The Sole Womens' Top 10 Sneakers of 2021

When looking back at the past year, it’s difficult to process quite how many releases we’ve had. When discussing what should be included in this top 10 (many arguments were had, FYI), we all were unanimous in the decision that any amalgamation of sneakers is going to be controversial; there’s always going to be something missed off.

Regardless of this, it’s plain to see that the Nike Dunk took 2021 by storm. Dropping colourway after colourway, the Swoosh brand aimed to please everyone under the sun, regardless of taste. Constructed with premium leather, Nike often stuck to the colour blocking that everyone knows and loves, however there were definitely a plethora of mixed-material, patterned SB Dunks that became a grail for many (we’re looking at you, P-Rod).

Following on from the Off-White x Air Jordan 4 “Sail” taking the top spot in 2020, we’ve seen an influx of Jordan 4s hitting the airwaves this year. Hype has built and the chunky silhouette is definitely giving the Jordan 1 a run for its money. One of our personal faves is the recently unveiled Aleali May x Jordan 4 “Camo”, which was released as a friends-and-family exclusive and paid tribute to her father, a former US Veteran.

2021 was also the year we tragically lost Virgil Abloh to a rare and aggressive cancer. As the founder of Off-White and artistic director of Louis Vuitton Menswear, Abloh paved the way in the fashion sphere, and helped bridge the gap between streetwear and fashion. His collection, ‘The 50’, took the Nike Dunk and spun it on its head, creatively reimagining the silhouette that some sneakerheads had dismissed as becoming ‘far too mainstream’.

As well as Off-White x Nike, collaborations definitely reigned supreme this year. New Balance went full-steam ahead and stopped at nothing in the name of uniqueness. A notable feature was definitely the introduction of an adventurous - yet practical - whistle on their Sahele Bembury collab, and of course, Aimé Leon Dore stole the hearts of many. But more of that later on.

One of the most underrated sneakers of the year was definitely the adidas Forum. Having taken a backseat in more recent years, the retro silhouette stole the limelight once again and made velcro cool again. We never thought we’d see the day! Puerto Rican music star, Bad Bunny, released three monochromatic Forums which definitely have something to do with the rise in demand, but the Bad Bunny x adidas "Pink" iteration has to be our favorite. In fact, the Three-Stripe brand have taken the Forum so far that they are finishing up the year with a Home Alone collab. That’s right - Home. Alone. As in the Christmas film!

So despite being riddled with delays and supply chain issues, this year has been stellar. And it’s not just Nike that has dominated the list this time around. We’ve got a lot of love for a whole load of sneakers. Even Ye made it to the list this time.

Without further ado, here are The Sole Supplier’ top ten sneakers of 2021.

Starting off with the basics. Yes - the Dunk has done bits this year and there’s so many colourways we could have put on here. But when being asked of our favourite Dunk of 2021, the team replied Dunk High "Football Grey" without a second’s thought. Perhaps it's the vintage tones, or perhaps it’s the fact that this was one of the first releases of the year (when the Dunk was still all exciting and limited), either way, it’s a good'un and definitely deserving of a place on our list. We even specifically wrote an article advising y’all on the best way to style them! We just love them, a lot.

A re-release of the Dave’s Quality Meat x Nike Air Max 90 "Bacon" from 2005, this is by far not only the best AM90 release of the year, but potentially of all time. Intended as a release to celebrate 30 years of the Air Max 90, the Bacon was slightly late to the party but hotly anticipated and highly appreciated nonetheless. It’s definitely a favourite in the TSS office, that’s for sure.

Although not strictly a 2021 release (the silhouette first debuted on North West back in 2019), the Yeezy Foam RNNR has taken the world of streetwear and fashion by storm and almost overtaken the Slide as the go-to indoor footwear option. You can’t deny that the silhouette is both interesting, yet terrifying. Its alien-esque features and the fact they’re constructed from algae makes them all the more desirable, weirdly. It also helps that the silhouette resembles that of the 700.

Well, it was either this or the Jordan 1 UNC. Maybe we made the wrong decision - what do you think?

