Design Week sneakers

Some artists around the world are using sneakers as a canvas to give voice to their creativity, transforming them into authentic pieces of art. A key component of this process is surely the desire to reinvent themselves, to try and experiment continuously. For artists and brands, engaging themselves in art-fusion collaboration has become the new norm.

In conjunction with the debut of Milano Design Week tomorrow, we gathered 5 of our favourite art collaborations of the past 10 years:

#1 STASH X NIKE AIR MAX 95 / 2006

For those not familiar with this name, Stash is considered a legend in the world of graffiti in New York, fundamental in East Village scene of the early 80s. Stash has also pioneered the use of graphics graffiti on streetwear, through collaborations with companies like Nike and Bathing Ape, establishing itself as an innovator and influencer in the design world in general. In 2006 he worked on a new colorway of the Air Max 95, which has quickly become a must-have among sneakerheads: the combination of colors like Blue Harbor, Varsity Royal and Midnight Navy in waterproof materials made this sneaker unique.

#2 PUSHED X NIKE DUNK LOW PRO SB

Brian Schroeder, aka Pushead, is an artist and writer in the hardcore punk and heavy metal fields, and he created several works for bands and artists including Metallica, The Misfits, Dr. Dre and Travis Barker. His works also include a limited edition sneaker released worldwide by Nike SB December 17, 2005, and Pushead not only designed the shoe, but also the box and tissue paper. The red tones in "blood and guts" style make this creation is easily recognizable as the work of Pushead.

#3 TAKASHI MURAKAMI X VANS

On June 27, 2015, Vault by Vans launched the collaboration with Takashi Murakami, an artist, sculptor and Japanese painter of the most famous in the international scene, defined in 2008, the most influential representative of contemporary Japanese culture by TIME Magazine. The collaboration with Vans includes six pairs of classic Slip-On: some dressed in the typical "smiling flower” print in shades of blue, multi-color and silver, others in shades of dark blue, yellow and gold.

#4 MR. BRAINWASH X NIKE AIR FORCE 1

In 2014, the iconic silhouette of the Air Force 1 has been revolutionized by the famous and controversial street artist Mr. Brainwash, which for the occasion has created the "Just Did It 13" - as they were only 13 pairs produced. Each shoe is splashed with different color paint, Mr. Brainwash in typical style, and comes with a certificate of authenticity in a box finished by hand, signed and numbered by the artist.

#5 HVW8 X ADIDAS X KEVIN LYONS X JEAN ANDRÉ

Celebrating the intersection of fashion, art and music, the adidas brand and HVW8 - Design Gallery in Berlin - last in 2014 have released new works birthed from two of the most interesting and innovative minds in the world of design: Kevin Lyons Jean André. The result is All I Dream About Stripes, where Lyons interpretation of Seeley and AdiEase models reflects the colorful and vivid image of watercolor backgrounds, while the works of Jean André combine colors such as black, gold and white bold graphic gestures .