The fact that fashion has welcomed sneakers into the fold is, in some ways, quite significant.
Remember when Victoria Beckham said she “couldn’t concentrate in flats” then switched her six-inch stilettos for Stan Smiths? It was a sign that there had been an undeniable shift in the way women consume fashion, moving away from the constrictive idea that teetering on painful pumps equates to ‘power dressing’.
Instead, ‘fashion sneakers’ became an industry-wide obsession and a more experimental—dare we say, comfortable—approach to style became the new norm. The last few seasons have demonstrated that sneakers are more than a passing trend: they’re a quiet, footwear-focused revolution. They’re here to stay.
With this in mind, we’re documenting the next-gen of sneaker trends. While chunky Dad sneakers and souped-up Air Force 1s had our hearts aflutter in 2019, we’ve set our sights on 2020. We document the five trends you’ll be embracing for the rest of 2020.
Statement makers
Bold, colourful, sportswear-adjacent sneakers look incredibly fresh and modern, especially when paired with an all-neutral ensemble.
Buy: ‘Red Runner Donna glittered mesh and leather sneakers’ by Christian Louboutin, $1845 at Net-A-Porter.
Lace it up
Stompy lace-up boots were the shoe of autumn winter ’19 shows, and sneakers are following suit. A heavy-soled, lace-up sneaker looks great with denim (extra points for statement socks).
Buy: ‘High-top sneakers’ by Jimmy Choo, $850 at Farfetch.
Dad 2.0
Several designers created cult-worthy iterations of the chunky ‘Dad’ sneaker in 2018. Now, we’re paring things back a bit — think more ‘Jerry Seinfed’s’ New Balances’ than Balenciaga Triple S’s.
Buy: ‘+ NET SUSTAIN V-10 leather sneakers’ by Veja, $200 at Net-A-Porter.
White heat
A burst-of-white sneaker makes a neutral-heavy outfit feel incredibly modern. Stock-up accordingly.
Buy: by Primury, $217 at Matches Fashion.
Matchy-matchy
Susie Lau converted us to a ‘match and match’ approach at the couture shows this year, when she paired her Maison Margiela dress with same-print chunky sneakers. We recommend taking her styling cues, stat.
Buy: ‘GG Rhyton sneaker’ by Gucci, $1170 at Farfetch.
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