The sneaker industry is undergoing a period of intense change and challenge. But the most innovative players continue to charge ahead with smart strategies, compelling content and game-changing product. Here, in no particular order, FN examines the executives, retailers, content creators and more (excluding media members) who had a breakthrough 2024 and are poised to change the game in 2025.
Companies are only as strong as the leaders who are charting the path. At the helm of today’s leading sneaker brands are veteran executives who have climbed the ranks and are steering the ship amid challenges in an ever-evolving industry.
Elliott Hill, president and CEO
Hill assumed control of the athletic giant in October 2024 to much fanfare. The executive immediately outlined an ambitious turnaround plan for the company — and there’s a lot of intense work ahead.
The company veteran — who is now Nike’s fifth-ever chief executive officer — joined the Swoosh in 1988 as an apparel sales representative intern and held several leadership positions before retiring in 2020. He last served as its president of consumer and marketplace.
Within weeks of his hiring, Hill promoted several people on his leadership team, including Tom Peddie to vice president and general manager of North America, Ann Miller to executive vice president of global sports marketing, Rob Leinwand to EVP and chief legal officer, Kizmet Mills to DEI chief and Treasure Heinle to EVP and chief human resources officer.
Bjørn Gulden, CEO
Gulden is no stranger to leading turnarounds of athletic powerhouses.
After a strong run at Puma, he’s spearheaded the resurgence at Adidas since assuming control of the company in January 2023.
At the time of his hiring, Adidas was a company in turmoil. However, with seasoned business instincts, Gulden led a remarkable revival that once again has the Three Stripes at the center of the sneaker conversation. In March, Adidas revealed it performed better than expected in 2024, with reported growth of 12 percent, on a currency neutral basis, and annual sales of 23.68 billion euros (roughly $25.6 billion).
And even amid global economic uncertainty, Gulden forecast 10 percent growth for 2025.
Dan Sheridan, CEO
The executive, whose career at Brooks began in August 1998, assumed the CEO role in March 2024, as longtime leader Jim Weber announced his retirement. Brooks wrapped up 2024 with record global revenue, fueled by growth in every region and channel.
Sarah Mensah, president
Under the leadership of Mensah, who was promoted to president in May 2023, the namesake label of NBA icon Michael Jordan continues to deliver hit retros, while also releasing shoes for today’s biggest and brightest stars.
Joe Preston, president and CEO; Chris Davis, brand president and chief marketing officer
The Jim Davis-owned athletic giant, led by Preston, has solidified itself as a force in every category it plays in, whether it’s with the hard-to-please lifestyle consumer, running diehards, basketball players and more. And in June 2024, New Balance revealed its first-ever football cleat with help of NFL rookie Marvin Harrison Jr.
Rob Griffiths, global brand president
Whether its with acclaimed super shoes or can’t-miss collaborations with the likes of Jae Tips and Minted NY, Saucony has found success under the leadership of Griffiths, who was promoted to global brand president in May 2023.
Robin Green, president
Hoka has been red hot, and last year, the Deckers Brands-owned running behemoth hired Nike and Fleet Feet veteran Robin Green to further fuel its growth. In the company’s fiscal third quarter, Hoka reported a 23.7 percent rise in revenue to $530.9 million, up from $429.3 million in the same period a year prior.
Marc Maurer, Co-CEO; Martin Hoffmann, Co-CEO, CFO
Under the leadership of its co-CEOs — and founding trio of Caspar Coppetti, David Allemann and Olivier Bernhard — On’s sales increased 29.4 percent to 2.3 billion Swiss francs (roughly $2.6 billion) in 2024. On started 2025 off strong with the release of its Cloudsurfer 2 in February. On April 1, Maurer said he would be departing the company after 12 years, turning the reins over to Hoffmann.
Guillaume Meyzenq, president and CEO; Steve Doolan, president, North America
In its February earnings call, Amer Sports CEO James Zheng said Salomon’s increasingly popular sneakers exceeded $1 billion in sales last year. To capitalize on that popularity, Salomon’s Sportstyle arm debuted a pop-up in New York City in October 2024.
