Grace Wales Bonner's work with adidas treats a classic football trainer like tailoring, with snake effect leather, pony hair and soft suede. The Gazelle comes in both of the first two finishes here. The Karintha is a slimmer, lower shape, shown in smooth leather and in suede. Any of the four will make a sneaker collector stop and look twice.

Salomon's XT-6 was built for trail running, which is why it feels so good on a long city day. The Gore-Tex version in black keeps feet dry, and the gray pair is the softer everyday option. The XT-4 OG has a slightly different profile, and the XT-Whisper in vanilla is the lightest looking of the group. All four use pull toggle laces, so there is nothing to tie.

Slim, low terrace sneakers are the easiest pair to wear with jeans, skirts and trousers alike. The adidas Samba OG comes in a deep maroon, and the Samba Jane turns the same shoe into a Mary Jane with a strap. The Tokyo is a softer take in brown suede. Puma's Speedcat in cow print is the wild card for someone who already owns every Samba.

A metallic sneaker is the easiest way to wear a little shine during the day, and it pairs with more than you would think. The adidas Taekwondo comes in a glossy bronze with a thin sole, and Puma's H-Street Lustre is a sleek silver runner. Isabel Marant's Beth fastens with metallic straps, and Odissi's Milly is a soft gold sneaker.

Every sneaker collection needs one clean white leather pair that goes with everything. Toteme's Flex is soft and low, and Prada's Lane is a crisp low top with a small logo. Dries Van Noten's leather pair adds soft suede overlays and a gum sole, and Golden Goose's Matchstar has a red heel tab. These are the pairs that get worn the most.

If you take one thing away, find out their size and the pairs they already own before you buy anything. Sneakerheads keep careful track of their collections, so a duplicate is the one real mistake. When in doubt, the Salomon XT-6 and the adidas Samba are the safest bets here. Keep the box, because collectors care about the box.