For us, the pastel hues on the AJ1 "Hyper Royal" make this one dashing J. The mixture of soft nubuck and smooth white leather makes for an extremely good wear, whilst the hits of “Wolf Grey” add a Dior feel to the kick. Coming equipped with a stand-out blue branding badge at the top of the tongue, there’s just something about this washed-out look that means this AJ1 High deserves a place in the top 10.

“Rain Cloud”, “Sea Salt” or “Phantom”? We couldn’t choose, so just have them all! Dad sneakers have been a thing for forever now, and the New Balance 2002R takes the biscuit when it comes to New Balance’s chunky trainer reputation. The Protection Pack took on an ultra-rugged approach, with the shaggy-suede overlays appearing in a disjointed, almost ripped-up look. 50 shades of grey dressed the “Rain Cloud”, arguably the most popular of the three, whilst the “Phantom” took on a more stealthy appearance. Hints of blue can be found in the midsole of the “Sea Salt” iteration, standing out against the white, whilst pops of pinkish-red do the same on the upper.

Who doesn’t love an AMBUSH Dunk? Although Yoon Ahn went a little crazy with a brave “Flash Lime” iteration this year, it doesn't change the fact that the silhouette is still stunning. Inspired by Japanese motorbikes, the 3D Swoosh stands out from the rest of the upper, similarly to the bike’s tailpipes. This sneaker sports a more toned-down colour palette than other iterations, and we have to say that the “White/Royal/Black” combination works perfectly. As well as this, however, in hand this pair feels extremely premium thanks to the leathers used. A contemporary twist on a classic, it doesn’t get more exciting than an AMBUSH x Nike collaboration.

Released as one of four parts labelled ‘The Wave’, Dutch streetwear brand Patta and Nike teamed up to celebrate the Air Max 1 in all its glory, nearly 25 years after its original release. The aim of the partnership was to represent the changes each brand is striving to make that will “truly serve and drive change for our community”. Unlike previous iterations, the waves were turned up to 100, with the soft leather mudguard showing off a squiggly design in the titular hue. We have to admit we were fans of the “Noise Aqua” iteration too; it was a close call as to which one made the list.

We didn’t want to spoil all the fun above, but we were too excited to mention the collaboration between New York label Aimé Leon Dore and the Boston-based brand. Putting 550s on the map, Teddy Santis’ design shows off premium leather overlays with the retro ALD x NB 550 “Natural Green” colourway and a vintage-toned midsole. Unfortunately, the pair never dropped at retailers in the UK, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love them all the same.

Okay, now it would have been impossible to pick just one. Whilst Lot 1 was the most popular for the general public, we would argue that Lot 38 has a very special place in our hearts. The pink tag, matching tongue, and the UNC-inspired additional laces complement each other perfectly. But honestly, everything in this collection is so wearable and it revolutionised the Nike Dunk once again. We didn’t think Virgil was going to be able to outdo ‘The Ten’ (a collection which changed the sneaker game forever, BTW), but he did it and then some.

Did any of you guess that this would be our number 1? Hitting the top spot this year, it’s not a Dunk, it’s not a Jordan 1 or 4, it’s the mighty Air Jordan 3. That’s right! And we’re predicting that 2022 is going to be THE year for the AJ3. First released in 1988, it’s a silhouette that has sort of slid under the radar, until now. AMM dressed the shoe in a luxurious white tumbled leather, whilst suede covers the toe box, lace collar and heel. The deep-purple hues also add a pop of luxe to the sneaker. Being a women’s-exclusive release and inspired by the role women play in all our lives, we’re so glad that the James Whitner x Nike collaboration was worthy of the top spot. Whitner decided to collaborate on the 3 as that was his first ever Jordan, and several details on the sneaker pay homage to his mother. Behind the heel panel is a quote from Whitner’s mother in her original handwriting. And that’s just beautiful.

So there you have it - The Sole Supplier' Top 10 Sneakers of 2021. It was almost impossible to choose, and no doubt we've missed off a lot of people's faves, but we hope we've covered some good ground here. We took inspiration from Spotify to create our 'Sneakers Wrapped' campaign, so thanks guys!

What a year it has been! Check out our fashion predictions for 2022 right here, and make sure to check back in this time next year to see how many of them we got right.