Todd Krinsky, president and CEO
Reebok has experienced a resurgence across multiple categories since Krinsky took the reins in September 2022, with key athlete signings (Angel Reese), a successful reentry into basketball and, most recently, golf.
Jared Carver, president and CEO; Brandis Russell, VP and GM, North America
Though the brand is more than 115 years old, Converse continues to create excitement with all types of sneaker enthusiasts, most recently with its star-studded “Love Chuck” campaign and its first-ever signature shoe for NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Arne Freundt, CEO; Bob Philion, president and CEO, North America
Puma has been focusing on high-profile Rihanna and A$AP Rocky partnerships. It’s targeting fashion consumers with the Mostro, and courting WNBA fans with its Breanna Stewart signature shoe franchise.
Kevin Plank, president and CEO
Since returning to the top leadership role as president and chief executive officer in April 2024, Plank has been on a quest to make Under Armour a more premium brand in the athletic space.
Yasuhito Hirota, chairman and CEO; Koichiro Kodama, president and CEO, America
For the second consecutive year, Asics North America was profitable. In February, the company reported a net sales increase in North America of 17.8 percent to 135 billion yen (approximately $891.8 million), up from 114.6 billion yen ($756.9 million) in fiscal 2023.
Sun Choe, global brand president
Following the departure of Kevin Bailey, legendary skate brand Vans tapped Choe, the former Lululemon chief product officer, as its global brand president in May 2024 to get the struggling label back on track.
Ryan and Adam Goldston, founders of Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL)
Adam and Ryan Goldston founded Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) in March 2009. Interestingly, their first shoe, the Concept 1 basketball shoe, was banned by the NBA for providing ‘undue competitive advantage’. Fast forward to today, and the company now offers a full range of luxury performance footwear for men, women and kids.
Other impactful moments for the brand in recent years came in 2023, when APL signed on as the official footwear partner of Oracle Red Bull Racing’s F1 team, which is still ongoing. In 2024, APL entered the lifestyle footwear space with its court-inspired silhouette, the Nostalgia ’87 and the ’90s-inspired Jogger. And this year, the company released its latest silhouette, the Euphoria, crafted with a revolutionary new Naked Net upper to provide ultra-breathable, lightweight support for running.
As of today, the brand operates two brick-and-mortar flagship experiences in The Grove Los Angeles and NYC’s SoHo neighborhood.
Robert Greenberg, CEO; Michael Greenberg, president
Skechers continues to expand its reach, specifically with new categories. Most notably, the brand entered basketball in October 2023, signed its first WNBA star Rickea Jackson in July 2024 and opened its first performance store in January.
The sneaker industry is replete with top-tier talent who are absolute masters at their respective crafts. However, there are a select few who have their hands in everything — and are innovating all the things that they touch.
Opening flagships in Osaka, Japan; Malibu, Calif., and Seoul, South Korea; debuting a kids’ store in New York; partnering with the New York Rangers; and launching a record label — these are just some of
the accomplishments Fieg and his Kith banner have accomplished recently — in addition to numerous collaborations with Salomon, New Balance and others.
The Aimé Leon Dore founder gets to double-dip with New Balance, collaborating through his label while serving as creative director for NB’s Made in USA line. ALD collaborations played a major role in New Balance’s ascent, nowhere more so than in the run that 550 had. The scarcity of earlier collabs has given way to pre-orders, a turn in democracy that sneakerheads would rejoice in wherever they could get it. In the three years since Santis’ new NB gig commenced, he’s regularly drawn rave reviews for his seasonal harvests of color.
Sneaker collaborations aside, the retail mogul ventured into beachfront hospitality in 2024, revealed a short film (featuring several sneaker luminaries) and debuted a development in North Carolina with an APB store and skate park — with more retail expansion to come in 2025.
After helping Brooks reemerge in the lifestyle category via collaborations and editorials led by his Reed Art Department creative agency, Jeff Staple — who founded the iconic Reed Space — has returned to retail with a Staple flagship at 21 Mercer St. in New York.
Following his legendary sneaker design career — which included stints at Nike, Jordan Brand and Skechers — Dr. D’Wayne Edwards has become a hugely influential voice in education after launching the country’s first design-focused, historically Black college and university, PLC Detroit.
