Have cult footwear collabs fizzled out in 2024?

While 2024 is the year that gold dust footwear collaborations hit the mainstream, is rising popularity damaging their cult status? Consistently viral best-sellers styled by netizens in China and the West, Wales Bonner’s Adidas Originals is a superstar case study for brand collaboration. From the original knitted styles to furry leopard print and shiny chrome, the designer’s 20-plus reiterations of Sambas since 2020 have helped shoot the silhouette to prominence worldwide. In China, the co-branded footwear is behind #walesbonner hitting 16.9 million views on Xiaohongshu. Despite the English-Jamaican designer’s collaboration being one of the most impactful of the past decade, the frequency of drops this year means new designs no longer always sell out. Thanks to Wales Bonner, Samba sneakers have boosted Adidas’ sales, but in 2024, the silhouette has become slightly notorious as an overplayed design. Similarly, due to wider accessibility, the average resale price premium of buzzy designer Kiko Kostadinov’s prized Asics releases on StockX has dropped to 1% in 2024 from 44% in 2023. And while landing a pair of New Balances by Ivy League-style king Aimé Leon Dore was once a battle against bots, pairs are readily available months after their release. The reputation of the industry's most esteemed collaborations could be at risk, or simply the cult formula has taken the form of a new identity for 2024. Cultural integrity “Grace Wales Bonner is a great example of the value of integrity and authenticity when it comes to retaining a sense of cult status. I’d wager that she hasn’t alienated ardent loyalists because she operates with a lot of creative integrity, rooting her work in culture in a very authentic way,” editor and brand strategist Sara McAlpine tells Jing Daily. The element of cultural integrity that labels bring to sportswear powerhouses is a thread connecting top-performing collaborations. Signifying the culture of New York City, Aimé Leon Dore’s community is brought to New Balance via collabs, while footwear mogul Salehe Bembury’s creative integrity and distinguished fan base have helped make his Crocs releases a hit. Wales Bonner x Adidas Originals boasts similar credentials. “The designs are still sharp, and the storytelling — rooted in exploring Black identity and heritage — keeps them culturally on-point. It’s not just about rarity; it’s about meaning. So, while they’re no longer as exclusive, they’ve still got their place in the culture,” says Jolyon Varley, co-founder of creative content studio OK Cool. According to Varley, a cult footwear collaboration is one that tells a compelling story, represents authentic culture, and pushes boundaries in terms of design and execution. “It’s not just about slapping logos together — it’s about synergy between two brands or entities that genuinely respect and understand each other’s ethos,” he says. For the masses Naturally, when a designer’s styles are selling well, the big brands want to cash in. This year has seen some of the most sought-after sneaker collaborations become easier to obtain. Kostadinov’s increasing involvement with Asics marks a shift from limited-edition collaborations to a broader role in shaping the brand’s entire SportStyle range alongside his team, including womenswear designers Laura and Deanna Fanning. This deeper integration enables Kostadinov to influence multiple product categories and create new silhouettes from the ground up, as seen with the trending UB1-S Gel-Kayano 14 shoes. The two brands even launched unisex line Novalis in 2024 (#novalis is at 235,700 reads on Xiaohongshu, while #kikokostadinov has 47 million). Off the back of this intensifying partnership, the latest Kiko Kostadinov x Asics are still in stock, while earlier styles sold out. But do increasing popularity and product availability risk alienating members of the target communities by eroding integrity? “The Adidas x Wales Bonner sneakers have definitely become more accessible, and that’s a double-edged sword,” says Varley. “On the one hand, accessibility means more people get to appreciate and wear designs that blend sportswear heritage with Wales Bonner’s deep cultural storytelling … Conversely, when something becomes widely available, it risks losing that mystique that hardcore sneakerheads love.” 2024’s cult moves Perhaps long-term footwear partnerships peak when brands ramp up production, making room for new collabs to follow in their footsteps. After all, the Adidas Ozweego by Raf Simons heyday ended a long time ago, and Converse x Comme des Garçons shoes are rarely seen anymore. “We continue to see fresh, well-executed sneaker collaborations do well,” says StockX Data Scientist Andrew Almasy. “It has to have that right blend of storytelling and uniqueness. The consumer can tell when thought really went into the process versus when a brand is just doing a collaboration for collaboration’s sake.” The leading collaborations of 2024 are those that tap into subcultures and style communities, stretching beyond streetwear as “quiet luxury” takes the lead. McAlpine names Asics’ Chopova Lowena as a London Fashion Week Spring 2025 highlight, as well as Miu Miu’s New Balance shoes, which debuted in 2022 and have featured on the Lyst Index since. For Varley, Bode’s Nike Astro Grabber was a seamless revival of a forgotten silhouette and has been “a favorite among collectors and fashion-forward individuals.” Today’s “cult” formula seems to comprise targeting pockets of the fashion set over sneakerheads. Cases in point are Sandy Liang’s Salomons and Patou’s Onitsuka Tigers, which debuted last week and sold out in all styles. With the hype around Adidas Originals by Wales Bonner having evolved, the stage is set for more silhouettes to achieve that brand collaboration's early levels of hype.

Have cult footwear collabs fizzled out in 2024?

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Published November 26, 2024

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Have cult footwear collabs fizzled out in 2024?