long will it be before we see Lisa and Maggie editions.

For both Millennials and Gen Z alike, Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants holds a special place in many of our hearts. Since 1999, Bikini Bottom's beloved clan of characters has provided us with laughs along the way, and it seems American basketball player Kyrie Irving shares the same sentiment.

In 2019, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show, SpongeBob SquarePants x Nike Kyrie joined forces to produce a selection of five designs across the Nike Kyrie 5 and Kyrie 2 Low silhouettes. The pack highlights a variety of the show's top characters with SpongeBob, Patrick Star, Squidward, Mr Krabs and Sandy Cheeks all getting their own signature colourway.

SpongeBob's porous body was represented through a deep yellow hue with red accents. In addition, a brown sole nodded to the character's iconic shirt and shorts outfit. Elsewhere, Patrick Star's bright pink complexion was showcased through a bubble-like print, complete with a loud green midsole.

Though Kyrie Irving might not have been the obvious choice for this collaboration, the basketballer is actually a super fan of the cartoon and understood the need to produce a collaboration with both expression and fun at its core.

For more like this, checkout Cinema of Style: 6 Films That Influenced Modern Streetwear!