The retail landscape is challenged, however, a select few are proving attracting even the most fickle sneaker consumers is not an impossible task.
The future is still female.
Abby Albino and Shelby Weaver opened Makeway in Toronto in November 2020, a first-of-its-kind boutique in North America that caters specifically to the female sneakerhead. Less than three years later, Makeway grew out of its original home and moved to a new location, which is six times larger than the prior space.
And in 2024, the retailer delivered its first-ever sneaker collaboration, a Nike P-6000 dubbed “Party-6000.” It was executed in a bold color palette, consisting of white, blue and orange, and featured a premium execution that included elevated leather and 3M reflective hits.
With its position in New York solidified, the Ankur Amin-owned retailer expanded into India in September 2023 — with further openings planned for Delhi and Bangalore in 2025. In terms of collaborations, Extra Butter offered an atypical take on a modern Brooks trail running silhouette in August 2024.
Sneaker Politics helped debut Kyrie Irving’s first Anta shoe with an epic block party, shutting down the heart of Dallas. And to kick off 2025, the Derek Curry-led retailer moved its Lafayette, La., store to a massive new location in The Forum, a commercial mixed-use and multifamily development also founded by Curry.
Aside from appearing in The Whitaker Group’s “While You Were Sleeping” film, Premium Goods owner Jennifer Ford tapped Adidas to deliver a sneaker- themed collaboration in October 2024 inspired by Houston car culture on the Campus 00 silhouette.
Though the Tarek Hassan-owned retailer delivered countless hit collaborations in 2024 with the likes of Canada Goose, New Balance, Asics and more, the highlight of the year was the opening of its store in Miami’s Design District in December.
Under chief executive officer Mary Dillon, the athletic retail giant spent much of 2024 refreshing its retail fleet, a project that continues in 2025, most recently with the debut of its first standalone Kids Foot Locker Reimagined store in New York City in February. Last year, Foot Locker also moved its headquarters to Florida, opened its Global Technology Services Hub in Dallas and revamped its FLX Rewards program.
The Atlanta retailer, led by Lauren Amos and Julie Hogg, celebrated 20 years in 2024. And in 2025, don’t be surprised if you see them deliver a can’t-miss sneaker collaboration with an industry giant.
North America became the largest market for JD Sports last year, earning the Régis Schultz-led company the 2024 FNAA Retailer of the Year award. Its biggest win of the year came in July when it acquired Hibbett, which bolstered its store fleet by 1,179 stores. Additionally, Shoe Palace (led by George Mersho) and DTLR (led by Todd Kirssin) kept the U.K. retailer rooted in regional sneaker culture throughout the United States. Aside from its namesake banner, the retailer also has U.K. sneaker culture on lock with Footpatrol.
The 20-year-old British sneaker retailer was acquired by private equity firm Apollo last year. And also delivered hit after hit with the likes of Adidas and Vans.
You don’t have to be a major brand to make major waves. Some of the biggest brands in sneakers are led by entrepreneurs who wear many hats to get the job done.
Having once built a powerhouse with Supra, Angel Cabada’s newest venture, Straye, grew 142.5 percent in 2024, led by the success of its Logan Puff silhouette. And in 2025, Cabada promised “the rebirth of an icon” from his past under his current label.
His high-end 004 sneaker got sneakerheads talking in 2024, and this year, the entrepreneur is set to reveal at least four new models through his eponymous brand.
The favorite customizer among superstar athletes and celebrities delivered the first sneaker of his
own design in 2020, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Dan “Mache” Gamache has found ample success with a predominantly preorder business of expertly- crafted sneakers. He followed his hit Mache Runner v1 by revealing the v2 in 2023, a silhouette replete with premium materials that he continues to reimagine through compelling colorways.
What’s more, Mache has expanded his offering with the Promenade casual sneaker and a course-ready golf style.
Junior Clint, a product of Manchester, has delivered consistent quality from England to the world, most recently introducing the chunky and bold Oasis silhouette.
After dropping a robust slate of collaborations last year, Fctry Lab co-founder Omar Bailey kicked off 2025 with a new documentary-style profile from the Keanu Reeves led “Visionaries” series on Roku. What’s more, the designer and former head of Yeezy innovation is set to drop a shoe with pop star Agnez Mo. The brand’s partnership roster already includes NLE Choppa, Collina Strada and Jalen Ramsey.
