From Saint Laurent to Stan Smith, metallic to mesh, this season there’s a style for every man.

During the week you might be kind of guy who sits on the board of directors and wears Oxford lace-ups. Or you might be a work-boot-loving creative who reads Thoreau and daydreams of lakes and log cabins. Or the office minimalist who lives for Jil, Marni, Raf and sleek unadorned loafers. But chances are you still wear sneakers.

Sneakers are the tie that binds. They’re the great unifier, the Everyman shoe. And this season, there’s a shoe for every man, too – from old school to avant-garde, and everything in between. Here, a few members of the MR PORTER team reveal how they get their kicks.

“These were my favourite sneakers when I was a boy, so I abandon all care when I lace them up. Thankfully, vintage footwear is easier to source than swimwear, as no one needs to see a well-marbled, middle-aged man in the Speedos that Mark Spitz wore at the 1972 Olympic Games.

“Like a mod Don Quixote, I usually put these on thinking Noel Gallagher and I will be jamming later in the day, but the reality is I’m probably taking my five-year-old daughter to a princess-themed birthday party. My Saturday look would be rounded out with corduroy trousers from Beams.”

“These suede slip-on sneakers from Common Projects get my vote. They are a sleek, minimal update on classic skate shoes, and they work well with the contemporary trend for sportswear and streetwear. And they are super comfortable and easy to put on, too. I’m lazy, so little things like a lack of shoelaces do actually count for something.

“I’m going through a bit of a grunge phase at the moment. These worked in summer with shorts as part of a clean sportswear look, but now they’re more beaten up they work perfectly in a grungier way with well-worn black jeans.”

“If your other half is anything like mine I can guess how the conversation may start: ‘How much for a pair of trainers!?’ (But take it from someone who bought some: they are worth it.) 

“I’m normally a tennis sneaker guy, so these Valentinos are a departure from my usual style. I’ll wear them with relaxed tailoring and a T-shirt when I might otherwise wear desert boots or brogues. I also like to wear them more casually with chinos or wool trousers, a jersey sweatshirt and denim jacket. They elevate a weekend look.

“I got a pair of last year’s olive green Valentinos having coveted them for months, but this year I’ll be purchasing a new, more versatile version in blue and burgundy.”

“The Stan Smith has been my trainer of choice so far this year, but there are a few others that deserve some love – these Saint Laurent low tops being one of them. They are essentially retro sneakers that have been reimagined in panelled suede, metallic mesh and leather. It sounds as if there’s quite a lot going on, but it retains an elegant, minimal feel.

“You could wear these with anything – tailoring, cuffed sweatpants, dark denim. I’ll pair them with these wide-legged Marni trousers.”

“I like Stan Smiths because they are simple and classic – and are therefore everything I look for in sneakers. I’ve actually got the Raf Simons version which uses a slightly whiter leather. There’s a subtle ‘R’ where the three perforated stripes usually are, which makes people look twice.

“I wear my Stans with trousers – not jeans. I’m a firm believer in the concept of wearing good bench-made shoes with jeans and sneakers with trousers so one formal element offsets the other’s casual. In this case, I particularly like them with the Tomorrowland drawstring-waist wool trousers.”

“I live an active lifestyle… well, relatively active. I cycle to work and hit the gym a few times a week. I still wear sneakers in my downtime, of course, but they’re not just a ‘downtime shoe’ for me. That’s why I love the direction that Nike has taken over the past few seasons, creating high-performance athletic shoes that are smart enough to wear outside of the gym. These are a great example: all black and grey, with a futuristic trim at the heel.

“They’re going straight into my gym bag, which, if you’re interested, also contains a couple of Dri-FIT T-shirts and a pair of jersey shorts.”

“When it comes to ‘sports luxe’ – that sweet spot at the intersection of sportswear and high fashion – nobody does it better than Lanvin. The Parisian brand has dominated the market ever since the release of its now classic patent-leather and suede sneaker. I’m a big fan of the new show sneaker for FW14; it’s a little more subtle than last season’s more full-on iteration. And this model’s in black. I only wear black, so it gets my stylistic vote.

“Speaking of Lanvin, I’ve just bought a fantastically comfortable pair of trousers, and I reckon these sneakers will work perfectly with them.”

“These sneakers from Nike were designed and released to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the Nike Free 5.0 – the first of the brand’s ‘Free’ range. They are designed to mimic the feeling of running barefoot, and the number corresponds to the level of support – five being in the middle of the range. This is all pointless information, of course, because I won’t be running in them. They’re far too nice for that.

“They’re perfect weekend wear when combined with a pair of dry denim black jeans.”