The 18 Best Luxury Men's Sneakers That Are Worth the Money
20 Luxury Sneaker Brands That Are Worth the Money
High-end sneakers may be as ubiquitous as selvedge denim these days, but more variety means it's even harder for the cream to rise to the top. Designers like Gucci and have long embraced the sportier side of footwear, while other labels have only recently joined the party. Meanwhile, brands like Common Projects have been making the case for luxury sneakers for more than a decade, and have earned a special sort of street cred. Before you pull the trigger on yet another pair, here's a primer on some of the hottest purveyors of investment-level kicks.
1) Gucci Ace Embroidered Sneakers
gucci.com
The Gucci sneaker look is hard to mistake for anything else. It has the kind of standard Italian high-fashion take, with bold pops of color or design, coupled with recurring motifs that are as widely recognized as the brand name. Gucci doesn't skimp out on styles, either. Although the embellished low-tops are a classic, the brand has also made waves with its chunky sneakers.
2) Common Projects Original Achilles Sneakers
COMMON PROJECTS
Common Projects is patient zero for the current minimal-luxury-sneakers craze. The Achilles has become a holy grail for recovering Jordan fiends as much as it has for aspiring fashion nerds. Its cross-cultural appeal predated the muddled "mix everything together" world of modern menswear, and it looks good with just about everything. Amongst a sea of competitors, it's a shoe has achieved that covetable "timeless" status.
3) Maison Margiela Replica Sneakers
Maison Margiela
Maison Margiela's designer footwear legacy has remained relatively untouched. Its most prominent product is an upscale reinterpretation of a standard-issue German army trainer sneaker, done up in white leather with suede accents and a gum sole. It's also been reinterpreted in numerous colorways and treatments, ranging from meticulous paint splatters to iridescent metallic leather and intricate basket-weave materials.
4) Golden Goose Superstar Sneakers
Golden Goose
Husband and wife Francesca and Alessandro Gallo founded this sneaker brand on a common passion for sneakers and art. With fans like Virgil Abloh, Golden Goose has found itself in a welcome position of newfound relevance. Its flagship products are Italian-made sneakers with the breaking-in done for you. It makes sense if you think about how guys are willing to fork over oodles of cash for perfectly distressed denim. Why not splurge on designer kicks that already feel like your favorite pair? At least if you scuff them further, they won't look any worse for wear.
5) Gucci Sneaker with Web
Gucci
gucci.com
Sustainability meets luxury in this next Gucci pick: This pair uses recycled raw materials and a responsible tanning process for the leather. The shoe is neutral enough to wear everyday, with minimal pops of color and a chunky silhouette that keep it from feeling too basic.
6) Balenciaga Track Sneakers
BALENCIAGA
Balenciaga specializes in modern statement pieces, and its sneakers have achieved their cult status via a combination of key celebrity co-signs and the simple fact that they look damn cool, which makes them something sneakerheads of all sorts could appreciate. The bulky Triple S, once arguably the hottest fashion shoe to stomp the sidewalks, isn't as impossible to get as it used to be, but it's still going strong. And styles like the Track and the socklike Speed have achieved their own cult followings, too.
7) Brunello Cucinelli Airsole Sneakers
BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
The king of soft suiting and cozy cashmere brings that same appreciation for the finer things in life—plus his signature palette of navy, gray, and a veritable smorgasbord of shades of beige—to sneakers, too. They're made in Italy (naturally), light as air, and lined with perforated leather to keep your feet as happy as the rest of you is (at least when you're wearing Cucinelli).
8) Off-White Off Court 3.0 High-Top Sneakers
Off-White
Off-White and its maker, Virgil Abloh, have been grinding away for quite a time. By now, his designs are ubiquitous; they're a hardcore riff on traditional high-fashion. He elevates streetwear by breaking down the "serious" parts of a sneaker. The brand is known for its satirical construction, with normally hidden labels and tags on full display.
9) Alexander McQueen Oversize Low Top Sneakers
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
Thick, bold soles are the name of the game for Alexander McQueen-style sneakers. Even though that construction is popular right now, a true McQueen silhouette is unmistakable. It helps that it's really the only part of the shoe that's bold; the rest of it is kept to a solid base color, minimal detailing, and only small pops of color.
