Last year is over—you took all the Ls for the sneakers you wanted most, maybe even missed out on the restocks, and nobody showed up for you on Christmas with a crispy pair of the Nike SB x Air Jordan 4. We whittled down all the shoes that were released in 2023, you got mad about the selections, and then we reshuffled it a bit to some avail. It may not be distant, but all that is history at this point in the new year. So, what’s next?
12 fresh months of upcoming sneaker releases, pairs to complain over when you miss out on them, and passionate debates on their respective merits on the internet. Because sneaker collecting is such a huge hobby, there are people who dedicate their lives to breaking news about which pairs are coming out when and leaking info on upcoming shoes before the brands officially announce them. This means that we already have a decent picture of what 2024’s sneaker releases will look like. Which of them are the most anticipated?
The Complex team took a look at all the 2024 sneakers that the public is aware of so far and edited that wider group down to the 10 that have the most buzz around them.
The list is limited to sneakers that we have some concrete information about—so things like Jerry Lorenzo’s hints around his next Adidas model didn’t make the cut. What else didn’t make the cut? We’d considered the Air Jordan 17 retro, but it feels like that’s a sneaker people aren’t actually going to show up for when it hits shelves. J Balvin’s next Air Jordan 3 colorway will be a big one for sure, but isn’t as exciting as some other shoes coming in 2024. And we’re excited for Salehe Bembury’s next Crocs model, but it’s a little too early to judge that one.
Here are the most anticipated sneakers of 2024, the baseline and first fuzzy picture of what might end up being some of the best sneakers of 2024. Note that this list is unranked, as it’s too speculative to judge these shoes relative to each other without the full context of their release and in-hand impressions. Also note that a lot of the info here, like the expected release windows, is subject to change given that most of these shoes and the details around them haven’t been officially confirmed by the brands.