Kickin' Up a Notch: Top 10 Best Sneaker Packaging of 2015

Best Packaging kicks off our Top 10 of 2015 lists. We reflected back on 2015 and found the packages that made the biggest statements to us. Keep in mind that the list doesn't necessarily reflect our favorite shoes of the year but it focuses solely on the packages that blew us away. We only included publicly attainable packaging because, well, obviously there is a lot of packaging out there that are exclusive to Friends and Family that us "normal folk" just can't get our hands on. Take a look at our list and let us know what you think via Twitter or comment below!

10. Sneaker Freaker x Packer Shoes x Puma Blaze of Glory "Bloodbath"

Following the 2013 Sneaker Freaker releases of the "Great White" and "Black Beast" Blaze of Glory, this year we saw the "Bloodbath." With similar packaging as the 2013 release, the Bloodbath packaging sets the shoe off. Every pair released featured an extremely oversized square box with preformed foam interior. The packaging also included extra laces in a quality lace bag as well as extra branded insoles. Needless to say, without the special packaging, these would have just been another Puma release, but instead they killed it with this package.

9. Wale x Villa x ASICS "Bottle Rockets"

Villa collaborated with Wale in 2015 to create the "Bottle Rockets" GEL-Lyte III. Not only was the collaboration highly touted, the packaging became highly desirable, as the box gave the look and feel of something that fireworks might actually come in. In addition to the bottle rocket box, the shoes shipped with an extra set of laces and four lapel pins commemorating the release. The pins are a little something more than what you typically get as an extra. The box made the shoes even better; a theme you'll find throughout the list. Bangers.

8. Extra Butter x ASICS "Karaoke"

One of the most recent releases on our list, the Karaoke ASICS from Extra Butter feature similar packaging as our number 10 pick. Both feature an oversized box with preformed foam to keep items in place, but the Karaoke go one step further by including extra laces, a shot glass, lozenges in a tin case, and a package of tea. Each of these items revolved around the theme of the shoe based on the Karaoke scene in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation. To get all of these usable extras is awesome, but to include extras that reflected the theme of the shoe made it a blockbuster.

7. END Clothing x Saucony "Noise Pack"

The "Noise Pack" packaging shows less creativity than many other packages on the list, but it finds itself nuzzled amongst the Top 10 because of the premium packaging. Reflective of their respective coloring, each shoe comes with a sturdy, transparent acrylic box to store the shoes in. Not only does the box allow you to keep the shoes housed safely but also acts as a display device and a conversation starter. And we all know that we love making noise with our kicks, right?

6. Atlas x Nike SB "35mm"

The 35mm Collection from Atlas and Nike SB brought us two separate Dunk Lows, with the black pair being the more limited of the two. An Atlas exclusive, all black pairs came with a special orange box that opened up like a camera box, extra laces inside a 35mm film box, an old-school in-hand look book with vintage skate-inspired photos and a hand-signed certificate of authenticity. Need we say more?

5. Ronnie Fieg x Kith x Highsnobiety x Puma "Tale of Two Cities"

This set of sneakers commemorated the 10th Anniversary for the Highsnobiety brand, but the boxes represented even more. Each of the two released pairs came with it's own special box that embodied that flag of its inspiring country. Both also doubled as a magazine holder, which could hold issues of Highsnobiety. The innovation and creativity to devise a box that not only represented the idea behind the shoes artistically but also functionally can simply not be overlooked. Snobby.

4. Packer x ASICS "Dirty Buck"

A limited number of the "Dirty Bucks" GEL Lyte III released to the public in this special packaging. Available in-store only, the oversized, white box came emblazoned with gold foil branding and many extras inside. Included were multiple pairs of extra laces, a dust bag, socks, wooden shoe horn, premium suede brush and wooden shoe forms. Now that's just dirty.

3. Concepts x ASICS GEL-Lyte III "8-Ball"

This pair makes the list based on theme alone. Yeah, you got 3 pairs of extra laces in a plastic capsule which is cool, but the actual packaging itself hits this one out of the park. A shoe based around a cocaine theme that comes packaged like cocaine. Each pair delivered or purchased at Concepts came in a white box wrapped in plastic wrap and duct taped. Literally, the only thing bad about the packaging was having to rip into it to get to the shoes! Incredibly cooked up by Concepts.

2. Anonymous x UnheardOf x Nike SB "1990 World Series"

Coming in an extremely close second place for the year is this collaboration from Anonymous, Unheardof and Nike SB. Commemorating the two teams that played in the 1990 World Series (A's & Reds), the in-store exclusive packing is reminiscent of an old school baseball card box. Yeah, you know those boxes that held all those heralded baseball card backs you tried to get your mom to buy you at in the checkout line, well that's these boxes. Extremely well done, the box delivers on World Series-worth aspirations. Once you crack it open, the box not only holds the shoes but also a piece of gum with debossed branding on it, stickers, a baseball card, and branded aglets. This packaging truly knocked it out of the park.

1. Nike "What the Doernbecher"

Nike owns the top spot on our list this year with their beautifully crafted, hinged box made of recycled skateboards. Each piece represented a sneaker that was infused into the What the Doernbecher design. Inside the top of the box, there was an etched list of all of the Doernbecher designers whose shoes were selected to be incorporated into the WTDB design. Nike's ability to incorporate multiple elements into not only the design of the shoes, but into the box as well truly made the sneaker world go "What the #@%&!"

Honorable Mentions:

Overkill x ASICS "Desert Rose"