THE JOURNAL
The running shoes to see you through party season.
There was a time when sneakers were confined to tennis courts and gyms, when no self-respecting man who actually cared about his professional reputation would rock up to a boardroom meeting wearing a pair – it just wasn’t the done thing.
But now, evidence suggests a seismic shift in that mentality. Sneakers have now infiltrated establishments where previously nothing but a pair of polished Oxfords would have been appropriate. They’re now de rigueur at five-star hotels, Michelin-star restaurants and on the red carpet. Some men even go as far as wearing them with a dinner suit – think Mr Novak Djokovic in his gleaming adidas Stan Smiths at the 2016 Laureus Awards, or Stormzy at this year’s Brits in his metallic Richard James tux and box-fresh white runners. This is perhaps a step too far for sartorial purists, but it seems nothing can halt the onward march of this now ubiquitous shoe.
Add to this the fact that grown men are prepared to wait in line to partake in crack-of-dawn scrums of the kind associated with a run on a bank to get their hands on the latest iteration of a pair of Boosts and it’s pretty fair to say that the sneaker has come of age.
While many members of the fairer sex might be lusting after a pair of Louboutins or Choos this yuletide, we would wager what every man wants to find under the tree – sneakerhead or otherwise – is a box fresh pair of kicks. Here’s five of the best.
For the urban athlete
You’ll probably know that Nike – and particularly its sneakers – has cult status in the sneakerhead community. Year after year, the creative geniuses at the athleisure behemoth manage to produce sell-out designs that work equally well with a pair of tailored sweatpants, sporty woollen trousers or denim, and unlike true “fashion” sneakers, Nikes tend to offer decent support, so if you decide to hit the treadmill, you’re not going to end up in A&E. That said, most of the devotees of styles like this pair of Nike Air Max wouldn’t dare take them out for anything more than a gentle amble for fear of scuffing them.
For the eco-warrior
In our war against single-use plastics, sportswear and sneakers often rate as the worst offending genres of apparel for their eco-credentials. They are usually made of tech materials derived from polymers, which of course are formed from crude oil. Gallic brand Veja, however, has been doing things differently for the past decade. These V-10s – named to mark 10 years of the brand’s pioneering sustainability work – have soles of ethically sourced rubber from managed sites in the Amazon. They’re ideal for the man who insists on using paper straws and cotton totes, and best of all, they actually look pretty damn stylish.
For the street style connoisseur
The Triple S – Balenciaga’s most coveted sneaker since its cult Arenas – surely win the prize for the most beautiful “ugly” trainer ever. With their chunky, sculpted angular soles and colour-pop details, they seem more like objects that belong in a glass case in a museum – which is exactly why the street-style connoisseur wants these on his feet. It’s little wonder, then, why street style paps and Instagrammers often get whipped up into a frenzy over them. We can also say with certainty that whoever unwraps these prize specimens on Christmas morning will be a happy chap.
For the timeless advocate
We’ve all been leafing through a photo album from our youth – or more recently, scrolling through the annals of our Facebook and Instagram feeds – only to be struck with a deep pang of regret at our style faux pas. Those frosted tips and slashed stonewash jeans might have seemed a great combo in 1997, but now you’d quite happily erase all memory of that “phase” of your sartorial history. One of the most effective ways to avoid such travesties is to stick to timeless, tried-and-tested designs. These Common Projects, with their clean, minimalist design, definitely fit that bill. So, for the man who appreciates understated longevity in his wardrobe, they’re a considered gift that will have him well shod for the new year and beyond.
For the traditionalist
For the purist who just can’t fathom the idea of retiring his Northampton-made Oxfords in favour of a sports trainer, there is a solution to easing into this footwear experience. It comes in the form of Berluti’s Fast Track sneakers, which are best described as a hybrid cross between a shoe and a sneaker. And seeing as they’re made by a Parisian house known for the quality of its leather and its shoes, you know these are no ordinary amalgam, taking the sneaker to a level of sophistication that the French excel at.
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