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5 Black Sneaker Designers You Need To Know About

For Black History Month 2025, we take a look back at the black creatives who have been cementing the groundwork for greatness, hype and timeless design within the sneaker world. 

From turning terrace shoes into masterpieces to hometown homages and those unforgettable viral moments, we relive these moments with you by handpicking our 5 favourite sneaker designers that have made a significant impact on our sneaker world.



Grace Wales Bonner

A combination of adidas Samba x Wales Bonner Collection

Image courtesy of BBN Supply 


Afro-Atlantic cultural twang mixed with preppy modernism, Grace Wales Bonner is more than just a fashion designer; she creates a moment.  The crochet queen has not only been turning heads on runways but has had her feet deeply burrowed within the adidas world since 2020, creating her heritage-led design language through the re-birthing of some of adidas’ most revered silhouettes of all time.

The Sambas, SL72 and now the Japan and Karintha’s Lows - she’s been mustering up some gems over the years, and we’re excited to see where her hybridity takes her next.


Salehe Bembury

 

Salehe Bembury x New Balance 2002R

Everything he touches is nature-refined, and we’re not mad about it. A true visionary within the sneaker landscape, Salehe Bembury knows a thing or two about a standout design. 

From his eclectic span of New Balance collabs, his outlandish Croc design that allows you to freely explore outside terrain, to his recently launched independent sneaker brand Spunge, his nature-inspired designs have become the daily bread of many sneaker purists' rotations across the globe. 


Joe Freshgoods

Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 9060 'Inside Voices'

From Chicago to the world, Joe Freshgoods has a knack for storytelling, and his personal anecdotes shine through a flurry of his New Balance collaborations. 

From the understated ‘Conversations Amongst Us’ Pack to pastel passion residing through the 9060 ‘Inside Voices’ Pack, no matter how simple or elaborate, his impressive style of language sheds light on his own experiences within the black community. 



Wilson W. Smith III


Image courtesy of Nike 

When you talk about sneaker design royalty, Wilson W. Smith III deserves his crown. As one of Nike’s first black footwear designers, Smith’s fingerprints are on some of the brand’s most iconic creations, including the Air Max series and the revolutionary design direction of the Air Zoom Spiridon. However, his most significant contribution may lie in mentorship, guiding the next generation of designers and paving the way for greater diversity within Nike’s design DNA.

From sculpting the curves of Air to architecting performance innovation, Smith’s legacy is both technical and cultural, a reminder that black excellence isn’t just worn; it’s engineered.


Jae Tips

Jae Tips x Saucony Pro Grid Triumph 4 'Flowers Grow Uptown'

Bronx-born and built on hustle, Jae Tips brings community, creativity, and colour to the forefront of modern sneaker culture. Known for his bold storytelling and unapologetically personal designs, his collaborations with Saucony, like the ‘Remember Who Fronted’ and ‘What’s the Occasion?’ collections, are visual love letters to faith, family, and his city.

Tips blurs the line between art and everyday wear, blending gospel-like inspiration with street-ready attitude. Each pair feels like a diary entry, and that’s what makes his work resonate: it’s personal, it’s raw, and it’s real.

In other Crep Daily news: 
8 Iconic Sneaker Designers Who Defined Sneaker History

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