People often give Kanye West and his Yeezy brand all the credit for keeping Adidas on a competitive level with Nike. But since the early days of 2020, Adidas has been building up another huge name in a cross-brand collaboration. One that may not rival Ye in the design sense, but certainly bests him from a pure fame standpoint. Launched in January, Beyonce’s IVY PARK Adidas line — a gender-neutral athleisure collection that consists of performance-based athletic wear — has built up a catalog of unique sneaker colorways utilizing some of the Three Stripe’s most interesting silhouettes.
Clearly, what Kanye is doing with his Yeezy brand is a lot different than the remixes of classic styles that you’ll find in IVY PARK. But the brand is also a whole lot more than a celebrity cash grab. Each sneaker is treated with attention to detail befitting a Beyonce video — with color palettes that look uniquely Bey, sleek cuts, and exciting material choices. These may not be “from scratch” designs, but that doesn’t stop them from being exciting.
Kanye may be the most successful music-artist turned designer, but with heat like this from Beyonce plus Rihanna killing it with Savage x Fenty, he needs to watch the throne. Let’s dive into every IVY PARK Adidas sneaker, ranked from worst to best.
11. Adidas IVY PARK Superstar Platform
The Superstar is hands-down one of Adidas’ greatest silhouettes, but it’s the bottom of this list. Not because it’s a platform (no, that’s not a screen glitch, the shoe actually looks like that), though that doesn’t help. Because it’s… ugly. And not in that trendy so-ugly-it’s-fashion way.
It’s just straight-up hard to look at.
That’s probably why it wasn’t included in either of the first or second IVY PARK drops. Instead, it landed last month as part of a collection that also featured other Superstar reimaginings by Jonah Hill and Sean Wotherspoon.
10. Adidas IVY PARK Sleek Super 72 White Black
Released this month as part of the second IVY PARK collection, the Sleek Super 71 White/Black suffers solely because it isn’t quite as good as drop 1’s Sleek Super. The colorways are solid, but ultimately it’s going to be impossible to rock a pair of these without being reminded that they aren’t the Maroons.
We’ll get more into this special silhouette when we talk about the original release.
9. Adidas IVY PARK Forum Lo Core White
The Forum Lo is a new entry in the IVY PARK catalog debuting in drop 2. The Forum Lo features a leather and suede upper with a translucent bottom sole and a fastening strap. It’s easily the least flashy sneaker in the entire IVY PARK collection.
Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. But if you can’t get behind a fastening strap, you’re not going to find a lot to love here.
8. Adidas IVY PARK Nite Jogger Maroon/Solar Orange
When IVY PARK initially dropped in January of this year this sneaker was criticized endlessly, and for good reason. It looks like a goddamn traffic cone thanks to its Solar Orange half and half colorway — with a toe box dipped in deep maroon.
This shoe is out there, but we respect Beyonce’s bold design here. They’re impossible to look away from. For better or worse.
7. Adidas IVY PARK Nite Jogger Dark Green Frozen Yellow
This Dark Green Frozen Yellow Nite Jogger suffers from the same problem as the Maroon iteration, only this one isn’t quite as ugly. Instead of a traffic cone, it resembles a Mountain Dew bottle — which is better, if only a little.
All jokes aside, this iteration sold out almost instantly when it launched as part of drop 2. Aftermarket prices hover above $200 for this pair right now.
6. Adidas IVY PARK Ultra BOOST Maroon
When the first IVY PARK collection dropped, this felt like the signature piece. While it’s not our favorite, it’s still pretty beloved. Featuring a double Maroon colorway atop a Solar Orange outsole, this design nails the futuristic fitness vibe that the Maroon Nite Jogger couldn’t quite master.
5. Adidas IVY PARK Nite Jogger Off-White
So far the IVY PARK Nite Jogger’s have suffered from a half-and-half presentation that just doesn’t work, but this mix of Off-White (not that Off-White, but wouldn’t that be something?), Ecru Tint and Dark Green just works.
It also brings something new to Adidas’ usual Nite Jogger offerings with a brighter presentation and an alternate lacing system that really shows of the silhouette’s cool geometry.
4. Adidas IVY PARK Ultra BOOST Hi Res Yellow
While the second IVY PARK drop brought a lot new to the looks coming out of the label, it also acted as an opportunity to refresh the first drop’s best designs. This didn’t work for the Sleek Super 72, but this Hi-Res Yellow version of the Adidas Ultra BOOST knocks the original Maroon dip out of the park.
It’s every bit as extreme as the original, but the Hi-Res has some balance as well — with a gum outsole that matches up nicly with the blinding colorway.
3. Adidas IVY PARK Forum Mid Green Tint
While the IVY PARK Forum Mid Green Tint is ranked third on this list, it’s micrometers from a tie for second! The Forum Mid corrects the bland mistakes of its low cut counterpart by having a more eye-catching silhouette and easily one of the best colorways out of IVY PARK.
It still has that leather and suede construction of the low top, but the fastening strap looks less out of place here and that Green Tint colorway is just too damn fresh.
2. Adidas IVY PARK Nite Jogger Ecru Tint
The Ecru Tint Nite Jogger isn’t only the best IVY PARK Nite Jogger, it’s the best Nite Jogger colorway Adidas has ever dropped. That’s high praise and, honestly, if this sneaker said “Off-White” instead of “IVY PARK” it’d be going for thousands on the aftermarket.
Be thankful it isn’t!
It looks like something that would come from the mind of Virgil Abloh, only without the gimmicky tags or production numbers. Clean, classic, bold, and damn near perfect.
1. Adidas IVY PARK Sleek Super 72 Maroon
As good as the second IVY PARK drop is — and it’s a major improvement over the first — the best IVY PARK sneaker is still the Maroon Sleek Super 72 from the original drop. The shape is IVY PARK’s most original, as it was adapted from Adidas’ Samba Silhouette to Bey’s personal specifications, and that mix of White premium leather and Dash Grey suede with subtle Maroon and Solar Orange accents work harmoniously.
The entire first IVY PARK collection might revolve around this same color scheme, but it never works quite so perfectly as it does here. We’re hoping the Sleek Super’s success inspires IVY PARK to dabble in more original shapes.