Obviously, we’re no architects. However, we’d imagine a question that comes up fairly early on when planning a new building is: “How high can we make this thing?” It’s a query that has cropped up in other areas of design too and the world of sneaker innovation is no exception.

“Originally high-tops were all about providing athletes with more ankle support,” explains Tiffany Beers, a sneaker expert, YouTuber and former Nike senior innovator, who spent 13 years designing for the Swoosh. “Today, they’re another perfect example of how an athlete performance benefit can become a look and a fashion statement in its own right.”

For Beers, the high-top silhouette represents the greatest design in sports footwear. And she’s not alone. Jamie Dowling is the manager of 5Pointz in Bristol, a sneaker and streetwear shop where he witnesses firsthand how popular this ankle-hugging style of footwear is – and it can all be traced back to one specific shoe.

“In my opinion, the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star started this culture. That shoe eventually went on to transcend sports, style, stereotypes, background, race and all aspects of society. It’s something I don’t feel any shoe has done since to the same level.”

Today, many sneakerheads champion high-tops due to the fresh look they can bring to an outfit. “From a stylistic perspective, I think it all depends on the outfit that’s being worn,” says Dowling. “I like to wear a high top sneaker with maybe shorts and long socks. Or nice denim with the bottom of the cuff sat on the top of the sneaker to showcase it.”

Still, the way in which you style your high-tops will depend largely on what style they are. Take your pick from our edit of the best designs you can buy today.

Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star

Look down at your feet. If you’re not already wearing a pair of Converse All Stars, chances are the trainers you are sporting wouldn’t have existed without them. This simple canvas basketball shoe laid the foundations for a multi-billion dollar sports footwear industry and set the benchmark for everything that was to come after it. The basic design of the shoe has remained almost completely unchanged in over a century, which is crazy, but also the true mark of an icon.