Devlin Carter, a prolific sneaker designer, produced 12 models in 2024. This year, SIA is focused on upping its storytelling game even further.
The sneaker industry is replete with talent. However, there are few who expertly forge partnerships where both the talent and the brand shines.
Global director of energy and collaborations, Saucony
Under Faustino’s direction, Saucony has become a sought-after brand by even the most discerning sneaker collectors, mostly for its collaborations with the likes of Jae Tips and Minted NY. Looking ahead, rap fanatics and sneakerheads alike are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the brand’s collaboration with Westside Gunn.
Co-founder, Free Agency
The industry veteran, who spent nearly a decade at New Balance leading its collaboration team, opened his own consulting business with a client roster that includes Joe Freshgoods and Pharrell. What’s more, he is the co-founder of the Free Agency creative studio.
Chief product officer and GM, Under Armour
Under Armour tapped Saidi as chief product officer in January 2024, and under his watch, the brand has scored attention-grabbing, high-end partnerships, most recently with luxury car customizer Mansory (launching in September).
Global vice president and creative director, OTW by Vans
A lot has changed at Vans since Ginoza arrived in March 2022. Most notably, its exclusive Vault by Vans label was put to rest in favor of a new premium label that he ideated, Vans OTW. It was revealed in June 2023 during Paris Men’s Fashion Week.
Whether they’re fresh to the game or veterans, there are plenty of content creators across several platforms in the world of sneakers who are keeping collectors engaged.
What a difference a year makes.
Though the trio of Heather Jones, Janelle Cheyenne and Elaina Corbin only crossed the year milestone in August 2024, their Sneaky Leak Podcast couch has become a destination for the sneaker world’s most respected names.
2025 is still young, but the podcast crew has already hosted sneaker icon Sally Aguirre, owner of Sally’s Shoes, on the show, as well as award-winning Saucony collaborator Jae Tips. What’s more, the trio was interviewed by social media’s “favorite auntie,” Janae “Auntie Nae” Sims, at Shoe Palace for a Jordan Brand event during NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.
The legend of sneaker unboxing often asks his social media followers “Would you look at this?” before jumping into the news of the moment — and there’s a good chance you did. He has amassed 1.32 million subscribers on YouTube and 184,000 followers on Instagram.
If you want to know what sneakers will “Sit or Sell,” just check out Seth Fowler’s YouTube channel — which 1.22 million people already do.
Andrew Dutton is the coolest middle school teacher you’ll ever meet. He wears a different pair of sneakers to school every day and shares them — along with his incredible sneaker photography — with his 377,000 Instagram followers.
If you’re a follower of Bimma Williams, you’re part of his extended sneaker family — specifically, you’re
one of his “Collab Cousins.” The sneaker insider has carved out a lane for himself on social media, breaking down the nuances of collaborations with great detail.
The board-certified podiatrist takes a mad scientist’s approach to testing performance sneakers, predominantly for basketball and running, by blowing smoke, bouncing marbles, cutting shoes in half and more.
When you miss out on a must-have sneaker at retail, there are secondary market standouts that are sure to have the pair you desire.
In addition to expanding its community to more than 60 million members globally, GOAT Group, led by president and CEO Eddy Lu, released five exclusive sneakers in collaboration with Division Street that sold out via GOAT and Flight Club. Also, the company soft opened its Flight Club Tokyo store, which is scheduled to fully open fully to the public this year.
2024 was a year of milestones for StockX, which eclipsed 60 million trades and 20 million buyers during the year. What’s more, one of its founders, Greg Schwartz, assumed the chief executive officer role in December.
Signature sneakers have always been reserved for the best athletes in their respective sports. Thankfully, a new wave of megastars — specifically, in the WNBA and the NBA — have looks bearing their name that fans can’t get enough of.
A’ja Wilson and making history go hand-in-hand.
Nike revealed Wilson’s long-awaited, first-ever signature shoe, the A’One, in February. And when it releases in May 2025, the two-time WNBA champion will become the first Black woman with a signature basketball shoe since Adidas launched its last look for Candace Parker in 2011.
