Snobette’s Sneaker Awards features 10 shoes that stood out over the past year. We start by assembling a short list of pairs that we viewed as special, then turn to our panelists to help shape the final ranking and surface sneakers that may have flown under our radar.
We’re always excited to champion shoes designed by women, but that’s not a prerequisite. What matters most is impact. For the No. 1 spot, the sneaker had to do more than generate buzz. It needed to resonate, reflect the moment, and carry a point of view strong enough to walk with us into the year ahead.
Our panelists are all women from diverse backgrounds, united by a deep, long-standing relationship with sneakers and the culture surrounding them. This isn’t a trend for them and it’s not performative. They’ve been in it, building, shaping and living it.
We’re grateful to Kari Cruz, Ticara Devone, Lee Glandorf, Key Lee, JerLisa and Smoove, whose day-to-day lives are intertwined with sneaker culture through design, journalism, community organizing, and content creation.
Check out our top 10 sneakers for 2025 below.
At first glance, Nike and Jacquemus’ Moon Shoe doesn’t feel like a big moment. But looking back, it may mark a turning point. The silhouette fits the low-profile trend without feeling copied, a new design with teeth. It hinted at a Nike willing to lead culture again, not chase it. A few years from now, this pick may seem like an odd choice or it may be remembered as the moment the brand started finding its footing again. Bonus points that the Moon Shoe was designed by team led by a woman, Juliana Sagat of Nike’s Special Projects team, who has since been poached by Pharrell Williams’ creative studio.
Vans Old Skool 36 LX in Souvenir Warm Brown lands at No. 2 for many of the same reasons as the Moon Shoe. It’s a familiar shape, but it feels like a shift. The quilted leather, warm brown tone and gold eyelets take clear cues from Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld’s 2015 grafitti messenger bags. The result feels warmer and more human, moving Vans away from strict minimalism and back toward something more personable.
The shoe was designed by Greg Betty, who has shaped some of Vans’ most memorable work in recent years. He has since moved on to Nike, now serving as Senior Principal of Streetwear Concept Design at Jordan Brand,
One of the most divisive releases of the year, Awake NY’s Jordan earned its spot by reviving the feeling of sneakers. As panelist JerLisa put it, “Although people claim not to like Awake, that’s the closest release that brought back the feeling of sneakers, the good, the bad and the ugly.” The drop was messy, fueled by the usual allegations of backdooring, further amplified by a loud and proud scammer who became an unexpected subplot to the launch. Instead of dulling interest, the chaos sharpened it. JerLisa also pointed to the design itself, noting that the noise around the release only increased interest. In a year where too many drops felt overly managed, this one reminded people that friction has always been part of sneaker culture.
Shoe No. 4 is the Bad Bunny x adidas Gazelle Indoor “Cabo Rojo,” a pick that gained extra weight with its presence on panelist Kari Cruz’s list. Developed to mark Bad Bunny’s 30-show residency in Puerto Rico, the colorway pulls from the pink salt flats of Cabo Rojo, very much a local spot. The inside shout out to natives is what led Cruz to describe the shoe as “very Puerto Rico.” Bigger picture, Bad Bunny has been a gift to Adidas since partnering with the label, helping sustain real momentum around its low-profile push and proving how powerful storytelling can be when it’s done with the right partner.
This shoe appeared on the lists of Chicago-based Ticara Devone and New York native Key Lee, which feels fitting. In cities like Chicago and New York, this pair works less as a trend piece and more as an intergenerational handoff. It’s a shoe you grow into, passed down through time, signaling membership in a culture that has shaped sneaker and street style globally. First released in 1990, the 2025 Reimagined version stays true to that lineage, with black nubuck, reflective silver tongues, and fire red hits that feel instantly familiar. Details like the Nike Air heel branding, translucent netting, and shark teeth midsole don’t chase trends; they reinforce continuity.
Adidas could have easily stayed in Terrace mode, cycling through familiar classic silhouettes. Instead, the design team took a chance with the Taekwondo Mei, a shoe that feels very of-the-moment without trying too hard. The lace-up design blends softness and sport in a way that feels fresh, balancing femininity with function. This pick came from panelist Ticara Devone, whose list spanned a wide range of brands and styles, reflecting a true wardrobe approach to sneakers.
2025 was the year performance run couldn’t be ignored, making this the right moment to bring the category onto the list. It also made sense that Brooks, long dominant in run specialty, would lead the way. Panelist Lee Glandorf pointed to the Hyperion Max collaboration with PYRNS, the Black-owned, Boston-based performance streetwear brand, as a highlight for both brands in 2025. The shoe was not only a looker but it helped to place a spotlight on one of the local crews that have shaped modern running culture without always getting credit.
No 2025 sneaker list felt complete without the long-awaited signature shoe for A’ja Wilson, widely regarded as the best player in the WNBA today. After years of dominance without a shoe to match her stature, the A’One finally arrived and met the moment. Panelist Lee Glandorf pointed to the depth of storytelling baked into the design, from the pearl finishes inspired by a necklace Wilson’s grandmother gave her, to the phrase “Weakness, weakness. We don’t have time for that” stamped onto the shoe. Glandorf also called out the hot pink launch colorway as pure “Leo energy,” noting how quickly it showed up on NBA courts. With the league’s rise and the fact that this marked the first signature shoe from a Black WNBA player since 2011, there was real weight behind the release.
Selected by panelist Ticara Devone, the XT-Whisper Void feels like Salomon speaking directly to the cool girls who’ve quietly turned the brand into an insider favorite. In major cities, Salomon has been building real momentum, showing up on the right feet without feeling played out. With the XT-Whisper, Salomon looks poised to move from city-specific buzz to true coast-to-coast relevance, potentially making 2026 a breakout year.
We close the list with the Saucony ProGrid x METAGIRL “Daughter of the Moon,” selected by Smoove. Designed by METAGIRL founder Caterina Mongillo, the shoe is built on the ProGrid Paramount, an archived 2007 runner. Smoove pointed to METAGIRL’s attention to detail, from the hand-sculpted shell at the heel, 3D-printed onto every pair, to the softness layered throughout the design. “The amount of femininity detail added to the shoe is so soft and pretty,” she said.
