A-List Kicks: Celebrities and their Favorite Sneakers

The biggest celebrities and hottest trainers have always had a pretty close relationship. Hip-hop wouldn’t be hip-hop if Run DMC had rocked a pair of brogues, and the LA punk scene wouldn’t have been so hardcore without Vans. But, there’s some new sneakers in town.

Christian Louboutins and Jimmy Choos are all well and good, but sometimes we want to take a break from heels and just throw on a pair of our favorite trainers. And the best part? Sneakers aren’t just for the gym or the streets anymore.  While there’s no shortage of celebs who rock sneakers on their downtime, some brazen few have even started to take them to the red carpets.  Here are some of the freshest kicks, and the celebrities that love them.

Converse All Stars

Now this is an iconic shoe. Chucks have crossed over from basketball, to the punk scene, into hip-hop, and onto the feet of some of Hollywood’s leading stars. They’re versatile, lightweight, and come in a huge array of colors, making it easy to wear them with just about anything. Although they’re mostly seen on celebrities during their downtime, some have taken them to new levels and worn them on the red carpet. Celebrities like Rihanna, Kristen Stewart, and Scarlett Johansson have all paired them with high-end designer clothes.

Converse’s latest take on the classic All Star is the slimmed down All Star Ox. With a thinner, lighter weight sole, it’s already developed a serious celebrity following, with stars like Amy Adams and Natalie Portman wearing this brand new shoe, available online from Size.co.uk, around town. Pair it with a pair of slouchy jeans and a loose fitting blouse, or try it with a sundress paired with a cardigan and scarf for a laid-back, stylish feel.

Nike Air Force 180 – Volt Pack

This 20-year veteran of the sneaker world returns, making a comeback with a bright and blazing new colorway. Vibrant volts of neon yellow break up an all-black part-suede upper. It’s reminiscent of the Volts spotted on gold metal-winning athletes at the London 2012 Olympics. A translucent onsole completes the look down below for an intense new shoe. They’ve already become a favorite of stars like Rihanna and Rita Ora. Nike plans to debut some all-new black/volt colorways on the Air More Uptempo, ShoxBB4, and Hurache 2K4 soon, as well. Pair the Nike Air Force 180 – Volt Packs with some skinny jeans and a t-shirt for an urban feel.

Nike Air Yeezy II

The second coming of the Air Yeezy, released in July 2012, were designed specifically for Kanye’s feet—meaning good luck finding yourself a pair. With a heavily armored, reptile-like upper, a molded rear that’s sculpted into a reptilian inspired spike, the trademark Nike visible air pocket sole, and a thick foot strap to top it off, these kicks look more like they were designed for outer space. But that doesn’t stop Kanye from wearing them everywhere—including a Versace party in New York City last month. If you do manage to get your hands on a pair (your best bet is eBay), pair them with a toned down, all black ensemble à la Kanye West.