Serious sneakerheads, art enthusiasts, and fashion followers alike can easily see the allure of artist collaborations with sneaker brands. Featuring the work or design of some of the most famous Pop and street artists in the world on some of the most sought-after sneaker styles results in an unmatched, wearable art collectible. StockX, the premier online marketplace for exclusive sneakers, apparel, collectibles, and more, is the best place to explore and buy rare and hard-to-find sneakers—including limited edition artist collaborations.
Among the many examples of contemporary art crossing over into street wear is Andy Warhol’s immediately recognizable work being reproduced for Converse, or Steve Harrington creating humorous graphic designs for Nike.
Below, we’ve collected a number of high-profile artist-inspired sneakers that caught our eye on StockX—representing just a fraction of the limited edition and popular sneaker styles you can find and purchase on the platform.
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star CT Hi Casino
Andy Warhol Campbell’s Soup
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star CT Hi Casino/Andy Warhol Campbell’s Soup. Courtesy of StockX.
Pop Art pioneer Andy Warhol rose to fame in the 1960s for the unique synthesis of fine art, advertising, and celebrity culture in his work. “Campbell’s Soup Cans” (1962) is one of Warhol’s most famous series, comprising 32 silkscreen prints of different varieties of Campbell’s soup labels. Warhol’s well known use of commercial branding in his practice makes this particular collaboration a fitting combination, with the soup can motif superimposed on the equally classic and recognizable Converse Chuck Taylor High Top sneakers.
A Bathing Ape Roadsta
Louis De Guzman LDG Grey
A Bathing Ape Roadsta/Louis De Guzman LDG Grey. Courtesy of StockX.
Based in Chicago, artist and designer Louis De Guzman taps his own past and present for inspiration in his work—and has come to be recognized as a mainstay of the art collectibles scene. With a distinct, geometry-based style, and the appearance of recognizable cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny and SpongeBob SquarePants, the artist’s work alludes to personal narratives from his childhood and his experiences as a second generation Filipino American.
Nike Blazer Flyleather
Steve Harrington Earth Day (2019)
Nike Blazer Flyleather/Steve Harrington Earth Day (2019). Courtesy of StockX.
Steve Harrington’s work is known for its whimsical and irreverent aesthetic, melding bright colors and graphic imagery with subliminal, thought-provoking ideas. Collaborating with Nike for an exclusive Earth Day–themed sneaker, Harrington anthropomorphized the planet, illustrating it as a cartoon with arms and legs walking right along with the wearer—a possible metaphor for humanity being “in step” with the fate of the earth.
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star II
Futura Camo
Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star II/Futura Camo. Courtesy of StockX.
American graffiti artist Futura (the moniker used by Leonard Hilton McGurr) started working in the subways of New York City in the early 1970s, and is recognized as a pioneer of abstract street art, expanding the movement from stylized lettering to more aesthetic forms. Futura began collaborating with clothing brands in the 1990s, and has worked with companies like Supreme, Levi’s, Nike, and A Bathing Ape, contributing his unique abstract graffiti style to shoes and apparel. Building on these high-profile collaborations, the artist’s transformed his own practice to center on producing art largely in the form of collectibles and sneakers.
The North Face ThermoBall Traction Mule VS
KAWS Moonlight Ivory Orange
The North Face Thermoball Traction Mule VS/Kaws Moonlight Ivory Orange. Courtesy of Stock X.
KAWS, the sobriquet of American artist Brian Donnelly, is a dominant figure in the world of collectibles, with sculptural pieces from his “BFF” and “Companion” series regularly being the most sought-after works on the scene. The artist’s cartoon-like figures frequently include his signature “XX” design over the eyes, which he has included on the shoes he created for North Face.
New Balance 57/40
Joshua Vides
New Balance 57/40/Joshua Vides. Courtesy of StockX.
With a creative practice powered by a passion for graffiti and streetwear, Joshua Vides has attracted high-profile collaborations across industries, including with BMW, Fendi, Puma, and, as seen here, New Balance. A recognized name in the world of streetwear for his own creations, his collaborations are sought-after for their combination of bold design and effortless wearability.
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