ComplexCon 2026 landed in Los Angeles on October 3rd and 4th, marking the event's first year at the LA Convention Center. The sneaker lineup matched the energy of the new venue.
Nike dominated the floor with multiple Air Force 1 projects, Vans showed up through two strong collab stories, and Adidas and Reebok each had moments worth talking about. From surprise shock drops to live hand-painted customs and on-feet previews of shoes not dropping until 2027, the weekend had something for everyone.
Here are the 12 best sneakers we saw at ComplexCon 2026...
12. Stash x LAAMS x Nike Air Force 1 Low
The most hands-on drop of the entire weekend. NYC-based label LAAMS teamed up with graffiti artist Stash for a live customization project at booth J19. Stash was on site spray-painting white Air Force 1 Lows by hand using old-school stencils and painting the Swoosh.
Every single pair was a true one-of-one. Only 50 pairs total were produced across the two days. The process was the point. Watching Stash work in real time made every pair feel earned. A collab that could only exist at an event like ComplexCon.
11. Badfriend x Nike Air Force 1 Low
Badfriend kept it simple and it worked. The clothing label brought two Air Force 1 Low colorways to ComplexCon, one white and one black. Both featured co-branded purple tags on the tongue and heel.
Rather than selling them outright, Badfriend made the shoes available as a gift with any purchase over $160 at their booth, paired with a matching t-shirt. It's a smart activation that tied footwear to apparel sales. The black and white colorways gave collectors an easy choice. The purple branding added just enough identity to make them worth keeping.
10. Circulate x Nike Air Force 1 Low
Circulate founder Corey Populus made his first Nike collaboration count at ComplexCon. The shoe stayed close to the standard Triple White Air Force 1 but made its mark through smaller details.
A laser-etched Circulate logo sits on the lateral heel. The brand's "Thinking Made Visual" graphic replaces the standard Nike Air tongue tag.
Also Populus was on-site for the release alongside a matching Circulate x Nike t-shirt. It's the kind of first collab that earns respect because it doesn't try too hard. Overall, it was clean execution on a clean canvas.
9. Taller de Rafa x Nike Air Max Goadome Low
The Taller de Rafa x Nike Air Max Goadome Low had already sold out before ComplexCon opened its doors. The booth E4 restock was one of the weekend's most anticipated pickups for anyone who missed the original September drop.
Taller de Rafa's approach blends the Goadome's rugged outdoor style with a more refined aesthetic. It works as well off the trail as on it. A limited number of pairs came back for the convention. One of the more wearable and versatile collabs in the ComplexCon 2026 lineup.
8. Imran Potato x Vans Collection
Imran Potato brought energy to booth L12 with a multicolor cheetah print Vans collection. Both the Authentic and the Old Skool were part of the drop.
The cheetah pattern gave the classic Vans silhouettes a maximalist treatment that fit the ComplexCon floor perfectly. The Authentic in particular benefited from the bold print. It turned one of the most minimal shoes in skateboarding into something that demanded attention.
Imran Potato has built a reputation for taking familiar canvases in pretty wild and unexpected directions. The Vans collection delivered on that reputation.
7. BAPE STA "25th Anniversary" Collection
BAPE brought its 25th anniversary STA collection to ComplexCon as one of the weekend's landmark moments. The STA has been one of streetwear's most recognizable silhouettes since Nigo introduced it in the early 2000s.
The 25th anniversary gave the brand a reason to revisit the model's roots with premium executions across multiple colorways. It's a shoe that launched careers and defined an era of Japanese streetwear.
Real collector interest has followed it for so long. The anniversary collection landed at ComplexCon as a fitting tribute to one of the most influential footwear stories in streetwear history.
6. Sp5der x Adidas Originals F50 Formotion
Young Thug's Sp5der brand continued building its Adidas portfolio at ComplexCon. The slime green F50 Formotion dropped at booth B43 with the brand's signature hang tag on the upper.
The F50 is a soccer silhouette with a low-profile, performance-forward build. Adidas Originals has been repositioning it as a lifestyle shoe, and Sp5der's slime green treatment fit pretty well in their aesthetic.
The collab showed that the Sp5der x Adidas relationship has real creative range. A shoe that worked better in person than most people expected from the preview images.
5. BBC Ice Cream x Reebok Board Flip "Beer"
BBC Ice Cream and Reebok brought a Japanese beer-inspired Board Flip to ComplexCon in two tiers. The silver "Beer" colorway was capped at 500 pairs at booth D20.
A gold version was limited to just 25 pairs, with 19 of those given away at the event. It was one of the scarcest drops of the entire weekend. The Board Flip has deep roots in the BBC/Ice Cream catalog going back to Pharrell's original Reebok partnership in the mid-2000s.
The beer can-inspired color story gave it a playful, collectible identity. A shoe that fit both the silhouette's history and the energy of the convention floor.
4. Satoshi Nakamoto x Vans Era "Lucky Charms"
Satoshi Nakamoto's "Lucky Charms" series continued at ComplexCon with a navy blue Vans Era at booth E1. The shoe is covered in pearlescent charm detailing and was sold as a ComplexCon exclusive.
The series has built serious momentum since its debut. Each colorway adds a new layer to one of the more interesting ongoing Vans collaborations in recent memory.
The navy gave the concept a slightly more mature and wearable feel. It kept the signature charm details that made the series take off in the first place. Availability stayed tight across both days of the show.
3. Jae Tips x Nike Air Bakin Low
Jae Tips didn't drop a shoe at ComplexCon, but he did preview one. The Harlem-based creator wore his upcoming Nike Air Bakin Low collaboration on-feet at the show.
It was attendees' first real look at a release not expected to hit retail until 2027. The Air Bakin is a mid-1990s Nike hoops silhouette with growing collector attention. A low-top version gives Jae Tips a different canvas from the standard retro models that dominate collab culture.
The on-feet debut generated more conversation than most of the actual drops at the show. Worth watching when the release date gets confirmed.
2. Concrete Boys x Nike Air Force 1 Mid
Lil Yachty shock-dropped the Concrete Boys x Nike Air Force 1 Mid at ComplexCon without any prior announcement. It was one of the most chaotic and talked-about moments of the weekend.
Limited to 1,000 pairs, the mid-cut build gave the Concrete Boys collab a different profile from the standard AF1 Low. Yachty and the Concrete Boys crew have built one of the more authentic artist-to-Nike relationships in recent years.
The surprise format fit the project's energy perfectly. It sold out fast and immediately became one of the most discussed drops from the entire two-day event.
1. Victor Victor x Nike Air Force 1 Low
Steven Victor's Victor Victor x Nike Air Force 1 '01 collection has been one of the most polarizing and consistently talked-about collab series of 2026. The blue colorway drop at ComplexCon kept that conversation going.
Limited quantities at the booth came in at a $150 retail price. The AF1 '01 construction features slightly retooled proportions compared to a standard Air Force 1.
It gave collectors another reason to engage with one of the year's most discussed Nike partnerships. Steven Victor's eye for what makes a Nike collab actually mean something has been evident throughout the series. The blue pair at ComplexCon was definitely no different.
