The 4 Emerging Sneaker Trends to Invest In
Despite formality (and the leather footwear that comes with it) returning in full force, sneakers aren’t going anywhere. Like all clothing, your more comfort-focused footwear is subject to the swing of the trend pendulum, and with a category as broad as sneakers, that pendulum can sometimes lead to multiple outcomes all at once. We’ve sifted through the street style coming out of the recent fashion weeks to drill down into what trends we’re seeing emerging from those in the know. These are the sneaker styles you’ll want to be investing in for the upcoming season.
Slim and Thin-Soled Sneakers
The chunkier sneaker trend that saw rise to the Balenciaga Triple S and all the pretenders to that shoes throne has begun to wain. While plenty of brands will continue to offer the heavier soled sneakers, slimmer and thinner soled styles are poised to become much more prevalent. Prada, Maison Margiela and Dries Van Noten have already been positioning their low-profile sneakers as the ones to watch, riding off the wave that has seen the Adidas Samba and Puma Speedcat become iconic staples in the last couple of years.
Bright and Bold
A continuation of the bright, contrasting sneakers that have been all over out feeds (and feet). Where you may have in the past gone for a low-key grey or neutral tone, primary colors like bright yellow, red and more unconventional tones like purple are likely going to turn your head and bring some statement to your rotation.
Retro-Inspired Silhouettes
Low top runners inspired by ‘70s style Nike’s. Metallic ‘90s and Y2K styles revived and rejuvenated — sneakers have often relied on iconic silhouettes from decades gone by when looking for inspiration. Prada’s collapsable Re-Nylon style in particular is an option that has pulled the hat trick and combined it’s retro-aesthetic with the aforementioned thin sole and bold color trends in this roundup. Expect to see more of these vintage-feeling styles, as opposed to futuristic ones moving further into 2025.
Hybridised Styles
New Balance took the online conversation around footwear by storm last year with the 1906L, a sneaker that combined with a loafer silhouette to create a Frankenstein option that firmly divides opinion (like all soon to be huge trends tend to). Mizuno and Hoka One One are also joining in on hybridisation, with the latter debuting the Speed Loafer at the end of January and whipping up further discourse on the trend. Why get two shoes when one can do the job for you?