What Does SP Mean In Shoes?

If you are on your way to becoming a shoe lover, we won’t be surprised when you start asking yourself “What does SP mean in shoes?” every time you stumble upon this seemingly mysterious tag.

Dig a little deeper, you will see shoes tagged with SP are highly sought-after, and people have good reasons to pursue them!

What Does SP Mean In Shoes?

In the middle of the 2000s, Nike released a limited edition called Nike Dunk SB “Hemp” and denoted with SP. It was the abbreviation of “Special Project”, indicating how exclusive and unique the product was due to the use of hemp as its material.

The Dunk Hemp shoes succeeded and enamored many sneakerheads, establishing the meaning of the SP tag in the footwear world.

Other brands couldn’t help but jump on the bandwagon and adopt this tag, hoping to be part of the symbol for creativity.

Nowadays, SP stands for a variety of features in shoes. It can still be limited editions and new colorways, though it can also be designated for collaborations with outstanding designers and influential artists.

It explains why SP shoes are so desirable.

Furthermore, if you bring up SP without a specific context, it might hold more meanings:

• Special Protection

Occasionally, SP is used as a sign of the footwear in discussion having enhanced protection.

A few common features are firm toe caps, anti-slip soles, and safety features against environmental factors.

• Sports Performance

It is quite common in soccer and basketball footwear with reinforced stability and support necessary for sports.

• Supportive Pronation

Pronation issues refer to the unwanted inward and outward rolling of your feet. And you will need this special alignment to partially fix the problem.

• Stylish Fashionista

Not related to function, this meaning of SP points to the realm of styles.

These shoes might not outshine any other model regarding performance, yet they will hardly ever fail to make people fawn upon them.

Why Are SP Shoes Special?

Creativity

When a brand labels one of their designs as SP, it means the project carries an inspiration and a concept, rather than a new release to increase the sale.

SP details are the product of attentiveness to details.

By showing the customers things they have never seen before, the brand wants to make sure their release lives up to the title ‘exclusive’ and ‘unique’.

Special Materials

A big part of the unique appearance comes from the materials.

Needless to say, SP shoes are made with premium materials and nothing less, hence they are already eye-candies at first sight.

Furthermore, the materials for both uppers and soles need to provide sufficient support and comfort while maintaining breathability and durability. It is truly nothing like ordinary footwear.

Check more: What Does TD Mean In Shoe Size?

Cutting-edge Technologies

However, high-quality fabrics and captivating details wouldn’t be enough to satisfy shoe veterans. These well-versed customers want to see boundaries and limits being pushed back.

Extra cushioning, enhanced durability, ventilated features, and more smart features – all reliable and renowned brands aim for new technologies and strive to be better than each other.

Exclusivity

Although SP shoes are not entirely the same as LE (Limited Edition), they are only available to a limit. Hence, not everyone has a chance with them.

Among sneakerheads, it feels like a race to lay their hands on a SP product.

Consequently, when these products made it to the resale market, the price skyrocketed because of the collection value besides the qualities they possess.

Collaborations

Aside from the look and the performance, collaborations with well-known celebrities and designers are also a great way to attract customers and spread the impact all over the market.

Recently, you might have heard about Nike x Travis, Adidas Pharrell Williams, of Nike x Off-White collections. Rest assured, more of these similar collaborations will come and swamp the industry.

Iconic Symbols

When associated with a famous figure, SP designs tend to have exclusive details related to the artist, enough to poke people’s memories when either of them is mentioned.

As a combination of the best materials and the most innovative technologies, SP shoes also push the industry forward and turn footwear production into a phenomenon.

How To Get SP Shoes?

As we have mentioned, you are in a contest if you want to get SP shoes. As a beginner collector, what should you do?

• Follow and check the brand’s official websites frequently. You will get a head-up of the upcoming models and thus remain equal with your “opponents”!
• Famous retailers and stores might also have sneak peeks of the products to be released in the near future.
• Some sneaker releases are available through a lottery program. It is heavily based on luck, yet you can still try!
• Join communities and groups to always be updated by your fellow sneaker lovers, who might be much more experienced than you!
• If you are determined to get something highly desired, it’s better to save the money for it in advance.

Popular SP Shoes and How They Fit

If you browse the SP tag on GOAT and StockX, you will run into these brands all the time.

Adidas

If you see “Consortium” and “Original” on Adidas shoes, they are equal to SP products. Like many Adidas designs, these creations fit slightly larger.

Converse

All “Converse x” shoes mark collaborations between Converse and the chosen names. The results are the unique and innovative version of Chuck Tayler sneakers that we love.

Vans

You can look for the “Vans Vault” collection for Vans’ special shoes in cooperation with the artists they deem suitable.

With casual purposes in mind, Vans produces shoes that run slightly big.

Puma

They have “Puma x” names for the special projects.

Sometimes, they leave out the “x” and directly link the Puma name with the artist, “Puma Fenty” for example. They fit true to sizes, adding to the overall amazing quality.

Celebrities Wearing SP Shoes

SP means so much weight and meaning in sneakers.

And you might be surprised to know a lot of celebrities are in love with these special shoes as much as you are.

• Justin Bieber: People usually spot him with SP designs from Fear of God or Yeezy, which pair extremely well with his signature street style.
• Beyonce: Her favorite brands are Adidas and Nike with graphic shirts and bold accessories.
• Drake: He enjoys a laid-back look and stays loyal to Nike & Jordan for a casual yet prominent outfit.
• Dua Lipa: Like Beyonce, Dua Lipa loves mixing her Nike or Adidas with colorful and vibrant colors in her clothes.
• Travis Scott: It will be hard for one to catch Travis with anything other than distressed denim, graphic tees, and statement jewelry that go well with his Nike & Jordan collaboration.

Final Words

Knowing SP shoes’ meaning and the impact they have in the industry, there is indeed so much we can expect from the style and the performance of SP footwear.

At some point, it feels as though we are putting our money into a part of the sneaker culture and not only a pair of shoes to wear!

You will have a lot of challenges on your journey to collect these shoes, but never give up!