THE JOURNAL
The fashion cycles of the running shoe can be, perhaps aptly, hard to keep up with. One minute you’re on the front foot, wearing the sneaker that’s about to take off. The next, the whole world has moved on and you’re left sporting yesterday’s shoe. Honestly, it’s an effort just staying on the treadmill.
Perhaps the biggest change in recent times is that it’s not always the names you expect that you’re seeing on fashion-forward feet. All of a sudden, technical kit from the likes of Hoka, Satisfy and, especially, ON is a big part of the conversation – and not just on the running track. Meanwhile, luxury designers including Maison Margiela, Dries Van Noten and LOEWE, the latter of whom helped turn the dial with its collaborations with ON, are elevating the everyday runner.
“This divergence between casual and performance footwear is… a hallmark of post-pandemic fashion,” says Daniel-Yaw Miller, the award-winning journalist who runs the Substack SportsVerse. “People want different identities for different purposes, rather than a one-silhouette-fits-all feel.” Which sounds like you’re buying several pairs of shoes.
“Nike and adidas are still everywhere,” reassures Tayler Willson, editor of the sport and fashion magazine CircleZeroEight. “That won’t change. But there’s definitely a shift happening. People aren’t abandoning the big players – I think they’re just more curious. They want alternatives, the ‘what’s next?’ option that feels a bit fresher and less churned through the hype machine.”
Read below for our thoughts on where your sneakers will be taking you in the year to come.
01. The rise of the low-profile sneaker
If the mantle of sneaker of the moment is up for grabs, there’s no doubt that the vintage-inspired low-profile style has enjoyed quite the uptick of late. (Read our in-depth piece here.) The brands doing this well include Common Projects, which is already known for its minimalist designs, but classics by adidas Originals retain a cult following.
“The Samba boom definitely played a part,” Willson says, harking back to the silhouette that became the It-sneaker a few years ago. “It reminded everyone how good a slim, low-profile sneaker can look with the kind of trousers people are wearing right now. But I wouldn’t say the rise of low-profile shoes is only a reaction to the Samba. It’s more that the mood in fashion has swung towards simplicity and versatility. After years of chunky soles, big panels and big statements, people seem to want something quieter and easier to wear.”
If the shoe fits, wear it. And right now, the low-profile sneaker is likely the one that goes with the clothes you have on. “It’s just the style that fits best with where menswear is heading,” Willson says. “Refined, functional and not overly engineered.”
02. The high-end theory
An extension, perhaps, to the above point, but some of the biggest names in the retro sneaker market today are top-tier designers. Brands that, in previous seasons, you would have more likely looked to for investment pieces.
“We have definitely seen the pendulum move from high-volume brands to something a bit more special,” says Sammy Skipper, Buyer at MR PORTER. He notes the many options available in terms of vintage-inspired, low-profile running shoes that you probably won’t be running in any time soon, from the likes of SAINT LAURENT, TOM FORD and Dries Van Noten. And he promises more to come, with ZEGNA set to launch a new model this year.
“Low-profile models are a bit less ‘scary’ and bulky for someone more used to wearing proper shoes,” says Lauren Cochrane, senior fashion writer for The Guardian and author of The Ten. “I think the Margiela ones are fun because they bring something of the brand into the design.”
03. The performance shoe steps up
At the other end of the sneaker spectrum, technical hardware is increasingly finding itself deployed for civilian use. These days, you’re as likely to see a pair of ONs in a design studio as on an athletics track. “I think it’s the influence of run clubs,” Cochrane says. “People are merging what they wear for exercise – or what they would wear if they did exercise? – into their non-leg days.”
“There’s a cultural shift behind it,” Willson agrees. “Running has become a lifestyle signal. Gorpcore never really disappeared, it just matured and went a little ninja. People like the idea of wearing gear that can do something, even if they’re just heading to the office. These shoes hit that sweet spot: real performance credentials wrapped in a design language that works with everyday clothes. They look modern and they’re insanely comfortable, which is what a lot of people are hunting for right now. Once you’ve spent a day in that kind of cushioning, it’s hard to go back.”
04. All hands on the deck shoe
“A smaller and more emerging trend, but deck shoes are coming back again,” Skipper says. But don’t necessarily dwell on the nautical rubber-soled footwear of sailing regattas – or, indeed, the skate shoes you lost one of in a rowdy mosh pit. “We have them coming from Brunello Cucinelli, Common Projects and MORJAS,” Skipper says.
“[We] haven’t seen this look for a while and it fits with the low-profile shape,” Cochrane says.
05. Black is back
The success of reissues hangs on colourways. And while both vintage styles and bleeding-edge performance shoes often come in high-impact tones to catch the eye, 2026 could also see a return to core colours.
“I think they’ll be lots of the brightly coloured sneakers, like Hoka, but also I wonder if black might come back,” Cochrane says. “There’s something that feels very ‘ready’ and serious in a good way with black sneakers.”
06. The suede shoe to step on
“For me, one to watch for next year will be suede sneakers,” says Kit Swann, Fashion Editor at MR PORTER. The material “gives an extra luxurious feel to even the simplest sneaker silhouette,” he reports. “Suede soaks up light, which makes the matte gradient of colour so much richer. One of the standout qualities of suede, however, is its patina, which will only get better with time.”
“I do tend to be a bit more weather-aware when they are brand new,” Cochrane says. “You need to not be too precious. Keep them looking their best by being mindful of scuffs as and when they happen and wiping them carefully. I also think stick to darker colours. A light beige or even white is for people braver than me.
“They have a retro feel, so tend to work best with clothes in this realm,” Cochrane adds. “Dad jeans, for example, rather than tailored trousers.”
07. The next big thing?
In all, it’s a competitive field. But which sneaker style or even silhouette do the experts predict to pull out in front this year? “Right now, you can see a few contenders bubbling,” Willson says, tantalisingly. “The adidas SL72 is definitely having a moment. And slim climbing-inspired shoes are creeping in fast. They tap into the same low, lightweight, subtly retro feel that made the Samba so wearable. But whether any of them become the universal shoe of the moment is a different question.
“I actually think we’re entering a phase where there isn’t a single dominant sneaker, more like a cluster of micro-movements,” he adds. “People are more open to alternatives now. They’re happy to rotate depending on the mood. There’s no longer one shoe to rule them all.”
“I don’t think there’s one that stands out totally,” Cochrane agrees. But if there is… “I do think it might be a more ‘performance’ shoe.”
Don’t dismiss the big boys, she counsels: “adidas still seems massive, but I wonder if Nike might have a comeback.” She cites the Air Max Plus as one to watch.
“Such is the world of footwear, it’s likely that the shoe of 2026 isn’t even being talked about yet,” Willson says. “Overall, 2026 feels like it’ll favour shoes that are functional, a bit odd, and surprisingly easy to wear.”