10) Christian Louboutin Rantulow Sneakers
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
The brand with the red soles that have become synonymous with high-end footwear makes sneakers, too. Go figure. They're crafted in Italy from full-grain calfskin and feature zero visible branding. Until, that is, you take a step. Because of course Louboutin isn't going to skimp on the iconic sole, even if it's made from rubber instead of leather. Go figure (again).
11) Saint Laurent SL24 High-Top Sneakers
Saint Laurent
The brand that redefined the jean and the skinny suit has done the same for the luxury sneaker. Sure, it might feel like upscale takes on Vans Authentics and Air Jordan 1s, but it's on the nose of what many guys are looking for in designer fashion—the perfect mix of accessibility and exclusivity. It's fashion in the age of Instagram, meaning it isn't just about whether the shoe fits, but how good it looks on your feed.
12) Prada Cloudbust Thunder High-Tech Sneakers
Prada's sneakers are split between an impulse towards total minimalism (think: low-profile tonal white plimsolls) and the highly technical, from construction right down to the look of the things. But either one you go for looks truly purposeful, which makes them an interesting shoe to incorporate regardless of what floats your boat aesthetically.
13) Valentino Garavani Rockrunner Sneakers
VALENTINO
While minimalist kicks and ultra-chunky sneakers have been enjoying dual heydays over the past few years, the classic runner in all its iterations has had a somewhat tougher time. Or at least it did, for a while, until Valentino came along with its take on the style, turning silhouettes like the Rockrunner into sellout-worthy hits. This splashy pair is ideal for anyone who's over quiet neutrals.
14) Givenchy Giv 1 Giv Leather Running Sneakers
GIVENCHY
Matthew Williams' Givenchy is off to a roaring start, and the sneakers are not to be ignored. Not that it'd be particularly easy to overlook the Giv 1, with its (not too) chunky silhouette and, in this particular take, a tonal leather upper. Only time will tell how the new Givenchy approaches the sneaker world in the coming months and years, but this certainly feels like a declaration of intent.
15) John Lobb Levah Sneakers
John Lobb
The English brand making some of the very best dress shoes in the game also makes sneakers that stand up to the Lobb reputation in terms of quality, aesthetics, and general timelessness. These Levah sneakers aren't made for stunting on Instagram. Instead, they're the kind of shoes you wear to a party IRL, and then get ready for everyone to ask you, "Where'd you get those," before the night is over.
16) Fear of God 101 Low-Top Sneakers
FEAR OF GOD
nordstrom.com
Designer Jerry Lorenzo has made no secret of his high ambitions in the fashion game. Basically, the guy wants to be the next Ralph Lauren. Coming from someone else, that might sound (more than) a little unrealistic. But Lorenzo's ever-expanding empire—along with the main Fear of God collection, he's also got the more-affordable Essentials line, plus an upcoming project with Adidas basketball—suggests that he could actually pull it off. His sneakers are sleek, subtle, and frequently sell out, so if you want to start laying your own foundations, don't sleep when you find 'em in your size.
17) Fear of God The Essential Tennis Low Sneaker
ESSENTIALS FEAR OF GOD
nordstrom.com
And should those mainline shoes prove too high up the luxury ladder for your pocketbook at the moment, you can always turn to Essentials. These sneakers are made in Italy from recycled calfskin and set upon a translucent sole. They're not cheap by any stretch, but they deliver the much-beloved FoG vibe for a bit less than you'd otherwise pay.
18) Koio Capri Nuvola
Koio makes a completely minimalist sneaker, and it does it well. The brand is perhaps best known for minimalist low-tops, but also has high-tops and a whole range of other designs, some of which are just as sleek while others have a little bit more going on (though never too much). The shoes are made in Italy, and the company was founded by Germans who are based in New York City. You're really getting the best perspectives (and access) possible.
Don't let the price tag fool you. Not all high-end sneakers are built alike, and these luxury men's sneakers are the best of the best.