20 Surprising Sneaker Releases
When it comes to kicks, basic colorways and general releases are a necessary part of any healthy sneaker collection. You've got to have a pair of beaters to run into the ground, a fresh pair of white-on-white's for the summer or that plain pair that goes with just about anything in your closet. In other words, shoes that aren't necessarily provocative -- you know, the ones that get the people going -- but have proven to be a steady stream of revenue for the brands manufacturing them. Let's face it, if every release was over-hyped and under-produced, it wouldn't be good business for anyone involved.
To be clear, every sneaker release is about results, but some models hits shelves with the intent of receiving immediate attention. It's no secret that the sneakers dropping over the years have ranged from absurd to awesome. Quickstrickes, limited editions and collaborations rule the world when it comes to new kicks and with that comes a bit of necessary shock value. Shock value is a funny thing however, as it works both ways. Sometimes the surprises are good and sometimes they're bad -- that's just the nature of an unexpected development.
As those developments relate to the shoe game, we've seen some very polarizing moments over the years. Be it a gaffe or glory, every company has had their fair share of each. In an effort to catalog the excitement of these moments, we've pulled together the brands that have left us with either our mouths or wallets open. Check out 20 Surprising Sneaker Releases.