Collaborations make sneaker culture go ‘round. But it hasn’t always been this way. As recently as ten or even five years ago, the concept of shoe brands teaming up with another entity, whether in sneakers or fashion—or other—was still in its infancy. It took the ingenuity of folks like Ronnie Fieg, footwear designer and founder and owner of Kith, the New York based sneaker and clothing store, to experiment with design concepts that footwear brands were too timid to try.
Since starting Kith in 2011, few, if any, designers have been as influential in the rise in popularity of collaborations as Fieg’s work with brands like Asics, New Balance, adidas, Nike, and more. And the proof is in the pudding.
As we stand in 2022, there are literally dozens upon dozens of great sneakers in the world bearing Fieg or Kith’s name. But with so many great releases comes a bit of uncertainty if you’re a reseller looking to cash in on the hype of Fieg’s collaborations. It isn’t impossible, though. We’ve laid out the best collaborations by Ronnie Fieg and Kith to consign at Stadium Goods for big payouts.
Asics
Ronnie Fieg’s partnership with Asics began while he was still working as a buyer for the David Z. boutique in the late 2000s, but truly flourished when he left the New York City based retailer to form Kith in the beginning of the 2010s. In fact, the Asics Gel-Lyte 3 was tapped as the centerpiece of the “East Coast Project’ that put Kith on the map in 2013.
Some of Fieg’s collaborations with Asics that command top dollar on the resell market include the Ronnie Fieg x Asics Gel-Lyte 3 “Salmon Toe” from 2011, the aforementioned “East Coast Project’s” “New York” and “Miami” colorways, the Asics Gel-Lyte 3 “Mint Leaf,” and his early work while at David Z., which includes, perhaps most notably, the Asics GT-Quick from 2008.
It should be noted that Fieg’s collaborations with Asics, and the New Balance, which we’ll get into momentarily, helped popularize the retro running shoes trend that swept through sneaker culture in the early 2010s. So really, any Asics shoe from this era bearing Fieg’s name is worth a pretty penny on the secondary market today.
New Balance
In addition to working with Asics, Ronnie Fieg also began teaming up with New Balance in the late-aughts and early 2010s. And, just like his collaborations with Asics, Fieg’s New Balance colorways brought a colorful edge to the Boston sneaker company’s heritage running shoes. Popular Fieg releases with the brand are the New Balance 990 V3 “Daytona,” which was originally released in 2013, and the Fieg x United Arrows x New Balance 997 from 2018, essentially an homage to the iconic United Arrows & Sons’ New Balance 997.5 from 2009.
Nike, adidas, and More
A good rule of thumb for Ronnie Fieg and Kith collaborations is that if the footwear designer or his boutique is working with a major sneaker brand, then they’re going to be valuable. Fieg and Kith’s adidas Ultra Boost variations and Nike Air Force 1 colorways can attest to that.
Also, if you really want to capitalize on the Fieg hype that has been and is currently sweeping through the culture, consider consigning any popular shoe model in a “New York Knicks” colorway. Why? Fieg was recently named the Creative Director of the Knicks. As you can see, it’s only big money moves for the Queens native, and any shoe he’s ever designed.
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