Get Weird: The Craziest Kicks Dropping This Year

Although we love the sneaker scene, it can sometimes feel like brands take themselves a little too seriously. Amongst a sea of general releases and ready-to-wear colourways, nothing feels as refreshing as a crazy pair of kicks, whether the idea is to get us talking, going viral or just to create something new and exciting.

Some of the best sneaker takes come from allowing renowned designers to put their spin on a pair of shoes. From the crazy, moss-clad Cactus Plant Flea Market Dunks to the barely recognisable Stan Smiths sent down the runway at Craig Green, it’s fun to see silhouettes get interpreted beyond the norm. Alongside these, this year we can also expect adventurous takes from Yeezy and CLOT, plus some fun and unique spins on classic Nike silhouettes, like the Dunk and Air Jordan 1.

Finally, we’ve thrown one in an entry from one of the most unexpected collabs of the year, but in order to build up your appetite, you’ll have to get scROLLing to see that one!

Okay, so this pair raised a lot of eyebrows, and we totally get why – they're one of the most unique pairs of Dunks we’ve ever seen. Dressed in a mishmash of quilted textures, mixed materials and a mossy-looking sole, they’re certainly not the most wearable pair, but we have to say they’re starting to win us over. Let’s face it, we’ve all spent a long time indoors over the past few years, and we’re very much here for anything that reminds us of the great outdoors. Of course, we could just go outside, but then our shoes would get dirty soooo....

If you’re aware of Craig Green, you’ll know that overblown, inflated silhouettes are kind of his thing. If you’re not, then you were probably a little shocked to find out that under the bloat there was a Stan Smith. The silhouette was completely covered with orange or black leather and bolted hardware.

Following this was an unrecognisable boot that looked like a floatation device, thanks to an inflated yellow upper. Whatever floats your boat!

For a kid’s shoe, this “Drip” theme feels a little trippy to us – but other interpretations allude to it being like an ice cream on a hot summer’s day.

This crazy pair sees the classic Nike Swoosh, heel and collar take on a new, melting shape – a bit like the drip customs that took over everyone’s Instagram feeds in 2020. This pair also gets decked out in a bit of a psychedelic (sorry, ice cream-like) colourway, which adds to the overall wacky theme of the pair.

The Crocs Pollex Clog caused waves last year, thanks to the genius of footwear designer and collaborator Salehe Bembury. The shoe was widely regarded as one of the most forward-thinking silhouettes of 2021, and saw a 4x price increase at resale.

This year, it’s set to drop in a neon green “Crocodile” colourway – a far cry from the muted earth tones we saw last year. Still, we’re here for it, and can’t wait to see these get styled when they drop. The crazier the Croc the better, right?

Talk about walking on the wild side! These "Safari Mix" Dunks have been given the full mix and match treatment, with safari and animal prints, and furry and suede textures taking over the overlays.

In reality, the white base still means that these are probably one of the more wearable pairs on this list, and they still make a nice change from the simple two-tone colour blocking we’ve come to expect from the Dunk.

Concepts are known for their wild takes on sneakers, but their version of the Air Max 1 is definitely up there as one of the craziest. Dropping in not one, not two, but three crazy colourways, the Concepts x Nike AM1 is definitely up there with some of the wildest sneakers dropping this year. Again, this one comes covered in a mix of materials - there seems to be a bit of a theme going on at Nike.

These pairs saw denim bases get adorned with paisley prints, corduroy, florals, and on the "Black Multi" pair, a dark camo. There's just a lot going on here, tbh.

Okay, we know that technically the Yeezy Boot dropped last year, but because it wasn’t a global release it doesn’t count. The NSLTD BT was pretty infamous when it first emerged, and it’s fair to say that the gigantic silhouette wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

Nevertheless, it definitely has its fans, and its looking like more colourways are set to drop in 2022, including this reflective black pair. As far as statement footwear goes, this is one of the boldest!

Hungry for more crazy kicks? We’ve got you. Allow us to introduce this insane collab – Greggs x Primark. Dropping as part of an 11 piece capsule to celebrate the bakery’s new store in the Birmingham Primark, these sneakers are set to retail for £16 and will be dropping in 60 Primark stores nationwide. Alternatively, you can make an appointment in their private London showroom, where you can grab the items for free, but it’s unconfirmed as to whether there are complimentary steak bakes on offer too. Changing our name to The Roll Supplier right now.

Up next, these are the women's-exclusive pairs that are set to drop in 2022.