WATCH: Top 5 sneakers for 2023 — experts, Sneakerfest
MANILA, Philippines — Looking for the hottest kicks to collect or give as gifts?
At the recent Sneakerfest 2023 in Glorietta Activity Center, Makati City, top footwear brands and distributors Vans, Puma, World Balance, Sole Academy and Philippine Sneaker Exchange displayed some of their most prized wares, and among these, the following are the top pieces this year, according to Sole Academy and Philippine Sneaker Exchange:
Fireball x DC Manteca 4
Retailing at $150 (over P8,400) online, this pair from the collaboration of comics creator DC and Canadian liquor label Fireball Whisky took the centerstage at the recent Sneakerfest because this limited-edition Manteca features a luxe red suede upper, a whisky-inspired gum sole and other premium details faithful to Fireball’s matra of “tastes like heaven, burns like hell.”
Nike Dunk Low
When Adidas stopped its Yeezy collaboration sneakers with American rapper Kanye West, sneakerheads have since turned their sights to this rather uncommon pair sold in low stocks, to which they owe their desirability, said Sole Academy’s Chino Valisno. Sold in the Philippines for P19,000, these sole mates sport great visuals, thanks to their crisp leather upper with a slight sheen that ages and softens into an ‘80s basketball look.
Air Jordan 1 High
This high-cut version of Air Jordan 1, the pair designed by Peter Moore that basketball legend Michael Jordan first laced up in 1984, retails for P25,000 to P30,000 in the Philippines and comes in easy-to-match colorways like black and white, said Valisno, which is why it is among those most sought-after by sneakerheads.
Asics x Coca-cola GEL-QUANTUM 90
Collaboration pieces are always at the top of the game, and this pair helmed by Asics featuring the iconic soda brand’s logo only comes in size 13 and in limited quantities in select Philippine stores, so it retails at P7,995, Valisno said.
New Balance BB550
Like Nike Dunk Low, this pair debuted by New Balance in 1989 is much-coveted and made it to the archives for its unisex design and streamlined silhouette, offering “a clean take on the heavy-duty designs of the late ‘80s, while the dependable leather, synthetic, and mesh upper construction is a classic look in any era," said the brand. — Video by Deni Bernardo, edited by Martin Ramos
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