The A’One is replete with top-tier Nike tech, including responsive Cushlon ST2 foam underfoot, as well as personal nods and messages, such as pearl motifs and finishes that harken back to the necklace Wilson’s grandmother, Hattie Rakes, gave to her when she was a child.
Puma and Breanna Stewart brought signature shoes back to women’s basketball in 2022 after a decade drought. And with more eyes on the WNBA than ever before, the brand and the bucket- getter will soon deliver another hit with the Stewie 4.
Nike and Sabrina Ionescu avoided the sophomore slump with the release of the Sabrina 2 in June 2024, which continues to be favored by female hoopers as well as their male counterparts.
Ant Man’s bold personality — who else would tell a former president to “stand down?” — has found its perfect match with a vivacious signature shoe debut and its perfect home for the sneaker’s jocular marketing.
Signature shoe franchises tend to lose steam the longer they last, but the Adidas Harden Volumes 8 and 9 have bucked the trend while helping to reinvigorate the entire basketball category.
Prolificness has been the name of the game for Kyrie Irving and Anta. Barely a year since their line hit stores, two signature models (Kai 1 and Kai 2) have been joined by two offshoots (Kai 1 Speed and Kai 1 Team) and a lifestyle silhouette (Hella).
Whenever they announce a new sneaker collaboration, all sneakerheads are on notice. The mere mention of their name is enough to generate excitement.
Jae Tips and Saucony are a match made in sneaker heaven.
After winning the 2023 FNAA Collaboration of the Year award, the brand and its beloved collaborator delivered hit after hit in 2024, featuring his bold color palette and expert storytelling. Specifically, Jae Tips created two distinct colorways each of the ProGrid Omni 9 and Matrix.
As for 2025, Jae Tips and Saucony are keeping their plans close to the vest. However, they just released the “I Love You But I’m Busy” Shadow 6000, and the collaborator confirmed with FN that his work will include a silhouette that he hasn’t yet reimagined.
Though Joseph Robinson — who designs under the moniker Joe Freshgoods — has created countless compelling collaborations with the most powerful sneaker brands, his best work has come with New Balance. The two are currently celebrating the fifth anniversary of their partnership, one that has yielded tremendous hits, fueled by his compelling storytelling. The celebration began in February with the “Aged Well” 992 release, a colorway that resembles what it would look like if his very first collaboration with the brand had faded in sunlight over time.
The man behind Crocs’ most successful integrations of hype can also be counted on for at least
one banging New Balance collab each year. Now, he’s bringing Puma into the Salehe Bembury extended universe as well.
England’s hottest streetwear brand has brought staggering crowds to London, Paris and
New York City for its Nike Air Max 95s, harkening back to the days before digital raffles were the standard.
In his new home at Jordan, where he’s the brand’s first BMX rider, Nigel Sylvester nailed his role in helping to launch the Air Jordan 4 RM and followed up his two colorways for the “Restomod” with a brick-colored Air Jordan 4 to continue the hot streak.
The work Chris and Beth Gibbs have done with Jordan Brand and Nike historically is nothing short of extraordinary, and those efforts have continued in 2025 with their atypical approach to reworking the Air Jordan 1 Retro High.
It isn’t just venues that these are selling out. Musicians are just as important as the athletes when it comes to sneakers today, if not more.
Simply put, there’s Travis Scott and then there’s everyone else. Years of Air Jordan collaborations have continued to generate excitement with consistent earth tones and an emphasis on the Air Jordan 1 Low. The introduction of not one but two signature sneakers — the CJ1 T-Rexx (briefly known as the Jumpman Jack) from Jordan Brand and the Zoom Field Jaxx from Nike — made 2024 a banner year. But reports have indicated Scott wants to be more involved in the design process going forward, which could create even more buzz among his rabid and loyal fanbase.
The queen is back at Puma, and so are the Fenty Creepers that had a chokehold on fashion in the 2010s.
They join her Avanti, an update to the King soccer boot, and her new cleated flip-flops.
