The 10 Shoes That Should Be in Every Sneaker Collection

In this day and age, it's clear to see that people have started to pay more attention to the shoes they're wearing. Both adults and youngsters can be seen rocking the newest shoes daily, and if you're already part of the culture, you already know how difficult it can be to get your hands on the latest releases due to high-profile collaborations, social media influence, and far more.

But long before resellers and their automated check-out bots ruled the game, people genuinely loved shoes not only for their looks but also their backstories—of course, legendary basketball superstar Michael Jordan being one of the most responsible figures for shaping the industry to what it is today.

If you're one of many who have just started to take an interest and you're wondering how to start a sneaker collection, we've created the ultimate guide to becoming a sneakerhead. Here you'll find the top 10 shoes that belong in every sneaker collection, as well as the story behind each model, and we have no doubts that you'll recognise at least one or two. So read on to find our guide on how to build a sneaker collection and the best sneaker collecting tips we have for you!

Let's start with the Nike Air Force 1, an absolute timeless classic. The model was designed by Bruce Kilgore all the way back in 1985 as a pair of basketball shoes, and to this day, it remains super popular and will always remain relevant no matter. It's traditionally crafted with top-grade premium leather throughout, featuring a perforated toe box for breathability and a chunky Air midsole unit underneath for comfort that lasts all day.

You can start your sneaker collection with the Nike Air Force 1 Low "Triple White" as it effortlessly goes with any outfit. But if you've got money to splash and you're looking to go big, you can take a closer look at the pairs from the Off-White x Nike range, though be sure to check out our Air Force 1 size guide to know how the Air Force 1 fits.

Next, we have the legendary Air Jordan 1, Michael Jordan's first-ever signature basketball shoes designed by Peter Moore in 1985. The AJ1s come in three different cuts in height: Air Jordan 1 Low, Air Jordan 1 Mid, and Air Jordan 1 High. The Highs are the most sought-after, and it can certainly be quite tricky to get your hands on a pair as the Swoosh team and Jordan Brand continue to roll out exclusive colourways in limited quantities.

The first-ever colourway was the "Banned" edition, also known as Jordan 1 "Bred", which features a red and black leather upper with a white Air midsole unit underneath. The name originates from the old story of Michael Jordan being penalised in every game as the colour of the shoes went against uniform regulations. A few more iterations followed the Air Jordan 1 High, and some have even received a re-release in the past few years.

If you really want to get into sneaker collecting, the Air Jordan 1 is a must-have. It is a piece of history. You can easily grab pair of the low-top or mid-top renditions online and in-store, but the high-cuts are a bit more challenging to get your hands on. Don't forget to check out our Air Jordan 1 size guide so you know how they fit and you don't miss out on any upcoming drops!

In 2013, renowned American rapper and music artist Kanye West left Nike and joined forces with Germany's Three Stripe brand after claiming that the Beaverton sportswear giant refused to pay him for his Nike Air Yeezy line. Fast forward to the present day, Ye and adidas' Yeezy label filled the scene with their range of Boost-cushioned trainers.

The original Yeezy Boost 350 came in four colourways in 2015: the "Turtle Dove", "Pirate Black", "Moonrock", and the "Oxford Tan". In 2016, we were then introduced to the Yeezy Boost 350 V2 "Beluga"—the first colourway of the 350 V2s. All pairs, including the most recent version, come with a Primeknit-woven upper and full-length Boost midsole unit underneath.

Everyone needs a pair of Yeezys in their sneaker collection and we can guarantee that you'll fall in love with them once you have them on foot, no other shoes on the market can ever rival its comfort. Be sure to check out our Yeezy 350 size guide if you want to know how they fit.

The streetwear landscape is currently dominated by the Nike Dunk so we're sure that you've already seen them. But what are they exactly, and why do they slightly look like the Air Jordan 1? The Nike Dunks were also made for the court in 1985 and were inspired by the aforementioned AF1s, AJ1s, and a few more basketball shoes.

In 2019, the silhouette went through a huge resurgence and emerged in countless colourways and co-branded editions—naturally becoming a go-to lifestyle model. The Swoosh team has plenty more versions of the Nike Dunk Low and Nike Dunk High on the way, including colourways from the OG "Be True To Your School" pack from 1985. So be sure to stay locked in here for all the latest Dunk release dates as it is one of the best sneakerhead shoes out there and definitely one you should add to your collection.

You can also use our Nike Dunk Size Guide for sizing tips.