The days of knit sneakers are over for Pharrell and Adidas, as they’ve now moved on to the newly chunky Superstar 92, with the Jellyfish set to come in the fall. And his work with Louis Vuitton continues to raise the fashion bar.
Visually speaking, Action Bronson’s New Balances have been every bit as boisterous as his raps. And the names — “Scorpius,” “Medusa Azul,” etc. — they’re just as absurd as the stuff he says on wax, on the record or anywhere else you’ll hear him.
Mr. Pretty Flacko has gone grimy for the initial wave of his Puma kicks, which mix racing motifs with some of the aesthetics from his “Testing” album. 2025 is expected to be an even bigger year for the partners, who won the 2024 FNAA for Collaboration of the Year award.
What’s next for the Columbian superstar’s Air Jordan series? All signs point to the Air Jordan 4, as J Balvin has run through the first three Js in sequential order. J Balvin’s Air Jordan 3 even came in two colorways featuring sunset and sunrise-inspired gradients.
Bad Bunny’s Adidas sneakers have only gotten better as the
years have progressed, reaching a crescendo with his Gazelles last year. And his lax regard of gender norms are finally being incorporated into the new Ballerina model.
When it comes to fashion, these designers know a thing or two about what makes a must-have sneaker. From sold-out collaborations to iconic signature styles, these models have stood the test of time from the designer world.
A good deal of credit must go to Grace Wales Bonner and her eponymous label for the Samba mania.
Of all the Adidas collaborations — and there have been many — her terrace shoes remade in opulent materials and pleasing color palettes have made the most noise. Leopard-print pony hair, metallic silver synthetic leather with crochet stripes, and faux croc leather shining like a glazed ham: These are the recipes for the collaborative kicks that have resonated well outside the standard realm of sneaker culture.
Wales Bonner’s formula for the Samba has also been applied to Adidas’ new pushes for other retro models, including the Superstar, SL 72 and the original Adizero Adios. And whatever else Adidas revives from the archives in the coming years, you can expect Wales Bonner to be involved.
While the Tabi is Margiela’s most iconic shoe, the brand has had several sneaker models take over the industry. But the style that has spawned a thousand knockoffs is the label’s German Army Trainer, more commonly known as GATs. The simple silhouette saw a resurgence recently with the rise of the “quiet luxury” trend.
Prada’s impact on sneaker culture can most notably be seen through its iconic America’s Cup sneaker. Originally conceived in 1997 for the Luna Rossa crew, the shoe reemerged in recent years as late ’90s and Y2K style regained momentum.
What happens when you take inspiration from the iconic punk scene in New York City that revolutionized the genre in the 1970s and ’80s, and the Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars that these rockstars were known to wear? You create an icon yourself, like Rick Owens did with his high-top sneakers, which debuted in 2009.
When Demna — who’s now heading to Gucci — took the creative helm at Balenciaga, he made it his business to create viral shoe moments. Some of his first releases were everywhere, including the Speed sock sneaker, the Triple S and the Track model. Recently, the brand has opted for oversized shoes like the 3XL and 6XL sneaker.
Since 2020, Golden Goose has more than doubled its revenues and built a community of over 1.8 million customers. The success led to a now-delayed move to take the sneaker company public last year. But demand for its wares persists, with revenues in 2024 rising 13 percent to 654.6 million euros compared with 587 million euros in 2023.
Asking more than $1,000 for retooled New Balance flats is one thing, but actually getting people to pay for them shows the Miu Miu effect can work just about everywhere.
Whether it’s collaborations for the fashion- focused (Bimba Y Lola, Cesar Villalba) or silhouettes for running diehards (Condor 3 Advanced), Veja continues to check off all boxes for its most ardent fans.
Emily Adams Bode Aujla plucked an obscure Nike football shoe and turned it into a must- have Americana tribute, the second round of which just launched to much excitement.
WearTesters is an OG when it comes to sneaker YouTube, providing in-depth reviews of sneakers and deep dives on tech since 2009. CEO and co-founder Chris Chase is the main content creator on YouTube (which often features cameos from his wife, Jodi, who is also the video editor) and Drew Whitcomb (co-founder and COO) handles both the website and Instagram. The WearTesters crew is coming close to a major milestone: 1 million subscribers on YouTube.