Boston-based footwear label New Balance have become prominent in the fashion world, thanks to their iconic 99x series from 1982 that began with the New Balance 990. The range is famous for its retro-inspired look, premium pigskin suede and mesh panels, and the ENCAP and ABZORB midsole tooling underneath. NB have been rising stars in the sneaker industry this year so a pair of these timeless classics definitely belong in every sneaker collection.

The essential colourway of the New Balance's 990 is the New Balance 990v5 "Grey Castlerock". We have a New Balance 990 Sizing Guide so be sure to check it out!

If none of the above mentioned trainers suits your taste, take a closer look at the Nike Air Max 1 instead. Constructed by legendary Nike architect Tinker Hatfield in 1987, the Air Max 1 is Nike's first-ever silhouette to showcase its signature Air cushioning technology through an exposed bubble unit towards the rear of the midsole.

The Air Max roster now contains countless models, but nothing will ever beat the AM1. Original Air Max 1 colourways like the "University Red" and "Game Royal" are as present as ever in this era. So if you're keen on starting your sneaker collecting journey today with a piece of history, these Nike trainers are a no-brainer cop.

Our Air Max 1 size guide is also live here, so take a minute to read it to find out what size you need to get!

Not a Swoosh lover? Then look to the brand with the Three Stripes and their famous low-top classic, the adidas Superstar. It debuted in the late '60s on the court and is famous for its rubber shell toes that provide extra toe protection. The rest of the construction is mainly crafted with super smooth leather slabs and boasts simple but effective adidas branding details like the sidewall Three Stripe motif and Trefoil insignias on the tongues and heels.

It has also served as a blank canvas for well-known music artist Pharell Williams who graced the silhouette in 2015 in 50 tonal colours dubbed the adidas Superstar "Supercolor Pack". After that, many more labels and artists in the industry welcomed the pair to their families like Japanese streetwear staple A Bathing Ape and Danish toy manufacturing company LEGO.

You can't just have Nikes in your sneaker collection so definitely add a pair of adidas Superstars to your sneaker collection today!

One of the best ways to become a sneakerhead is to not fill your collection with hyped silhouettes from Nike and adidas. A pair of classic Converse is a must-have in your lineup, and I'm sure your grandparents would also agree as the high-cut lifestyle shoes have been around since the 1930s when they debuted on the court.

To this day, the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star is still a priority for the American shoe company, but more focus is put towards the modernised version titled the Converse All Star 70s—same canvas build but with a thicker midsole and cushioning.

After you read our Converse size guide, you can choose classic colours for a timeless look or opt for the ever-famous COMME des GARÇONS x Converse Chuck Taylor 70 for a streetwear vibe.

You may already have a pair of these timeless sneakers in your collection, but if not you definitely need to. The Vans Old Skool might be a skateboarding shoe, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's solely for that. Since its introduction in 1977, these Vans shoes have served the masses with style and an insane amount of comfort on and off the deck. It was the first-ever offering from the California-born skate imprint to bear the iconic racing stripe on the sidewalls and is traditionally crafted with leather and canvas featuring padded collars, enforced toecaps and signature waffle outsole for a sturdy grip on all terrain.

Like most shoes these days, the Vans Old Skools have hosted some of the most iconic collaborations of all time, uniting with labels and artists from diverse industries. Some even include offerings in partnership with music bands such as Metallica as can be seen in our heavy-metal inspired shoes article! Be sure to check out its high-top rendition too, the Vans Sk8 Hi.

Last but not the least, the Reebok Club C. Initially debuted in 1985 under the name Reebok Club Champion, the tennis-centred silhouette returned to the sneaker verse to celebrate its 35th anniversary bearing the name Reebok Club C. It's usually crafted with a supple leather upper and a padded lining to maximise comfort, finalised with an archived Reebok window box logo to maintain the model's retro appeal.

Again, though it might not be as highly sought-after as the first few mentioned, these Reebok trainers are here to stay, and its continued collaboration with John Galliano-led French luxury fashion house Maison Margiela is proof of that.

That wraps up our list of the 10 essentials that belong in every sneaker collection. While you don't need every sneaker in this list, there are a variety of different styles and brands which can be added to every collection regardless of style.

Of course, you can't just grab a pair without knowing how they fit, so make use of our size guides linked above as they contain all the best sneaker sizing information created by our in-house product experts. Also, stay locked in right here at The Sole Supplier for the latest sneaker release dates and news.